A backpack or schoolbag is another common item on the back to school list.

Give new life to an old backpack with iron on patches, ribbon and cord, or fabric paints. If the backpack is beyond repair, check out the following eco-friendly options.

Earthpak makes bags and backpacks from recycled soda bottles. The LA Original backpack is made using seven two-liter bottles and comes in ten different colors.

Ecolution has hemp backpacks and messenger bags. Hemp is a renewable resource, improves the soil as it grows, and doesn’t require herbicides to grow well.

And, Simple, one of my favorite companies, has the Combover messenger bag.

While you’re getting a bag ready for your child, consider giving a bag to a foster child as well.