Pack Smarter: These SoCal Brands Are Changing The Travel Game ​

Traveling isn't for the faint of heart. Whether it's major airport delays, canceled flights, the headache that is the rental car counter, or the wide variety of other travel-related catastrophes, we all know that a long day on the road or in the sky can turn even the most pleasant person into one disgruntled passenger. Avoiding stressful situations on your journey starts at home, while you are packing, because the last thing you want is to open your suitcase at your destination and find another disaster awaiting - wrinkled clothes, spillage, items you forgot. Luckily, these SoCal companies are here to help you pack smarter with clever products that are perfect for travel.

1. Cuts Clothing - Los Angeles, CA
Cuts Clothing is premium, minimalist men's t-shirt line and makes this list because the shirts are designed for the modern man on the go. Packing a shirt from Cuts means that no matter if a business meeting or a night out pops up on your trip, you will have something cool and appropriate to wear. If you check out their Instagram, you can see jet-setting customers who also like to wear a t-shirt from Cuts to stay comfortable while traveling.

2. Lunya - Santa Monica, CA
Ladies, meet Lunya. The luxury sleepwear brand offers a special travel kit which comes with a complete, mix-and-match outfit that is meant for a long day of travel or for relaxing at the hotel. The kit even has a sleep mask for those cross-country flights. The fabric used by Lunya for the travel kit is comfortable and non-restrictive - two very important qualities for travel clothes.

3. Sand Cloud - San Diego, CA
Have you ever gotten in line for security at the airport and realized that you have a full drink in your bag? It's wasteful when you have to throw it away before heading through TSA. Next time you head out for a trip, pack a reusable glass water bottle like this one from Sand Cloud, a company known for their versatile towels and blankets (also great to pack for travel!). This particular water bottle is a little shorter than others on the market, which make it a great size to throw in your bag. You'll save money at the airport while helping out the environment, too.

4. Bradley Mountain - San Diego, CA
If you're looking for new bags for your next trip, look no further than Bradley Mountain. Bags are made by hand in their SoCal shop, like these sturdy and stylish duffles and backpacks. In fact, the company's founder actually tested the backpack by using it as his only piece of luggage during a vacation to Switzerland and Italy. Bradley Mountain also stands out by offering free bag repairs - which is great, considering how rough travel can be on luggage.

5. Butter Cloth - Los Angeles, CA
Butter Cloth makes dress shirts that are stretchy, soft and (best of all) wrinkle-free, thanks to the unique fabric used to make the shirts. This is a must-pack for any man headed on business travel. If your plane is delayed and you make it to your hotel with barely any time to change before a big meeting, you don't want to pull out a wrinkled shirt and you definitely don't want to risk using the hotel iron. Alternately, if you have to head straight from the tarmac to dinner with a client, these shirts are soft enough to wear all day on the plane, too.

What's your go-to item that makes traveling easier? If we missed your favorite SoCal brand, let us know in the comments!