Do you know what a B-Corporation is? If not, that’s ok, lots of people don’t. Here’s a rundown on what it means: A company’s products, business practices, and growth must help the planet, not hurt it. Furthermore, all employees and places of business must be treated with dignity and respect. if a company can commit to all those things, they can proudly show the B-Corp logo on their products and website.
B-Corps are varied, spanning from the food industry, into advertising, retail, travel, and even consulting. Any type of company can commit to a better world. You can scroll through all the companies here, but this article will focus on the best B-Corps for travelers. From excellent travel products to an exciting ski resort, here are the best B-Corps for travelers.
A GOOD COMPANY
Are you looking for some great products to take with you on your next trip? Then you should pay a visit to A Good Company‘s website. There, you’ll find pens made from meadow grass, bamboo toothbrushes, stone paper notebooks, and coolest of all, their flax phone cases. After farmers sell their flax to food companies, A Good Company steps in buys all the leftover plan material or “plant waste.” It’s melted down and molded into phone cases that are actually quite sturdy. They come in a variety of patterns and colors, and coolest of all, they’re part of “A Good Loop.” The Good Loop is simple. You can turn in your phone case to A Good Company at any time. Perhaps you want to switch the pattern, or maybe you got a new phone that’s a different size. Whatever the reason, send the phone case back so A Good Company can melt it down and make new cases, and in return, you’ll get an $11.42 discount on another phone case of your choice! Even better, for every $23 the company makes in sales, they plant a tree!
TAOS SKI RESORT
A Snowboarder weaves down the slope (Image courtesy of TAOS Ski Valley)
Being green doesn’t mean you can’t take a vacation. Just head to the TAOS ski valley in New Mexico for some great skiing in winter and excellent hiking and biking during the summer. The resort’s hotel uses ground source heat pumps, LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances, and sources food locally to cut down on its carbon footprint. They even recycle their wine bottles to help build houses known as Earthships.
But the efficiency doesn’t end at the hotel. During periods of heavy snow, the resort collects excess snow and stores it in highly-insulated warehouses, that way, during periods of no snow, they can use the harvested snow rather than use energy-intensive snow machines. Also. the oil from their vehicles even gets reused and turned into heat for their maintenance facility!
ABHATI SUISSE
Abhati Nomads Kit (Photo Courtesy of Abhati)
Great skincare doesn’t have to be hard to find, just head over to Abhati for a wide range of products. They make everything from shampoos to conditioners to soap, and even candles. It’s utilitarian yet luxurious. Their products are made from ethical labor in Switzerland and use raw ingredients like moringa oil, wild cherry, and edelweiss. Even better, their Nomads Kit gives you travel-sized versions of their lip balm, shampoo, conditioner, body cleanser, and lotion. Abhati donates a portion of their profits to local farmers, outdoor education programs, and nonprofits like Weforest.org, which is dedicated to reforesting our planet (to date, they’ve already planted over 15 million trees!)
AFRICAN BRONZE HONEY
African Bronze Honey drops (Photo Courtesy of African Bronze Honey)
African Bronze Honey is shaking up the honey world. As many people now know, the bee population is collapsing, which not only means higher food prices for consumers, but it also means a sharp decrease in the pollination of plants, which is a very serious problem.
Rather than using apiaries, African Bronze Honey gets their honey from forest bees in the African woodlands. Hives are created out of things like hollowed logs and are left in the forest. This way, bees aren’t removed from their habitat. This helps increase populations in the wild, and because of the numerous plant species in the forests, the honey gets a robust and delicious flavor. The company helps train African bee farmers, pays fair wages, and even helps the farmers learn basic math and literacy.
The best bet for travelers is their hydrating lip balm made from beeswax and baobab oil, and their honey lozenges. They’re great for soothing dry throats from airplanes or coughs from allergies, plus they’re organic and all-natural. Use the code PASSPORT15 for 15% off your order on their website.
PATAGONIA
Patagonia has long been known as one of the world’s leading outdoor and adventure stores. At Patagonia, you can find everything—shirts, pants, jackets, socks, shoes, gloves, hats—all designed with adventure in mind. Need something lightweight yet warm to wear on your flight? Their Fair Trade certified Trail Harbor Sweatshirt, made from hemp and organic cotton is exactly what you need. Or maybe you’re going on a cruise, so you want something breathable and that won’t need to get washed much. Then the 50+ UPF sun-protected, odor controlled Capilene Cool Daily shirt is just for you. Their clothes also Bluesign certified and made using recycled polyester, so you can’t go wrong.
The company doesn’t just make great eco-friendly products. Their California headquarters is outfitted with 498 solar panels, and their Nevada shipping center was constructed using local and recycled building materials and FSC-certified wood. On top of all that, Patagonia holds the annual Salmon Run 5k which raises funds for various nonprofits.
NUMI TEA
Numi Tea (Photo Courtesy of Numi)
Numi is one of the leading tea brands, offering tea bags, bottled tea, and even elixir shots (which are great for travelers.) Looking for an immune boost before you hop on that long-haul flight or depart on your cross-country road trip? Take a shot of Numi’s Immune Support, made from pomegranate, elderberry, rooibos, cayenne, and lemon. Another great idea is to pack some tea bags away in your suitcase, you never know when you might need them!
Numi uses recycled packaging with soy-based inks, their teabags are natural and biodegradable, and they even partake in carbon offsetting through Carbonfund.org. But the best part about tea? With leaves being harvested in China, India, Japan, and Africa, you can experience another part of the world without needing to leave the house.
COTOPAXI
Cotopaxi travel bag (Photo courtesy of Cotopaxi)
Cotopaxi is another adventure and travel retailer that creates a ton of products, from shirts to jackets to pants…but they’re most notable for their bags and packs. In particular, the Del Día bags. These are made completely from reused leftover fabrics that most companies would otherwise throw away. And since each bag is made using reused fabrics, no two bags look alike. Each one is entirely unique and is handpicked and handmade from the employees at Cotopaxi’s Philippines facility. Check out all the unique color combinations here. And don’t let this bag fool you, it might be made from reused materials, but it’s made 100% with travelers in mind. They’re sturdy, have tons of features, and have excellent buyer reviews.
Cotopaxi goes beyond just making ethical products, they also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Cotopaxi Foundation, which provides grants to environmental and humanitarian efforts around the world.
