Why Every Month is Earth Month at Sherpani
For over 25 years, Sherpani has invested our time, our resources, and our passion into creating two things: functional bags for women, and a better planet. Throughout that time, we’ve worked intentionally to ensure that thoughtful design goes hand in hand with responsible practices. Which is why, to the rest of the world, it’s Earth Month. But to us, it’s simply how we choose to show up.
Crafting something people can rely on—lifestyle bags they carry through airports, across cities, and into everyday moments—is what drives us. But we also recognize that creation comes with responsibility. We have a planet and its people to look after, and that’s something we’ve never taken lightly.
It’s not just because we come from a place that values sustainability, either. Starting this business in Boulder, Colorado, has certainly shaped our perspective and reinforced our desire to do the right thing for the planet, but it’s only one part of a much bigger story.
Over the past 25 years, we have helped divert more than 11 million plastic bottles from landfills and waterways, repurposing them into Sherpani bags. Protecting our oceans is a cause that lives very close to our founders' hearts, who began their journey together in Key West, Florida, running a dive company and spending years deeply immersed in ocean life. That connection serves as a guide to what we still strive to accomplish as a company today. But what does that actually look like in practice?
It Starts With How We Work
Sustainability isn’t just something that’s built into our products. It’s built into everything we do, and is part of who we are as a team, a company, and a collective community. At Sherpani, we approach decisions with intention, which starts with asking the right questions:
How can we reduce waste before it starts?
How can we design bags that truly stand the test of time?
How can we create smarter products that seamlessly complement our customers’ lives?
Ours is what we like to call quiet sustainability. It’s rooted in long-term thinking and solutions rather than short-term wins. Our mission is to connect people and places, and in doing so, we aim to create products that help people feel more connected to the planet, too.
Why the Materials Matter More Than You Think
One of the most impactful decisions we make as a sustainable travel bag company is what goes into our products. Most Sherpani bags are made using 100% recycled materials, including high-quality fabrics derived from post-consumer plastic bottles. We're proud to give single-use plastics like these a second life as something functional, durable, and designed to move.
But sustainability isn’t just about using recycled materials. It’s about using the right ones. Our fabrics (100% dope dyed polyester) are:
Durable enough for everyday use and long travel days
Water-resistant to protect what goes inside
Lightweight without compromising strength
Sherpani bags are designed in Boulder, Colorado, and responsibly produced in Vietnam and Indonesia, where our manufacturing processes are carefully monitored and regularly certified for labor and social compliance. Sherpani has always been committed to ethical, sustainable, and transparent business practices—because how something is made matters just as much as what it’s made from.
In 2009, we founded the Blue Verve Project, a sustainability initiative created to shed light on the growing issue of plastic pollution, particularly in our oceans. Today, that mission continues to evolve alongside our business. And it doesn’t stop there: all orders placed on Sherpani.com are processed with carbon-neutral shipping. In other words, we try our best to make sure every leg of the production journey, from design to delivery, reflects our commitment to doing better.
We know just how important sustainability is, and that the conversations we have around it should not be taken lightly. But at Sherpani, we also believe it should feel inspiring, and maybe even a little fun. We’re a brand that encompasses so much more than just recycled materials. We champion strong women who love to travel, explore the outdoors, and fearlessly approach life head-on.
We’re excited by beautiful colors, thoughtful designs, and functional bags that never compromise on style. We celebrate solo female travelers, those who travel together, and, above all, the idea of having a bag that can go the distance to make every day and every trip completely worthwhile.
The fact that all of this lives under the umbrella of sustainable practices just makes it that much more special to us.