What I Packed in My Ethical Backpack for 2 Weeks in India


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I usually travel with a carryon suitcase, but since I would be taking trains, buses, and whatnot around India for two weeks, I was told it would be easier to bring a 40-60L backpack. The quality ones cost over $200, but I discovered Everlane made a 45L backpack called The Mover Pack, I bought it in dark green. It was only $78 USD. I didn't mind the smaller size because I wanted to travel really light if I was going to be hauling everything around.

Want to know what you must pack for India as a woman? Here's a sustainable clothing packing list and plenty of packing and travel tips so you can travel light.Pin

And travel light I did, leaving enough room in the backpack for souvenirs. I like the Everlane Mover Pack because it has just enough compartments without being complicated and the green color made it easier to spot amongst other bags. It survived some rough handling throughout the trip, so the quality is good.

One major thing I didn't like about it is that when I wear it, it rubs and catches the fabric of whatever shirt I'm wearing, so you'll need a lint roller or tape to clean the backpack from time to time. Another minus is that it's kind of awkward as a duffle bag, but the top handle feature is useful.

The other bag I brought along was my Mlouye Naomi Belt Bag in Brown. It's a glorified fanny pack. I love it because it's a multi-purpose piece. I can remove the strap and use it as a belt (so no need to pack a belt on this trip). It also comes with a long green strap, which gives the option to convert the bag into a traditional crossbody purse. Or you can always do away with the straps and use it as a clutch. Warning: the bag doesn't hold a lot, but it fit all my essentials: passport, phone, earbuds, chapstick, and a small coin purse for money and cards.

All the yellow mesh bags pictured are compression packing cubes, which are awesome for saving even more space in my backpack. It also organizes my things and makes it easier for me to find them. The long rectangular one was so packed with underwear and socks that I couldn't even compress it.

India can get quite hot, but to be respectful of the culture, tourists are recommended to dress conservatively. Avoid low-cut tops, shorts above the knees, tight pants/leggings unless worn with a long top/dress. However, you’re only going to Goa, you can wear these things because it’s an island paradise that’s a bit more liberal than the rest of India.

Pack clothes made with breathable, natural textiles such as linen, bamboo, cotton, hemp, etc. Bring your tees, long-sleeve shirts, maxi dresses, long skirts, jeans, culottes, light jackets and sweaters for layering. If you don't have dresses long enough to hit your ankles, pack leggings to wear underneath.

Ethical clothes I packed:

Everything else:

  • Baggu leather clutch to hold my Fujifilm XT-20, and also doubles as a going-out clutch.
  • Old stainless steel water bottle.
  • Katadyn Micropur MP1 Water Purification Tablets - I didn't end up using these at all. Filtered water is easy to find in India, and I did not get sick. The other people I traveled with used Lifestraw bottles, and they were fine too.
  • Gray felt pouch holding my phone charger, camera battery charger, extra battery, and  power adapter.
  • 3 silicone squeeze bottles (similar here) for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
  • White Muji toiletry bag for skincare and sunscreen in travel sized bottles, 3-piece capsule makeup kit, nail clipper, and hair ties.
  • AQUIS hair towel - it wasn't necessary, but I brought it in case I needed it to double as a body towel.
  • Yellow laundry bag that came with my compression packing cubes
  • Inflatable neck pillow for the plane
  • Kindle Paperwhite for endless reading options (should've brought my charger though. Luckily someone lent me a charger.)

My plant outfit (not pictured):

  • Everlane tank top
  • Everlane Oversized Fleece Half-Zip - a favorite of mine. So comfy.
  • Old jeans
  • Adidas by Stella Mccartney Ultraboost Sneakers - fabric made with ocean waste
  • Patagonia winter jacket - So glad I brought a proper winter jacket because North India in late December/early January can still be really cold, especially when the sun is down.
Want to know what you must pack for India as a woman? Here's a sustainable clothing packing list and plenty of packing and travel tips so you can travel light.Pin

More Packing Tips for India

I packed lightly knowing I'd go out of my way to do laundry at least once on the trip. I did, but be aware that some Indian washing machines can be intense and water supply can be limited so my whites were thrown in with darks (and my traveler friends' darks), so my white clothes came out with a tint of a slushy gray-blue. The whites are almost back to normal now that I've been washing them with lights again in Canada so it's not a major problem, but it's something to keep in mind. I would reconsider packing so much white clothing for India for this reason.

Bring a reusable coffee cup if you can fit it. I wish I'd brought mine so I could buy extra Chai from the street vendors and take it to go.

Yes, I did end up wearing the same clothes for two or three days in a row (while changing underwear and undershirts) because I didn't have access to laundry, but who cares? I had fun. I knew I could always hand wash things if I really ran out of clean clothes.

Overall, no big regrets for my packing list.

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2 comments shared

  1. Hi Annie, I’m Anna.
    I’ve been looking for this everlane mover pack second hand to avoid purchasing a new bag and was wondering if you’d thought of parting with it I would love to buy it from you. Looks perfect for my upcoming travels.
    Let me know if you would be interested in selling it.

    1. Annie Zhu

      author wrote:

      Hi Anna, I’m not selling the mover bag. I think it’ll cost too much to ship anyway. I hope you can find one on Ebay, Depop, Poshmark, etc.