This year our new year resolution was to really try to use more eco friendly, ethical brands while travelling. Even little changes can make a big difference if we all do them!
Right before our camping trip to Cornwall in June we partnered with Hempnath, who sent us 2 of their gorgeous bags to use on our travels. I chose the Chino backpack in pink, and David has the Nadi waist bag in Dark blue.
Nadi and Chino in Cornwall
Not only beautiful, sturdy and practical, Hempnath also have a fantastic mission which we are so excited to spread awareness of:
Hempnath use 100% natural hemp in their products, which is far more environmentally friendly than using cotton - it needs less water and no pesticides to grow, so it's far less taxing on the environment, and actively detoxifies and rejuvenates the soil it grows in. Plus the hemp is grown and processed in Nepal, so by buying a bag you're supporting local communities. More on that later.
Hempnath are also partners of Eden Reforestation Projects , who work with local communities to create sustainable incomes for villages in developing countries through planting millions of trees. As part of this partnership, for every Hempnath bag sold, three trees are planted. Amazing!
Our review:
We were really impressed with Hempnath, right from the beginning. We chose our bags on June 29th, and they arrived just 4 days later, perfect timing for our Cornwall trip that weekend. The packaging was beautiful, carefully wrapped in tissue and tied with brown string, topped off with a sprig of lavender. It felt really special!
The bags themselves have a lovely rustic feel - the hemp is textured to touch and feels very sturdy and long lasting. The zips are metal and strong, and the straps on both bags are adjustable for a comfy fit.
The Nadi is a bumbag but the waist extender means you can make it big enough to wear across your chest, which David prefers. It means essentials like passports and phone are close at hand when you're in the airport or out and about, and you can slide it round under your arm to press it against your body with your elbow which felt nice and secure against potential pickpockets in crowds.
The Nadi has two zipped pockets and its surprisingly roomy. In Dubrovnik David kept our passports, the pocket map from our guide book and Dubrovnik City cards in the main pocket, and his phone and cash/bank card in the back one. He also liked taking it to the beach when surfing in Cornwall - it means he can walk from the car in his wetsuit and just bring the car keys and his phone - no need for a big bag on the beach!
The Chino backpack has become my go to bag for everything. It's the perfect carry on bag, with LOADS of pockets - a very roomy main body pocket, a flat compartment in the back, a decent 'kangaroo pouch" on the front and an smaller zipped flat compartment
in front of that, perfect for keys (or spare facemasks... imagine when we'll be looking back at this year and think "gosh we took facemasks everywhere!").
The straps are adjustable for a nice snug fit, which meant even when I totally filled the bag for an overnight stay, it sat flush against my back and didn't drag down on my shoulders. The hemp is tough enough that I also used the Chino as my beach bag in Croatia - sand just brushes off.
Nadi and Chino in Dubrovnik
It is so exciting to discover an ethical brand that is actively making a difference in the world. And you can be a part of it! You can have a high quality bag for your travels and know that you are helping people around the world to escape poverty, and help towards saving the planet too by restoring forests.
We'd so recommend you checking out Hempnath's beautiful, sustainable products, either on their website: https://hempnath.com/collections/all
or on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hempnath/