Responsible Travel Box
Travel and tourism are a gateway to sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous entrepreneurs throughout Turtle Island. We strive to support authentic Indigenous makers who promote the traditions and well-being of their community and the planet.
The consciously packaged products showcased in our 2024 Responsible Travel Box feature sustainably harvested and sourced ingredients. They can travel with your carry-on items, reducing the need for extra baggage. Most importantly, they provide the means for visitors to invest in the communities they visit, restoring self-determination to our First Nations people.
Travel and tourism are a gateway to sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous entrepreneurs throughout Turtle Island. We strive to support authentic Indigenous makers who promote the traditions and well-being of their community and the planet.
The consciously packaged products showcased in our 2024 Responsible Travel Box feature sustainably harvested and sourced ingredients. They can travel with your carry-on items, reducing the need for extra baggage. Most importantly, they provide the means for visitors to invest in the communities they visit, restoring self-determination to our First Nations people.
Travel and tourism are a gateway to sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous entrepreneurs throughout Turtle Island. We strive to support authentic Indigenous makers who promote the traditions and well-being of their community and the planet.
The consciously packaged products showcased in our 2024 Responsible Travel Box feature sustainably harvested and sourced ingredients. They can travel with your carry-on items, reducing the need for extra baggage. Most importantly, they provide the means for visitors to invest in the communities they visit, restoring self-determination to our First Nations people.
Yukon Soaps Company – Tth’i Na\\ Natural Bug Spray
Indigenous Owned
We love exploring Mother Earth's trails and waterways as responsibly as possible and spending time observing wildlife. However, there are a few guests we'd rather not host on our travels. To avoid unpleasant encounters with no see ums and mosquitoes, we pack our traditionally crafted 'spray more swat and less' repellent for our Vagabonds off the beaten path. Crafted of moisturizing oils of jojoba, wheatgerm, avocado, and sweet almond blended with a knowledge-based assortment of essential oils, it helps reduce bug bites and is environmentally friendly.
The 120 ml spray containers can be endlessly recycled, supporting our’ pack out what you pack in’ philosophy.
*Bug deterrents are not replacements for deet-based products, but whenever possible, we choose to use them. Essential oils have been used by Indigenous populations since time immemorial to mask human scent from blood-seeking insects and are gentle on the skin.
Yukon Soaps Company – Essential Oil Roller
Indigenous Owned
We treat ourselves to a boost of calm and rejuvenation at the beginning of each day. Our favourite is this traditional blend of high-quality essential oils. In this convenient roller, we can experience the therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy no matter where we are. Essential oils are renowned for alleviating stress and boosting overall wellness. Their scents are also renowned for recalling experiences through multisensory exploration. We look forward to moments spent sharing stories of our journeys and looking through photo memories accompanied by special fragrances and a soothing playlist.
Simply roll onto your wrists, temples, or behind your ears whenever you need a moment of calm. Breathe deeply to allow the essential oils to help, providing relaxation and mental clarity so you can continue being amazing.
Made with a Jojoba, Spruce, Yarrow, and Black Pepper Essential Oils blend.
Yukon Soaps Company – Spruce Salve
Indigenous Owned
Every responsible travel box includes a premium product that is simply amazing. The Spruce Salve is our 'aha' product and an essential item in our travel bag. This salve was created using ancient traditional knowledge from the ancestors to soothe wounds like scrapes and burns. We use it as a lip balm and find it particularly soothing to rub on bug bites and blisters we sometimes suffer following a challenging hike through the wilderness.
Indigenous people in Mayo Yukon harvest pitch and resin using cultural protocol guided by elder teachings. To ensure the responsible gathering of ingredients from Mother Earth, the pitch is infused with oils and slowly blended with olive oil, shea butter, beeswax, and vitamin E.
Since immemorial, the spruce tree has been an essential ingredient in healing medicines Indigenous peoples use.
Caution: May cause allergic skin reactions in some people. Ingredients: Picea Mariana (Black spruce) Pitch, Olea Europaea Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Beeswax, and Vitamine E
Yukon Soaps Company – Wind River Natural Shampoo Bar
Indigenous Owned
Promoting collective wellness, the Yukon Soap Company is near and dear to us. Supporting local harvesters, natural ingredients are responsibly gathered and traditionally crafted into beautiful products that enhance the well-being of body and soul. An earth-connecting hub located in the heart of the Yukon, Joella’s small shop creates employment opportunities, housing, and healing for Indigenous people.
Our Wind River shampoo bar is handcrafted in Mayo, Yukon, and contains scents of lavender and clary sage essential oils for a deeply relaxing experience. After gently cleansing your hair and scalp, the moisturizing properties of olive oil and coconut oil linger in your locks without stripping away your natural oils.
These bars pair perfectly with our unscented conditioner bars and are beneficial for both your hair and the environment. They ensure eco-friendly travel no matter where you wander. Each bar comes with a personal storage sack, reducing your environmental footprint.
