Thule clean/dirty packing cube Review

We have extensive experience with Thule packing cubes. We’ve thoroughly tested the regular version over the last few years, and it’s become a reliable part of our travel setup, thanks to its durable materials, simple design, and no-fuss usability. So when we saw the Thule clean/dirty packing cube, we knew we had to give it a shot.

The concept is straightforward: a familiar cube silhouette, but with a floating divider that separates clean clothing from dirty laundry as your trip progresses. On paper, it sounds like a smart upgrade. The question is whether it’s truly worth adding to your packing system—or if sticking with the standard cube is the better move. Let’s dive in.

External Components

Packing cubes don’t need to be complicated, but they do need to be durable. After all, they’re constantly being stuffed, zipped, pulled out of bags, and crammed back in again. Thankfully, Thule has a strong track record here.

The clean/dirty packing cube is made from 100D ripstop nylon, using bluesign®-approved materials, which is always lovely to see from a sustainability standpoint. The fabric feels highly durable without being overly heavy, and, based on our long-term experience with Thule’s regular cubes, it’s the kind of material that holds up for years without much wear.

The zippers are YKK, which is the best brand in the business as far as we’re concerned. That matters more on packing cubes than you might expect, since the zipper is doing most of the heavy lifting. A packing cube with a failed zipper quickly becomes a useless sack of fabric, so we’re glad Thule didn’t cut corners here.

Up top, there’s a simple webbing handle. It’s minimal—no padding or anything fancy—but it’s durable and makes it easy to grab the cube out of your luggage. You’re not going to be carrying it around like a sling anyway, so it does the job.

Branding is a bit more prominent than we’d like. The Thule logo is relatively large and straightforward, and while we don’t love the look, it’s not a dealbreaker. These cubes spend most of their lives inside a travel backpack or suitcase, so they’re not exactly on display.

There’s also a small logo tab along the edge with the bluesign® mark, serving as a subtle reminder of the cube’s environmentally conscious materials.

One of the more interesting design touches is the hard runner around the outer edge of the cube. It adds structure and helps the cube feel more stable when packed out. It almost feels like a strip of plastic or reinforced material rolled into the seam, and either way, it works well.

Overall, there’s not a lot going on externally—which is exactly what we want. These cubes look nice, feel durable, and focus on the basics.

Inside The Packing Cube

The real fun is on the inside of this cube.

Instead of a single main compartment, the Thule clean/dirty packing cube has two zippered sides, separated by a floating divider made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The divider is wipeable and designed to limit odor, dirt, and moisture from transferring between clean and dirty clothing.

The divider is intentionally very loose, which is a great design choice. If it were rigid, you’d be forced to split your clothing evenly from the start, and that’s not how most trips work. The floating layout lets you pack out one side fully on the way there, then gradually shift dirty laundry into the other side as the trip goes on.

In practice, it works really well. The divider does its job without getting in the way, and the cube doesn’t end up feeling cramped or awkward halfway through your travels.

We’ve also found that it doesn’t really get stinky. If anything were to hold onto odor over time, it would likely be the nylon rather than the TPU divider. Still, overall, it stays surprisingly fresh for a cube designed specifically for dirty clothing.

That said, this system works best under certain conditions. For shorter trips in warm weather, it’s fantastic. But for longer trips or ones to colder destinations with bulkier clothing, things get tricky.

You’ll likely need multiple cubes, and if only one of them is clean/dirty while the rest are regular cubes, you can run out of space for laundry quickly. To make the system fully work, you may need more than one clean/dirty cube—or you’ll have to get creative with your packing strategy.

Still, as a standalone cube, it’s durable, easy to use, and thoughtfully designed.

If you already like Thule’s regular packing cubes, this is a smart upgrade—especially if you want a cleaner way to manage laundry without bringing an extra bag along.