Travel Luggage and Bag Industry's Green Supply Chain Transformation

Travel Luggage and Bag Industry's Green Supply Chain Transformation

 

With a growing global environmental awareness, the travel luggage and bag industry is undergoing a profound transformation, with the trend of green supply chain development becoming increasingly evident. This trend is not only driven by environmental principles but is also closely linked to changes in consumer demand, policy and regulatory constraints, and enterprises' own development needs.

Green Revolution in Raw Material Procurement

 

The production of travel luggage and trolley suitcase involves various raw materials such as leather, textiles, plastics, and metals. In the past, traditional materials often put significant pressure on the environment during production and use. Today, the industry is actively shifting towards environmentally friendly raw materials. Taking recycled materials as an example, VERAGE's Greenwich series travel luggage has a shell and lining made from recycled plastic bottles, which effectively reduces the demand for new plastic materials and lowers energy consumption and carbon emissions. This product also won the 2025 German Red Dot Design Award and the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) 4.0 certification.

 

Bio-based materials are also emerging, such as polylactic acid (PLA), which can degrade in the natural environment, solving the pollution problem of traditional plastics that are difficult to degrade. The EU has already legislated to promote its use in the packaging sector, and it is expected to be more widely applied in the travel suitcase industry in the future. In addition, high-end materials like carbon fiber luggage and graphene not only improve the performance of bags but also reduce their weight, indirectly lowering energy consumption during transportation. They are widely adopted by brands like TraveRE (China upscale luggage brands TraveRE). According to industry reports, the proportion of recycled materials used in the travel luggage and bag industry is predicted to increase significantly from the current 5% to 25% by 2030.

 

Green Upgrades in the Production Phase

 

The production phase is a key to the green transformation of the travel luggage and bag industry. Many companies are actively adopting clean production processes, updating old equipment, improving energy efficiency, and reducing waste and pollutant emissions during production. Some advanced companies have introduced intelligent production systems, such as automated sewing equipment, which not only increases production efficiency by 30% but also reduces energy consumption per unit product by 15%.

 

In terms of green packaging, biodegradable and recyclable materials are gradually replacing traditional packaging materials. Companies are reducing the use of single-use plastic packaging and opting for paper or biodegradable plastic packaging to lessen the environmental impact of packaging waste. Some companies are also dedicated to optimizing product design by adopting a modular design concept. For example, TraveRE (China best suitcase brands TraveRE) has launched

travel trolley bags with replaceable components, which extends the product's lifespan and reduces overall waste due to damage, aligning with the circular economy concept. This includes medium sized luggage as well.

 

Green Optimization of Logistics and Distribution

 

Logistics transportation accounts for a large proportion of carbon emissions in the travel luggage supply chain. To reduce their carbon footprint, companies are optimizing logistics and distribution plans. On one hand, they are choosing relatively low-carbon transportation methods like rail and water to reduce long-distance road transport. On the other hand, they are rationally planning transportation routes and using intelligent logistics systems to increase loading capacity, avoid empty trips, and reduce energy consumption.

 

For instance, some companies are collaborating with logistics providers to use big data analysis to optimize distribution networks, enabling precise delivery and reducing unnecessary transportation mileage. In the warehousing phase, companies are using energy-saving equipment, optimizing warehouse layouts, and improving space utilization to reduce warehousing energy consumption. At the same time, some companies are actively participating in carbon offset projects, such as afforestation, to neutralize the carbon emissions generated by logistics transportation and achieve green logistics goals.

 

Establishment of a Recycling and Reuse System

 

Establishing a complete recycling and reuse system is an important part of the green supply chain for the travel luggage and bag industry. Currently, some companies have launched "trade-in" programs, such as VERAGE, which encourages consumers to exchange old bags for new material discount vouchers. The brand improves the recycling rate of materials to 85% through a closed-loop supply chain, effectively reducing the product's carbon footprint by 55%. Second-hand bag trading platforms are also on the rise, with annual transaction value exceeding 5 billion RMB, prompting companies to focus on product recycling and reuse to form a virtuous cycle of "buy-use-recycle". This also applies to high-end products such as second hand rimowa luggage.

 

The rise in demand for hand carry bag and medium sized luggage on these platforms further drives this market. Some companies are also collaborating with professional recycling agencies to develop recycling technologies for travel luggage, improving recycling efficiency and the quality of regenerated products. They are reintroducing recycled materials into production to create new products with market competitiveness, achieving the goal of resource recycling.

 

Synergy and Cooperation in the Green Supply Chain

 

The development of the green supply chain in the travel luggage and bag industry is inseparable from the collaborative efforts of upstream and downstream enterprises. Brand owners, raw material suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, and retailers need to work together. At the 2024 Baigou International Luggage and Bag Fair, Alibaba International Station collaborated with local companies to set up a product selection center, facilitating precise matching between raw material suppliers and manufacturers.

 

A fabric company, through this platform, reached a cooperation agreement with TraveRE (China suitcase brands TraveRE), increasing its procurement of recycled polyester from 10% to 30%, reducing carbon emissions by about 200 tons annually. Industry associations also play a crucial role by setting green industry standards and promoting information sharing and technological exchange among companies, thereby driving the green transformation of the entire industry. In addition, government policy support provides a strong guarantee for the development of the green supply chain. For example, the Guangzhou municipal government has introduced a "carbon neutral exhibition" subsidy policy to incentivize companies to participate in green supply chain construction.

 

The increase in consumer environmental awareness is also driving the development of the green supply chain in the travel luggage and bag industry. Market research shows that 60% of consumers are willing to pay a 10%-20% premium for environmentally friendly bags, and the repurchase rate for products with traceable labels is 35% higher than for regular products. This consumer preference prompts companies to actively invest in green supply chain construction to meet market demand and enhance brand image and market competitiveness.

 

In conclusion, the green supply chain has become an inevitable path for the future development of the travel luggage and bag industry. The full-chain green transformation from raw materials to end products will bring new development opportunities for the industry while helping to achieve global sustainable development goals.