Sequoia Proudly Indigenous – Sweetgrass Soap
Indigenous Owned
Sequoia sweetgrass soap is one of our favourite travel bars. We pack a small bar with us for every trip to connect with the land through the hair of Mother Earth. The more we travel, the more aware we are of the need to choose responsibly harvested, planet-friendly products. When we can, we choose to explore Indigenous makers supporting the communities that host us.
The herbal, sweet scent of sweetgrass reminds us of how important these decisions are. Due to urbanization and over-harvesting, sweetgrass is harder to find nowadays as it grows and thrives in a wild environment. This soap honours the enduring qualities of sweetgrass through the connection to the wild captured in each bar.
Made with 98% natural ingredients, this hydrating soap contains no artificial colours and contains responsible handpicked sweetgrass.
Sequoia Proudly Indigenous – Sweetgrass Candle
Indigenous Owned
The lingering aroma of this Indigenous-made candle eloquently captures the sweet scent of handpicked sweetgrass. Referred to as the hair of Mother Earth, sweetgrass is sacred and medicinal to Indigenous Peoples throughout Turtle Island. Honouring the connective qualities of sweetgrass, we are delighted to include these candles in our responsible travel kits.
Climate change has altered the way we live and experience the planet. Where we once could gather around a fire circle to discuss the events of the day, global warming has made the burning of campfires too dangerous to our lands and communities. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot experience the gathering. Made from a special blend of natural waxes and responsibly harvested sweetgrass, these natural candles will burn for 1 to 2 hours and come in a pretty tin that can be recycled or used to hold jewellery or other treasures once the candle has burned.
KL Skin Naturals – Free and Clear Scent-Free Conditioner Bar
Ally Owned
We searched far and wide for the perfect conditioner bar for our long, thirsty locks. We found it at a small mom-and-pop nestled in the tree-filled mountains by Kootenay Lake in Nelson, B.C., where Leah ensures every product is produced by hand from the very first measure to the very last label.
The conditioner bar contains Cocoa and Mango Butter for hydration and damage prevention. The perfect amount of Avocado Oil is added for strengthening and moisturizing. As outdoor enthusiasts, we know that our hair is thirsty, and we want to keep it hydrated while keeping the planet healthy. Plus, it's easy on the budget. Each compact bar provides 120 conditioning treatments.
When you travel, consider leaving behind disposable plastic containers. Instead, opt for a bar packaged in a recycled box that can be recycled again and again. This sustainable choice not only benefits the planet but also ensures you're using a product that aligns with your environmental values.
*Contains oat protein
KL Skin Naturals – Tea Tree Skin Screen
Ally Owned
We love the clean scent of this grease-free skin screen, which applies like a luxurious moisturizer while protecting us from the sun's harmful rays. The essential oils in the skin screen act as a gentle bug repellant, plus it's planet-friendly, making it a perfect pick for our responsible travel box. This family-owned business is intentionally small, community-focused, and located in beautiful Nelson, B.C.
Naturally handcrafted, the SPF protection is formulated with 15% zinc oxide, offering natural and non-toxic SPF protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Beeswax creates water-resistant properties, providing long-lasting defence without any whitening effects.
Ingredients: Almond oil, coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, non-nano zinc oxide (15%), and essential oils. *Contains nut oil.
You can trust that every Vagabond pick is made with natural ingredients.
KL Skin Naturals – Eco-friendly Upcycled Soap Saver
Ally Owned
Use less by prolonging the life of your soap, shampoo and conditioner bars! These soap savers travel with use, providing a porous foundation that allows your bars to dry quickly. They fit most soap dishes and shower shelves, keeping soaps from slipping around or getting mushy sitting in a puddle or water. They are easily cleaned by rinsing under warm water and can be trimmed to any size. We usually cut ours in half to double up on value and have been known to rub the savers on our tired feet at the end of a long day.
Okanagan Valley Vagabonds – 100% Cotton Snack and Travel Sacks with Wooden Clip
Indigenous Owned
There are plenty of times we need an extra sack to tote our treasures. The Market Bags is a small family-owned business supporting Indigenous and local women in need living in Kelowna, BC and the area. We are including a 4”x 6” organic cotton drawstring bag adorned with our Okanagan Valley Vagabond keychain, the hobo hieroglyphic for ‘fresh water, safe travels’ and our ‘circular economy’ logo, representing the ‘circular economy’ we aspire to support.
In each bag, you will receive two bonus body soaps we have designed in collaboration with the Yukon Soaps Company. Additional gifts include the following bonus offerings:
Bonus gifts: To make your travels extra special, we have included a playlist curated by Yukon Soaps Company and a local B.C. artisan playlist crafted by our own BC songstress, Niki Kennedy. At Okanagan Valley Vagabonds, we believe that travel should be the highest form of enlightenment. It's about more than just visiting a place- it's about connecting with the people, their culture, and their traditions. This personal responsible travel collection immerses our senses in the cultural offerings of our destinations, forming healing bonds that transcend time and place to connect us to well-being.