Eagle Creek’s EVERYSTEP initiative makes choosing sustainable travel easier. A multifaceted program, EVERYSTEP combines durable gear, human rights, and conservation to make travel greener.
As a company, we at Eagle Creek know that if future generations want to keep traveling, companies need to show responsibility for making their practices sustainable. That’s why we’ve launched a new initiative called “EVERYSTEP,” which is our commitment to think sustainability at every step of the creation of products—and beyond. EVERYSTEP lengthens the life of our products, partners with organizations that give back to the communities we love traveling to, and supports conservation efforts to preserve our most vulnerable natural and wild spaces.
Maximizing Functionality, Minimizing Footprint
Eagle Creek designs and develops thoughtful, long-lasting products that make travel more seamless and easy for customers—from a bag’s rugged wheels, zippers, and fabrics to our ergonomic backpacks designed for comfort, style, and ease of travel. Throughout it all, we minimize waste. Every component of our products are tested for durability—a policy so effective that only 1% of Eagle Creek purchases are returned. How is this possible?
Starting with materials, Eagle Creek researchers develop ways to incorporate non-traditional waste into products, and also ensure that every chemical and material used in production is safe for the planet. How could waste become those backpacks and suitcases you know and love?
● By salvaging windshield plastics from landfills in Asia, Eagle Creek has developed a water-resistant coating for durability, like the one on the Gear Warrior Convertible Carry On and the entire line of Migrate duffels.
● Eagle Creek’s products are also PVC free—meaning no toxic polyvinyl chloride contaminants go into the environment during the manufacturing process.
● Bluesign® approved fabrics used throughout many of Eagle Creek’s signature products lessen the negative impact on the environment and the people in it. Bluesign® certified materials meet exacting consumer safety standards around the world—when you buy products made with these materials, like our new Pack-It® Reveal System, you contribute to important global sustainability practices.
● Speaking of plastic, Eagle Creek’s innovative packing cubes also speak directly to Eagle Creek’s commitment to sustainability. First introduced 1996, these sustainable packing cubes—which are washable and included in Eagle Creek’s commitment to sustainable materials—were the first time travelers were offered an alternative to using plastic bags to organize their bags. We are excited to further our commitment to sustainability by now featuring 100% post-consumer recycled fabrics in our Reveal and Gear Pack-It® Systems.
Making Industry-Leading Sustainability Commitments
Eagle Creek has committed to increasing the percentage of Bluesign® certified materials, integrating recycled materials and innovative processes into all new products, and eliminating fluorocarbon finishes from all bags (which will completely avoid using cancer-causing coatings). Eagle Creek’s packaging is also made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste and is 100% plastic free—avoiding single-use plastic is a commitment all brands and travelers should be making.
Also leading the industry is Eagle Creek’s No Matter What™ Warranty, which ensures your trusty bag that’s been on countless adventures never reaches the luggage graveyard—aka the landfill. Eagle Creek’s in-house repair centers bring bags back to life. Every member of the Eagle Creek team works to improve the company’s overall sustainability while making sure your gear is ready for the next adventure.
Giving Back Around The Globe
Eagle Creek proudly partners with organizations that give back to the communities where people travel. When we travel, we exchange more than just currency—we exchange ideas, goods, culture, experiences, and much more. Eagle Creek is invested in contributing to humanitarian initiatives that change one person, one village, and one country for the better.
Eagle Creek’s partners include:
● Outdoor Industry Association is a membership-based trade organization for the outdoors industry. In collaboration with its members, it acts as a force in the recreation and trade policy, sustainable innovation, and increasing outdoor participation.
● Adventure Travel Trade Association is a voice for adventure travel empowering the global travel industry to protect natural and cultural sites while creating economic value benefitting both trade members and destinations.
● Camber Outdoors is a national nonprofit supporting workplace inclusion, equity and diversity in the active-outdoor industries with a vision of creating”‘Everyone’s Outdoors” in the future.
● Outdoor Afro is a national not for profit organization with leadership networks around the country. They are committed to connecting Black people with nature and changing the face of leadership in the outdoors.
● Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) is an inclusive non-profit organization that develops inspired and responsible leaders through science education and outdoor experiences for underserved, urban youth ages 5-25.
Eagle Creek believes that it’s important that employees have the opportunity to volunteer with organizations of their choice. The company offers side volunteer days, and also gives employees an additional five paid days off to volunteer with the nonprofit of their choice. Eagle Creek employees are travelers committed to preserving and protecting where they live, work, and travel. They’re on a mission to discover ways to positively impact people and places around the globe for future generations.
Everywhere Eagle Creek’s employees go, they spend time on voluntourism efforts that span a wide range of efforts, from rebuilding infrastructure to helping local communities. They make a positive impact with activities like trail maintenance, community gardening, or working at a local food bank. Eagle Creek puts causes that sustain adventure travel at the forefront, like petitioning to preserve public lands, demonstrations, and extra time off for employee voting—Eagle Creek puts its values as a company into every policy at every level.
Conserving Our Wild Spaces
The world’s natural spaces are diminishing and are being threatened like never before. Eagle Creek supports several conservation cause initiatives that help protect the wild places people love to get out and adventure in. Eagle Creek partners with these organizations, rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty on some historically big projects.
Our partners include:
● The Conservation Alliance, which engages businesses to fund organizations that protect wild spaces for their habitat and recreation.
● The European Outdoor Conservation Fund, a group of European outdoor industry brands and businesses banded together to raise awareness and funds that help conservation efforts and projects around the world.
How You Can Get Involved
Support your values when you spend. When you buy or consume something ask yourself: Does the company that makes this support sustainability efforts? If not, can I find a similar product that is created by a company whose values align with mine?
Shop Eagle Creek’s sustainable products . Whether you’re getting ready to go on a big adventure and need serious gear or you want to throw your stuff in a duffel and hit the gym, have your coffee money ready after a run , or get to class with your books, Eagle Creek has a luggage option for you that’s easy on the planet.
Related Links (from Eagle Creek blog):
Work: How Eagle Creek Puts Sustainability First
