EF news
The EF backpack: New look, same commitment to sustainability
Ahro Choe | January 15, 2025
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You heard it here first—EF’s iconic backpack has a brand-new look. This recycled polyester backpack upholds our sustainability standards and helps our students travel in style (with the added bonus of customization!). Read on to learn more about its eco features and fresh design.
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Back(pack) to black 😎
Black goes with everything, and with EF, you can go everywhere. Our new backpack’s modern and sleek design nods to travel, exploration, and adventure. We switched up the front pocket, which is now roomier, with the zipper positioned at the side for a more streamlined look. The backpack also features a water bottle pocket plus an inner slip pocket that’s perfect for storing on-tour essentials.
But the coolest part? The backpack is customizable. The idea of offering a graphic element that’s easy to color and customize was actually inspired by our students. Over the years, we’ve seen so many travelers use things like patches, fabric paint, pins, and Sharpies to personalize their EF backpacks. So, we decided to make customization part of the tour experience. We can’t wait to see how our travelers make these backpacks their own!
Cool new look. But what does the backpack have to do with sustainability?
Glad you asked. As part of our continued sustainability efforts, we introduced backpacks that are made using recycled polyester (rPET) produced from recycled plastic bottles. Over 4 million of them since 2023—and counting, since this new backpack will keep growing that number with every one of our tours.
If you’re the teacher we ship your group’s backpacks to, you’ll also notice that we now bundle multiple backpacks together inside each box, cutting our usage of polybags in our shipping materials by 50%. Luggage tags are no longer packed separately and are now included on the top handle of the bag, cutting our corrugated cardboard use by 20%. Plus, we’ve swapped out the material we use for these luggage tags from plastic to washable paper. Because we know that when it comes to sustainability, every little bit counts.
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Let’s keep making a difference
Our backpacks aren’t the only sustainable initiatives here at EF. In 2021, we kicked off the EF Forest Initiative, a project to create and conserve forests around the world. Since then, we’ve planted over 9 million mangrove trees in Kenya, Madagascar, and Mozambique with Eden Reforestation Projects. For the next phase of this initiative, we’re proud to partner with WeForest to plant 3 million more trees in Tanzania.
If your group wants to get involved with hands-on sustainability efforts through educational travel, check out our Service Learning collection. And even after your tour ends, don’t be shy about reaching for your EF backpack for everyday use. Rock your customized design and rep sustainability with pride. After all, black is the new green.
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Ahro Choe
Ahro is a Junior Copywriter at EF. She’s on a lifelong quest to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie, and may or may not be baking some right now. Her current favorite travel destination is Hong Kong.
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