Getting ready to go back to school can be a very stressful time, picking just the right new clothes and school supplies, including backpacks. I was thinking about ideas for eco-friendly backpack options and l came across a really great site – EarthTech Products – that I like a lot because it’s a one-stop-shop for backpacks for everyone from Pre-K to college.
Animal-shaped backpacks with rollers made by EcoGear. Photo courtesy of EarthTech Products.
The vast majority of the backpacks carried by EarthTech are manufactured by EcoGear, which also sells the same backpacks on its own site (and cheaper right now during back-to-school season), but I’m focusing on EarthTech because they also sell solar power generating backpacks and have lots of other cool solar stuff that make it worthwhile to visit the site.
EcoGear says its bags are made using organic cotton as well as PVC-free and recycled materials with non-toxic dyes. The company also explains that it coats it bags with an environmental-friendly thermoplastic technology that adds a secure, non-slip structure to the fabric weaving.
EcoGear calls this thermoplastic technology Ecoweave, and says its environmental and human health benefits include being: non-toxic, PVC-free, chlorine-free, dioxin-free, phthalate-free, and heavy metal-free. The Ecoweave also contains no ozone-depleting chemicals.
Besides being safe for people and the environment, I’d also like to take a look at the EcoGear backpacks from the view of their functionality and age-appropriate styles.
EcoGear Ecozoo Panda Organic Rolling Bkpk.
One of my favorite backpacks for the younger kids is the EcoGear Ecozoo Panda Organic Cotton Rolling Backpack.
It’s obviously very cute and roomy to fit lots of book and supplies, but my favorite features are the wheels (which are made from recyclable materials) and the telescoping handle. I like this because it gives kids the option of wheeling their stuff along and removing the stress from their backs.
The backpack is made with recycled plastic components and sustainable wood accents. In addition, the material is made with non-toxic dyes and the shoulder straps are padded for extra comfort when kids are not using the rolling option.
EcoGear has five animal-shaped backpacks that come in the form of a panda, puppy, pig, monkey, and frog. All of these animal-shaped backpacks come in two styles – with and without rollers.
EcoGear Blue Dino Backpack.
Another cute option from EcoGear is their collection of print backpacks. Collection comes in design patterns that include pink bears and blue dinosaurs.
The company also makes more traditional looking backpacks without prints for the kids in the upper elementary grades who want to be a little more sophisticated. They come in colors from soft pink with white accents, to other colors including vibrant green or blue, also with white accents.
The print and more traditional looking backpacks without prints have some very nice features. They’re made with water resistant cotton and recycled components. Also among the features is a Velcro lock on the front panel which covers the interior main pocket, and each of these backpacks comes with an attached cooler bag, with an insulated BPA-free liner.
EcoGear Glacier Backpack.
For the older kids in middle school, I like the EcoGear Glacier Backpack. It’s a little more mature, but it still has a fun and youthful look to it. The backpack comes in either pink or gray, and is made of a durable material from recycled PET bottles.
Among the nice comfort features on these backpacks are the shoulder straps that are padded for extra comfort. They’re also designed with a moisture wicking mesh back for added dryness protection.
Designed with a large storage capacity, the Glacier backpacks also have enough space for all of a student’s needs, including books and a 14 inch laptop, as well as an MP3 player pouch, a soft-lined pocket for valuables, and an internal organizer pocket.
EcoGear Palila II Backpack.
For students in high school and college looking for a more adult and rugged look, I like the EcoGear Palila II Backpack, which comes in orange and charcoal.
The material is made from recycled RPET water bottles, and it has a lot of space including built-in internal organizer pockets and dual side mesh bottle pockets.
It also has the comfort features of padded shoulder straps and the moisture wicking mesh back.
And lastly, one of my favorite options for students going back to school, especially to college is the Array Solar Charger Backpack at EarthTech.
Array Solar Charger Backpack.
The entire front of the backpack is covered in solar cells designed to power a laptop, and comes with a portable solar battery charger that the company says is “powerful enough to energize all of your gadgets.”
The company adds that, “The front solar pocket is also removable and can be attached to other bags for convenient charging.” One hour in direct sunlight can provide up to 30 minutes of runtime on a laptop, and 1.5 hours in direct sunlight can power a complete charge on a cell phone.
Some of the technological features for this solar backpack include:
- Three 6 volt solar panels that can provide up to 10 watts charging power.
- A 20,000 mAh / 72 Watt Hour battery than can power most laptops, tablets, smartphones, and digital cameras. It also features two output ports: a hi-Voltage port for laptops and a USB port for phones and iPads. The battery can be charged using the AC charger included or optional 18 volt solar panel.
These backpacks also have a lot of interior space, including a padded laptop sleeve that can fit items including a 17-inch laptop or a 17-inch MacBook. They also have integrated phone pouches and lots of pockets.
Another cool aspect of these backpacks is that their fabric is made from recycled PET (soda bottles), giving them a durable waterproof and UV resistant feature. For comfort, the backpacks also have high density padding in the shoulders straps and back, as well as a mesh backing material. This is one of the more higher end backpacks in the solar collection at EarthTech.
Voltaic Amp Portable Solar Charger
Other options include the Off-Grid Solar Backpack that has two solar panels and is designed just for charging smaller devices, such as mobile phones, iPods/MP3 players, smartphones/PDAs, portable gaming devices, GPS untis, digital cameras, Bluetooth headsets, etc.
EarthTech also has other cool stuff like the Voltaic Amp Portable Solar Charger for cellphones and other handheld devices, which is small enough to be carried in any conventional backpack or large bag.
These are all really great technologies worth looking at.
Reader comments and input are always welcomed!