This $48 clutch is an eco-friendly alternative to using plastic bags to hold liquids when flying - I've been using the same one for more than 4 years

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This $48 clutch is an eco-friendly alternative to using plastic bags to hold liquids when flying - I've been using the same one for more than 4 years

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  • I've gone through hundreds of plastic sandwich bags to organize small objects and liquids in my backpack or purse when traveling.
  • This $48 Truffle Clarity Clutch is a durable, eco-friendly, and stylish alternative to plastic bags, and I've been using the same one for more than four years.
  • There are several sizes and styles, but the small flat clutch is TSA-approved, making it perfect for storing in your carry-on bag while traveling.

I'm a pro at packing suitcases because I started using the packing cube hack early on.

In high school, I traveled often for national and worldwide debate tournaments and Model UN conferences. In college, I had to fly back and forth across the country from college at NYU to my hometown in Colorado. But packing backpacks and purses, however, has never been my strong suit.

I usually throw items like travel-sized hand sanitizers, lotions, pens, hair ties, and other small objects into any vacant pocket in my backpack or purse, especially when I'm traveling because I'm too lazy to organize them.

When I was younger, my mom would put smaller objects in plastic Ziploc bags when whenever we traveled. This made sense - every object had a home, one where I could easily see and find in a hurry. However, after years of using plastic bags (and often forgetting to use them entirely), I realized that there was a more environmentally-conscious way to keep those items organized.

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I started using Truffle's Clarity Clutch ($48) more than four years ago. I initially purchased both a small and large size, but found myself gravitating toward the smaller one because it's about the same size as a Ziploc bag, which I was used to using. Like plastic sandwich bags, these clutches are clear, but the size and transparency of the clutch are the only things it has in common with a Ziploc bag.

The Truffle Clarity Clutch is a more eco-friendly way to store all my liquids when I travel so I don't have to use Ziploc bags

The Clarity Clutch is made of flexible plastic, which you might think is ironic but is actually biodegradable and can be used many times over, so it's way more eco-friendly and cost-efficient than a single-use plastic bag that you'd recycle once you're done with it.

Some extra style bonuses to this clutch are the Saffiano leather trim and gold-plated hardware, both of which make it a lot cuter than a plastic bag. There are three colors to choose from - Blush, Black, and Dove Grey - and my go-to color is Blush. The small clutch is also TSA-approved in size, so it's perfect for traveling.

I usually don't take out my bag of liquids, gels, and aerosols when traveling domestically because I have TSA Pre-Check, but every time I travel overseas, I have to remove those items from my carry-on bag. The first time I traveled abroad this year, I was too lazy and pressed for time to put all my travel-sized liquids in my Truffle clutch, so I threw them into my backpack. That turned out to be a big mistake.

It took me 10 minutes to find and stuff hand sanitizer, hand lotion, moisturizer, toothpaste, and a bottle of nail polish into a plastic bag that TSA gave me to use, and it was embarrassing holding up the security line. The next flight I took, I made a point to use my Truffle clutch - going through security took all of five seconds.

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It's flatter than I'd like so I can't overstuff it, but it holds all my small essential items just fine

The only issue I have with this clutch is that if you put sharp or large objects in the bag, they might poke or make indents in the plastic. Because of this, if I try to stuff in too many products, it's impossible to zip shut, which can be a hassle. But that actually makes me downsize and better organize my packing, so I guess it works.

I've used this Truffle Clarity Clutch for years and not only have they saved me time when traveling, but I also feel so much better about being environmentally-conscious using this reusable pouch instead of a single-use plastic bags to organize my smaller objects.

Buy the Truffle Clarity Clutch - Small, at Neiman Marcus, $48

Shop all Truffle travel clutches at Neiman Marcus

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