The best travel laundry bag is breathable, zippered or drawstring-closed, and large enough to hold a week of clothes (~20-30 liters). A breathable mesh or cotton bag is better than plastic — it keeps damp clothes from souring.
For most travelers a packable drawstring bag is the sweet spot: lightweight, takes no space when empty, separates dirty from clean on the road. Below are the top picks across styles.
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| Pick | Product | Price | Capacity | Closure | Material | Packed Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Pick | Trafyam Travel Laundry Bag Trafyam | $12 | ~25 L | Drawstring | Polyester | Pocket-sized | Check ↗ |
| ★ Best Overall | Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Laundry Sac Eagle Creek | $22 | ~30 L | Zipper | Recycled mesh + nylon | — | Check ↗ |
| Ultralight Pick | Sea to Summit Ultralight Laundry Pouch Sea to Summit | $18 | ~20 L | Drawstring | Ultra-Sil nylon | — | Check ↗ |
Drawstring polyester bag in a 25L size — the simple, cheap default.
Mesh-and-nylon zippered laundry bag built to match Pack-It packing cubes.
Ultralight nylon pouch under 2 oz — for minimalist and one-bag travelers.
Pick by closure type and material. Drawstring bags are lightest and pack to nothing, but the contents can shift; zippered bags contain odors and are sturdier. Mesh and cotton are breathable (essential for damp clothes); nylon is more durable but holds odors. Capacity should be ~20-30 liters for a week — anything smaller fills up by day 4. If you'll do laundry at the destination, get one with a sturdy handle so you can carry it to a laundromat. Avoid sealed plastic bags for laundry; damp clothes inside will sour within a day. Styles, sizes, and materials: beyond the drawstring-vs-zippered split above, laundry bags also come in a hanging or hook format that clips over a closet rod or door hook instead of sitting on the floor — useful in a cramped hotel room. Sizes range from compact pouches under 15 liters for a weekend trip up to XL bags past 40 liters for a family or a long trip. Canvas holds its shape best and is easiest to spot-clean; nylon is the lightest and most water-resistant; mesh breathes best but shows the contents, which some travelers prefer to avoid. Where to buy a travel laundry bag: beyond the Amazon links above, Walmart and Target carry basic drawstring and zippered laundry bags in the US, and Bed Bath & Beyond and The Container Store stock sturdier, structured versions. In the UK, Dunelm, John Lewis, and Argos all sell them; in Australia, Kmart, Big W, and Anaconda are the easiest places to find one in store. Decathlon carries a simple mesh option in several countries. Beyond the three picks above, you'll also see travel laundry bags from outdoor and lifestyle brands like Kathmandu, Go Travel, and Gonex, plus a scrubba-style washable pouch sold under the Scrubba name that lets you hand-wash clothes inside the bag itself rather than just store them. None of these beat the picks above on breathability, durability, and price for the average trip, but they're reasonable if you already shop those brands or want the wash-in-bag feature.
For most travelers, a 20-30 liter zippered mesh-and-nylon bag (like the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Laundry Sac) is the best balance of breathability, durability, and capacity. Drawstring pouches work for one-bag minimalist travel; cheap polyester bags are fine for occasional trips.
Aim for 20-30 liters — large enough to hold a week of clothes for one person. Smaller bags fill up by day 4-5; larger bags waste space. Families or longer trips benefit from one bag per person rather than a single oversized bag.
No — plastic bags trap moisture, and damp clothes inside will sour or mildew within a day. Use a breathable mesh, cotton, or nylon bag instead. If you do need to seal off something specific (very wet swimwear), use a dry bag separately, not for general laundry.
Use a dedicated travel laundry bag — most travelers tuck it in the bottom of their suitcase or stand it up in a corner of the hotel closet. Keeping dirty clothes separated from clean prevents smells from spreading, makes packing for departure easier, and lets you head straight to a laundromat if needed.
Most are — mesh and polyester laundry bags can typically go through the washing machine on cold. Some travelers wash the bag along with the clothes inside. Check the tag for any specific care instructions before machine washing.
Yes — wet swimwear in a regular laundry bag will sour the bag and any nearby clothes. Carry a small dry bag (or even a heavy ziplock) for damp items, then move them to your regular laundry bag once dry. Sea to Summit, Osprey, and Bagsmart all sell purpose-made dry bags.
Yes — a travel laundry bag's whole job is keeping worn clothes separate from clean ones in your suitcase, so you're not digging through a mixed pile before laundry day. It's a $12-25 item that pays for itself the first week of a trip by keeping your bag smelling like clean clothes instead of gym socks. For families, a small laundry bag per kid keeps everyone's dirty clothes sorted without playing detective at pickup.
Drop dirty clothes in throughout the trip and cinch or zip it closed between uses — most travelers stand it in a corner of the hotel closet or tuck it flat against one side of the suitcase. When it's empty, most bags fold or roll down to pocket size, so store it flat rather than balled up to keep it from taking up more space than it needs.
Air worn clothes out for a few minutes before bagging them — packing them still-warm traps more odor. Choose a breathable mesh or cotton bag rather than a sealed one, and wash the bag itself along with its contents every few uses so odor doesn't build up in the fabric. If you're packing wet swimwear or gym clothes for the flight home, a sealed compression bag holds odor in better than an everyday laundry bag — see our compression bags guide for that vacuum-sealed option.
Yes — a laundry bag is one of the simplest DIY sewing projects, since it's just a larger version of the same drawstring-sac construction used for a toiletry bag. Our DIY travel bag sewing guide covers the fabric, drawstring, and seam steps if you'd rather make one than buy it.
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