New Travel Trends from the Travel Goods Show

Last week I attended the Travel Goods Show to see all the new travel bags and accessories that are coming over the next year. While some things didn’t seem to change, other things have been getting better and I saw some things that are definitely going to make travel more convenient in ways. 

Let’s talk about some new trends coming to your internet or local travel shop: 

Better wheels

We all know what it’s like to try to drag your roller bag from nice smooth flooring to carpet of any kind. It sucks and you almost pull your arm out of socket trying to push or tow it behind you. Well, a lot of companies are trying to fix that problem, because if you don’t have a good bag, travel isn’t quite as fun. From using skateboard wheels, to different sized wheels in the front and the back, to interesting squircular wheels, you’re soon going to have an easier time going from hardwood to carpet to sidewalks and cobblestones.

Bright colors

Yes, there are still black, navy, and gray bags, but orange and yellow were all over the runway this last season, so you’re seeing colorful bags. Everything from pastels to highlighter yellow were seen all over the show floor. Millie Bobby Brown has a line with Delsey that covers any bag you could possibly want for travel, including a fully see-through roller bag in two different sizes. Now, I don’t know if anyone wants a bag where you can see everything inside, but the lavender bags next to it were beautiful. 

Duffels are making a comeback

After so many years of backpacks being the star of the show, duffels are coming back into fashion, but not those terrible ones that are floppy and just one big compartment. No, these duffels are structured and have organization and multiple ways to open and carry, and some even have hard bottoms. 

I love the look of a duffle, but trying to carry your bag either with handles or a shoulder strap is the worst, especially if you’re a smaller person like I am. Brands are realizing that some people like that, but most don’t, so you can find ones with backpack straps and others with wheels. The other great thing is that they are now more in line with a weekender size, but still hold a ton.

Eco-conscious is top of mind

We’ve been seeing a lot of items made of recycled materials in the past, but now, almost everything I saw was made of 90-100% recycled items, sourced in the US, like lightweight sandals and flip flops that are made for recovery, but made entirely out of recycled plastic. I can’t wait to check those out in my own life. I also brought home a pack of rechargeable batteries that, supposedly, don’t lose their charging ability regardless of how many times you recharge them (plus they come with a split cable, so you can charge 4 at once).

Giving back is more important than ever

We’re recognizing that travel isn’t going to be around forever if we don’t try to make more conscious decisions when it comes to all of our purchases. I brought home a couple samples of solid shampoo and conditioner bars that smell amazing, but also use rice water to help your hair stay shiny and healthy. They use minimal, but beautiful packaging and every item you purchase helps to remove plastic out of the Indian ocean (which is where the biggest pollution problem is right now).

I almost kind of like that a lot of companies are improving on existing products and not coming up with new “innovative” items, like trying to make a better neck pillow that’s exactly as useful as every other one on the market, but bulkier. This is the first year I didn’t come home with 3+. I only have one new one in my bag that might actually be something you all are interested in and it’s from a great company that does tons of research

I brought home a big bag of goodies and will be working with more companies in the near future, too, so you can look forward to a bunch of reviews for items that will be ready for your Summer travels and also some for Fall and holiday travels. 

What kinds of travel items are you most interested in?

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