Black Travel Box

What Black Travel Box does

Black Travel Box (BlackTravelBox) is a Denver-based, founder-owned direct-to-consumer beauty and lifestyle brand founded in 2017–2018 by Orion Brown. The company designs and sells TSA-compliant, travel-sized hair and skin care products formulated specifically for Black travelers and people with textured hair, anchored by its proprietary solid-bar technology (shampoo, conditioner, and co-wash bars) that eliminates liquid packaging and clears carry-on screening. The core BTB Signature Collection includes body balms, hair balms, shampoo and conditioner bars, and lip balms, all marketed as sulfate-, paraben-, phthalate-, and mineral-oil-free, cruelty-free, and packaged in recyclable sugarcane-based materials.

The product portfolio has expanded beyond the original Carry On Starter Box into four collections: the core BTB Signature Collection, the premium Mulberry Silk Collection (Grade 6A, 22 momme silk pillowcases, weighted eye masks, scrunchies), the Staycation home candle line, and GoFresh branded travel accessories. SKUs are priced from $14 (individual body balm) to $120 (Travel Sleep Set), with bundling and Afterpay financing used to lift average order value.

The business operates a single Shopify storefront serving individual consumers across 35+ countries, with US and Canadian domestic shipping free above $35. GTM is product-led and content-driven, leaning on the "Travel & Slay" blog, an Instagram/TikTok presence, an email newsletter, and an "Ultimate Travel Quiz" lead-capture tool. The company is privately held, founder-owned with no disclosed institutional equity, has 1–10 employees, and has received only ~$45K in disclosed dilutive funding plus participation in non-dilutive accelerator programs (Zane Venture Fund, Target Takeoff).

Name

Black Travel Box

Legal name

BlackTravelBox

Website

https://theblacktravelbox.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Travel Box is a Denver-based DTC beauty and lifestyle brand selling TSA-compliant solid-bar hair and skin care, plus silk sleep accessories and candles, formulated for Black travelers and people with textured hair through a Shopify storefront shipping to 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Personal Care Products

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Conditioners & Hair Masks (CRABABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hair Accessories (Headbands, Clips, Scrunchies) (CRAAAJAI)

Keywords

• Travel personal care
• Solid bar shampoo
• Natural hair care
• Mulberry silk accessories
• Eco-friendly beauty

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through Shopify storefront, selling individual products, bundles, and gift cards. Customers can also pay over time through Afterpay integration.
2. Bundle and Kit Sales: Pre-configured product bundles and kits including Carry On Starter Box, Wash Day Bundle, Moisture Boost Balm Set, and Deluxe Starter Gift Set provide higher average order values through curated product groupings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Travel Box designs, manufactures, and sells TSA-compliant, travel-sized hair and skin care products — primarily solid bars (shampoo, conditioner, co-wash, lotion) and balms — formulated for Black travelers and people with textured hair. The company also offers a Mulberry Silk Collection (pillowcases, weighted eye masks, scrunchies), a home candle line, and branded travel accessories, sold direct-to-consumer through its Shopify storefront.

Product overview

BlackTravelBox is a multi-cultural lifestyle brand offering TSA-compliant, eco-friendly travel-sized hair and skincare products specifically formulated for people of color and textured hair. The product portfolio centers on the BTB Signature Collection featuring solid bars (shampoo, conditioner, co-wash) and balms (body, hair, lip) in travel-friendly formats, complemented by the Mulberry Silk Collection of 100% mulberry silk pillowcases, weighted eye masks, and scrunchies for sleep protection. The Staycation Collection provides home fragrance candles, while the GoFresh line offers branded travel accessories. The flagship Carry On Starter Box bundles the core personal care essentials for convenient travel, with the Wash Day Bundle providing a comprehensive solid hair care system. All products emphasize being free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, mineral oil, and cruel-free formulations made in the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BTB Signature Collection: Core line of hair and skin essentials including the award-winning Carry On Starter Kit, body balms, and hair care bars.
• Mulberry Silk Collection
• Staycation Collection
• GoFresh

Products and services

• Carry On Starter Box Award-winning TSA-compliant travel kit containing body balm, hair balm, shampoo bar, conditioner bar, and lip balm in travel-sized formats designed for textured hair and melanin-rich skin.
• Wash Day Bundle

Quantifiable outcome

• Solid bars last equivalent to 4-16oz of bottled products
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Featured Travel Content CreatorsminorOthersThe 'Travel Crush Tuesday' series features interviews with travel content creators including Natasha (Travel Goddess International), Matilda, Ellee, and others who share travel tips while mentioning BlackTravelBox products

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ethique: Solid-bar beauty pioneer producing shampoo, conditioner, and body bars in plastic-free, travel-friendly formats. Directly comparable to BlackTravelBox's TSA-compliant solid bar technology and zero-waste positioning, though without the culturally specific target market.
• Mielle Organics: Black-owned haircare brand focused on textured hair with products for moisture, growth, and scalp health. Closely comparable in target customer (textured-hair consumers of color) and ingredient ethos, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader retail distribution.
• Pattern Beauty: Beauty brand by Tracee Ellis Ross dedicated to textured and curly hair, with strong cultural brand identity. Comparable in mission to serve Black/curly-haired consumers and in DTC-led growth, though larger scale and broader assortment.
• Oyin Handmade: Black-owned natural beauty brand producing whipped butters, hair oils, and skincare for textured hair. Closely comparable in scale, founder-led DTC model, and product formulation philosophy (natural butters/oils, sulfate-free).
• Camille Rose: Black-owned natural haircare brand offering oils, butters, and treatments formulated for textured hair. Comparable in founder-led DTC roots, ingredient positioning, and target customer, though with broader non-travel product range.

Broad incumbents

• Lush: Global handmade cosmetics retailer known for solid shampoo/conditioner bars and ethical, packaging-light positioning. Comparable in solid-bar product format and zero-waste ethos, though at vastly larger scale and without the Black-traveler-specific positioning.
• Carol's Daughter: Long-established Black-owned beauty brand (now under L'Oréal) offering hair and skin care for textured hair and melanin-rich skin. Comparable in mission and target demographic but at much larger scale with mass retail and salon distribution.
• SheaMoisture: Natural and ethically traded hair and skin care brand historically focused on Black and textured-hair consumers, now owned by Unilever. Overlaps with BlackTravelBox's ingredient philosophy (shea butter, natural oils) and customer base, but at vastly larger scale and retail footprint.

Emerging players

• Cadence: DTC brand producing refillable travel capsules and TSA-compliant solid beauty formats for travelers. Comparable in travel-first beauty positioning and TSA-friendly form factor, though with a general audience rather than a culturally targeted one.
• Slip: Premium mulberry silk pillowcases, sleep masks, and hair accessories brand. Directly comparable to BlackTravelBox's Mulberry Silk Collection in product format (Grade 6A silk) and travel positioning, though with a broader mainstream luxury audience and larger scale.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blacktravelbox
• Xx.com/blacktravelbox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Travel Box