Even though Black travel is a multibillion-dollar industry, we’re still not finding a huge range of travel accessories tailored specifically to this market. How about investing in high-quality luggage and essential goods for travel from Black-owned brands? Whether you’re looking to protect your passport or get a duffle to tote all of the extra clothes. Here are five of our favorites currently. For your gifting needs this holiday season, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite chic and useful travel products made by Black-owned businesses.
Ebby Rane
Founder and CEO of Ebby Rane, Sonja Salmon, opened its virtual doors in late 2013 with just one perfectly designed collection. Ebby Rane is the only luxury carry-on brand led by women, designing products specifically for how women travel. Ebby Rane is named after Sonja’s grandfathers, Ebby Salmon and Clarence Rainford, both businessmen and globetrotters. She designed the ultimate carry-on, The Quartermaster, to include everything a woman needs when traveling. Every Ebby Rane product follows the same design principles of organization and efficiency for worry-free travel. The Q2 Aviation Luggage set comes with five pieces for packing, including carryalls for shoes, laundry, and other essentials. The bag is also vegan and trimmed with cork, giving it a unique look and feel.
Made Leather Company
Founded in 2016 and centered around a love for Morocco, MADE Leather Company is a quality-driven global brand that produces handmade leather goods for men and women. The company’s founder Lenise Williams started her brand after touring leather tanning sites in Morocco during a business conference. Made Leather Company’s weekender duffle is made with high-quality materials but is also durable enough for your next rugged excursion. Every item is handcrafted using methods that have been practiced for centuries. Each bag that is purchased has a little piece of history and a big piece of passion. Our bags help to support the artisan culture in Morocco and through wholesaling and retail opportunities, we support small businesses in the United States.
E Marie
E Marie is where luxurious comfort meets sophisticated style. Their lush line of products is designed to perfectly adapt to your lifestyle. E Marie CEO and Founder, Eula Smith is a highly driven businesswoman who went on to launch her own fashion consulting firm, in which she works in product development for brands including Nordstrom, Kohls, Walmart and Saks Fifth Avenue. In 2019, Smith debuted her first product, the E. Marie Everything Travel Blanket. The soft, versatile comforter can be used as a scarf, blanket, or shawl. This ultra-soft travel wrap converts into whatever kind of cover-up you need. It’s also easy to fold, store, and carry in its compact pouch, making it the perfect travel accessory. Smith’s multipurpose travel staple has been included on Oprah’s Favorite Things List for two consecutive years.
KariAndGo
Akosua Karikari is a triple board-certified Nurse Practitioner by profession. Her love for her Ghanaian heritage and culture is the inspiration for KariAndGo. KariAndGo is a West African lifestyle brand that offers unique and functional handmade unisex fashion and accessories. Akosua prides herself on all her products being handmade in Ghana. She employs local artisans, photographers, seamstresses, tailors, and craftsmen. Their main employee is a gentleman called Cephas. Akosua, the brand owner, met him in 2019 at a local market. Cephas was asked to make an African print tote bag that was designed by Akosua. The tote bag became popular very quickly and many people asked where they could purchase it. This was the birth of KariAndGo. KariAndGo pieces are designed to bring vibrancy and fun into everyday life or the perfect travel accessory while maintaining their durability, making them the perfect choice for anyone.
Tote & Carry
Tote & Carry’s leather Travel Sets are available in a rainbow of rich colors, so whether you’re looking for a bold backpack and duffel duo or a neutral arsenal of bags that will go with anything Tony “Stitch Doctor” Dennis is the co-founder of Tote & Carry. He designed his line of affordable luxury travel totes with one idea in mind, travel with luxury. Tote & Carry’s designs are made to be eye-catching and tailored in classic lines, and they come in colors as conservative or as bold as you prefer. Tote & Carry’s leather Travel Sets are available in a rainbow of rich colors, so whether you’re looking for a bold backpack and duffel duo or a neutral arsenal of bags that will go with anything.
BlackTravelBox
Orion Brown got tired of decanting her beauty products into TSA-friendly bottles. Her company, BlackTravelBox, solves that problem for Black women everywhere. With everything from body butter to balms, the box is filled with TSA-friendly items to help glow on the go. The BlackTravelBox hair and skincare products are made for life on the go and are usually ethically produced, sustainable, cruelty-free, and vegan. It’s even been featured on Beyonce’s website. This brand is partnering with a hospitality startup and is the primary in-room amenity provider for five of their hotels, offering their bestselling The BlackTravelBox products as upgrades. They also landed a spot in the renowned Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona, and are working toward placements in properties around the country.
Cincha
Cincha Travel is a travel accessories brand, based in Oakland, California. Cincha offers functional, yet stylish solutions to real problems faced while traveling. Their flagship product, the Travel Belt, secures your personal bag to your luggage, freeing up your hands and making your travel experience that much easier. Along with helping simplify travel for everyone, their mission is to make traveling more accessible for those in need. And so, Cincha works with the nonprofit, Miles4Migrants, to donate 100 frequent flier airline miles per Travel Belt purchase to help reconnect migrant families.
Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies.
She’s an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own YouTube channel where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content.
