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We’re already big fans of Terra Thread, including the brand in our round-up of the best sustainable backpacks. So when Vizan, co-founder of Terra thread, asked us whether we wanted to test some products, we jumped at the chance.
We tested three products from Terra Thread, the executive work tote, the Jorda Mesh tote, and the Cadera fanny pack.
The items in the review are gifted, but all views are our own.
Let’s see what we thought of each Terra Thread bag.
Terra Thread Executive Work Tote
First up, we have the Work Tote, which we received in a lovely lavender color. The material is sturdy, and the bag feels exceptionally well made.
The straps are robust and durable, and what we love about the tote is all the added compartments to help you organize your belonging for work or school.
Key Features
- Front zipper – for handy items you want to keep safe
- Bottle holder for your reusable water bottle
- Compartments to hold your notepads
- Snap opening for easy access to your belongings
- 15L capacity
The bag is a great size, perfect to fit everything you need for work and a laptop.
Overall we’re impressed with the work tote. It’s a perfect size and has plenty of handy compartments. One improvement on the bag would be an inside zipper pocket for storing valuables – the bag does have a front zipper pocket, though, which acts as a purse function. One drawback about the bag is the laptop sleeve isn’t padded, therefore you would need a case for your laptop if you want added protection.
If you need a bag with a larger capacity, Terra Thread creates a larger tote, the Lupa bag, which can hold a 29L capacity. The only drawback is that it doesn’t feature the front zipper or laptop compartment that the Exec tote has. If you’re looking for a bag to take to work or school, then the Executive work tote is your best bet.
The Work tote retails at $48.99, and overall it’s definately worth the money for the size, quality, and fact its eco friendly and ethical!
Overall we rate the work tote 9/10.
Cadera Fanny Pack
Secondly, we tested the Cadera Fanny Pack in beige.
Overall it’s a handy little bag, perfect for travelling, going to a festival, or the days you want to go hands-free. The waist strap is thick enough to fit comfortably through a belt buckle and sits well over a dress or sweater.
The strap is easily adjustable with a max strap length of 39.5”, and features a handy lead-free hook clasp to take on and off. We’ve even tested the bag as an over the shoulder bag, and it works well.
Key Features
- Front zipper pocket with an easy pull long handle – so you don’t have to fiddle to find the zip.
- Zippered main compartment, which is large enough to fit your day-to-day essentials.
- Inside pocket to keep any grab-and-go valuables – I find this a great bonus of the bag, as it means you’re not rummaging around the bag looking for your phone or wallet as they can be in a separate compartment.
- Minimal sleek design
An improvement idea to make the bag a dual purpose would be to have a hooked clasp on both ends; that way, the strap could detach, and the bag could be used as a clutch bag. Unfortunately, as it stands, the strap isn’t detachable.
Overall we liked the Cadera Fanncy Pack; I’d wear the bag as a cross-body bag, but this is my personal preference.
The bag comes in various cool colours, including lavender (to match the exec tote), burnt orange, black, and more!
Overall, we think its worth the money, and we rate the Cadera Fanny Pack an overall score of 8/10.
Jorda Organic Cotton Mesh Bag
Lastly, we have the organic cotton mesh bag, and let me say this could actually be my favorite out of all the Terra Thread bags we tried.
We wouldn’t recommend it as a substitute if you’re looking for a work bag (if you are, the exec tote or a Terra Thread backpack would be better suited). However, the organic mesh tote is super handy to roll up and pop in your tote bag or pocket and acts as the perfect shopping bag for groceries. The bag also doubles up as a great beach bag and everything else in between.
Seriously, you won’t need another plastic bag at the grocery store ever again, and the bag seems to hold anything you put in it!
The only drawback is that everyone can see what you’ve got in the bag. The only thing Terra Thread could improve on the bag would be to have a small zipper pocket inside for any valuables, as smaller items like change or keys may fall through the mesh in the bag. To get around this, I put a smaller bag like the Cadena inside the tote to hold my valuables.
Key features
- Two handles, long and short
- Large capacity
- Light and easily transportable folds down and can be placed inside another bag
Overall we rate the Jorda tote an overall score of 8/10, and for $15.99 it is a bargain considering its made from organic cotton. The bag is super useful for taking to the grocery store shopping or transporting items around but isn’t as practical as a backpack or canvas tote for work or school.
Packaging
Packaging is the first point a customer has with their parcel. Our Terrathread package was shipped via UPS and arrived in a UPS mailer – which we recycled through the correct channels. We were pleased to see that Terra Thread hadn’t used any unnecessary paper or further plastic bags inside the UPS mailer. The package consisted of only three bags, which was refreshing to see as many brands bulk out their packaging with unnecessary bubble wrap, plastic, or paper.
The hang tags of the bags are made from recycled paper and tied using a string that can be kept and reused (you never know when you’ll need a handy piece of string).
Overall we give the packaging a score of 8/ 10.
What materials does Terra Thread use?
Canvas
Terra Thread uses Fairtrade and organic cotton for its bags. The work tote and fanny pack are both made from a durable organic cotton canvas, while the Jord tote features an organic cotton mesh.
Organic cotton is more sustainable than conventional cotton as it’s grown without pesticides or harmful chemicals. In addition, organic cotton can save up to 91% of the water required to grow compared to conventional cotton.
We spoke to Terra Thread’s parent company about the problems surrounding conventional farming and the environmental benefits of moving to organic regenerative agriculture; you can check out the full post here.
Fixings and Closures
The bag features, including zippers, claps, and buckles, are all lead-free.
Where are Terra Thread Products Made?
All Terra Thread products are made in India in Fair Trade certified factories, which means that workers are paid a fair wage and have safe working conditions.
About Terra Thread
Terra Tread is a sustainable accessories brand founded by father-daughter duo Vik and Vizan Giri. The brand is owned by parent company Gallant International, a regenerative agriculture and a certified B corporation certified brand that champions more farming practices.
Where Does Terra Thread Ship?
Currently the brand ships to the USA via its website Terrathread.com, and are working on international shipping. If you’re in Canada, you can shop the brand from purrclothing.ca. If you’re based in Australia you can buy Terra Thread items from Biome or Ecolateral.
Biome also offers international shipping on Terra Thread items.
Do Terra Thread make any other styles?
If you were searching for a backpack, fear not, as Terra Thread produces many other styles. Although we’ve not personally tested these styles, they get great customer reviews.
Terra Thread Backpack
Perfect for work or school, the Terra Thread backpack is made with the same high quality organic cotton canvas as the tote bag we tested. Plus, the backpack comes in various colors also.
Terra Thread Duffel Bag
The brand creates a super cool organic cotton duffel bag, perfect for traveling, weekends away, or a gym bag. The duffel bag holds up to 32L capacity.
Terra Thread Laptop Sleeve
If you’re looking for a nontoxic laptop sleeve to protect your laptop, Terra Thread creates a laptop sleeve that comes with or without a handle. Perfect if you want extra protection for your hardware.
Wrapping Up: Terra Thread Review
Overall, we were seriously impressed with the quality and durability of Terra Thread products. In addition, we love the added features of the bags like the multiple pockets and compartments. Most importantly, we loved that the brand uses ethical production practices and prioritizes sustainable materials, including organic cotton and nontoxic hardware.
Oh, and Terra Thread donates profits from every sale to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that works to end hunger in America. So you know you are supporting a good brand for people and the planet.
