Cool Stuff Traveling This Summer?

Take these items with you on any trip!

Terra Ties

Hair ties to the rescue! Any long-haired person who has contended with the wind or a bad hair day in general knows the joy that a good hair tie can bring. But they’re also a commonly lost item, oftentimes ending up outside and causing harm to the environment. Terra Ties changes that with its biodegradable hair ties made from organic cotton and natural rubber. Commercial hair ties are made from synthetic rubber and polyester that take years to break down or don’t decompose at all. Terra Ties also uses color derived from natural dyes. And bonus: they’re thicker, sturdier and softer than your old hair ties. Packaging is plastic-free and made with 100% recycled materials. www.terraties.com

Bug Bite Thing

Heading to a tropical destination? If the mosquitos love you, try this instead of anti-itch and anti-bite creams. Bug Bite Thing is a suction tool that uses no chemicals to take away the itch and irritation left by a mosquito bite, painful bee sting or even a sliver. Created by a Florida mom whose daughter doesn’t do well with bug bites, she researched solutions in other countries and found an innovative product unknown to U.S. consumers. She struck a partnership agreement with the owner of the tool to distribute it in the United States, and within a short time, received backing from Shark Tank producer Lori Greiner. www.bugbitething.com

Carry-On Closet

Overpackers and organization gurus unite! This product is for you. Everyone knows before a trip, you can pack your suitcase perfectly, fitting every item together in a Tetrislike manner – but it's a hot mess by the time you're ready to go home. Solgaard will change your packing game for good. The Carry-On Closet is exactly what it says, and it’s TSA ready. A patented six-shelf closet keeps your clothes in order and down to carry-on size with space-saving compression cubes. The company works with local teams in Indonesia, the Philippines, and China to collect oceanbound plastic that can be upcycled into useful goods. For every product purchased, six pounds of ocean-bound plastic are diverted from coastal communities. www.solgaard.co

Sea Bags

Put the wind back in your sails with this stylish and eco-friendly tote bag. Sea Bags give sails a life beyond the sea. Sails are donated to the company through a network of boaters, then upcycled into tote bags, duffle bags, travel bags, diaper bags, pillows, and more, with around 8,000 sails traded annually. Sails are cleaned before production, then manufactured into thread at Sea Bag’s facility in Portland, Maine. World-class sewers, artists and designers work on different style collections. They even have home decor such as throw pillows, door mats, beach chairs, wine bags, and more. Since 1999, the company has saved 1.5 million pounds of material from going into landfills. Sea Bags even has its own women’s sailing team and a sailing school. www.seabags.com

Plastic-free, reusable and ‘forking awesome’: Outlery

It always happens. You forgot silverware at the picnic. You didn’t grab a fork at the food truck. The drive-thru window didn’t supply you with silverware and you already drove off. Instead of using your fingers or opting for single-use plastic silverware, try Outlery’s portable cutlery set. Plastic-free, reusable and “forking awesome,” Outlery’s sets come with a fork, spoon and butter knife that come in pieces. Accessories like a spork head, ice cream scoop, straw and chopsticks are also available. The pieces are made with SS304 stainless steel and come with a carrying case smaller than an Altoids tin. Packaging is made from recycled cardboard and clean up is a cinch — just wash and wipe clean. www.outlery.com