As travelers, we want to see the world. However, if we don’t do our part to contribute to sustainable travel, there won’t be much left to see. And the easiest way to be a sustainable traveler is to switch to eco-friendly travel products, which will minimize our impact on the environment.
Sustainable travel products might not be the cheapest on the market, but they are highly durable, good for the environment and truly worth your investment.
From packing to traveling, there are a lot of little choices we can make to help the environment on the road. I’ve put together a list of eco-friendly travel products, so read on to learn more about how you can travel the greenest way possible!
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Table of Contents
Eco-Friendly Reusable Water Bottle
One of the easiest steps you can take to become more sustainable is to reduce your plastic usage. Over 1.2 million plastic bottles are used per minute(!) and yet 91% is not recycled. The amount of plastic we each contribute to the landfill just by drinking water alone can pile up a mountain.
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Replace your plastic bottles with a trendy, reusable stainless steel water bottle from S’well. This is one of my favorite eco-friendly travel products to have.
Not only do these bottles have unique designs, the bottle is great at keeping your drinks insulated for hours (18+ for hot drinks and 36 hrs for cold). For a wider mouth opening (useful for pouring drink mixes & cleaning), you can check out their Traveler series.
If you’re traveling to an area with questionable water source, use a reusable bottle with a filter such as LifeStraw Go or GRAYL GeoPress. These will protect you against bacteria, parasites, chemicals, and all the nasty stuff you wouldn’t want inside you.
Don’t let the high cost deter you. Just think about how much you will save by not having to buy post-security airport water!
Collapsible Travel Cup
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Enjoy your hot coffee or tea anywhere with a collapsible travel cup. Once you’re done, simply collapse and store it away. The cup is made of food-grade silicone and recyclable materials.
Most places such as Starbucks even offer discounts for using a personal cup, so you can save some money while saving the planet at the same time. Double win!
Solid Toiletries
Stop using travel size toiletries! And pack smarter and lighter by using solid toiletries. Think about all the pros of using solid toiletries. Not only do you not need to unpack during airport security, it’s also leakproof (so you don’t have to worry about it ruining all your outfits). It’s definitely more sustainable and lasts longer than a tiny plastic bottle of toiletry.
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Lush and Ethique are two well-known brands that I know have a whole range of eco-friendly travel products. These products are made of sustainable sourced and biodegradable ingredients. And they have zero waste packaging.
If you’re new to solid toiletries, you can try out Ethique’s eco-friendly shampoo and conditioner sampler set.
There’s a wide variety of eco-friendly toiletry products, other than solid shampoo and conditioner bars:
Refillable Toiletries Bottles
Solid toiletries are great eco-friendly travel products, but it might not be for everyone. It definitely takes some time to adjust to, especially the shampoo bars (no foams!).
If you can’t part with your favorite shampoo or body wash, don’t worry. You can bring these refillable GoToob bottles with you on your travels. It’s easy to squeeze silicone bottles and leak proof. This eco-friendly product is the perfect size for airplane carry ons and has both the bottle and the jar versions.
Just fill it up before your trips instead of buying those tiny travel size plastic bottles. Get a pack of 3 GoToob bottles for your body wash, shampoo, and conditioner!
Eco Friendly Toothbrush & Dental Kit
On average, people use around 300 toothbrushes in a lifetime, and these aren’t even recyclable! While it’s hard to find a completely plastic free toothbrush, we can do our part to reduce the plastic waste. Instead of using toothbrushes with plastic handles, opt for eco-friendly options such as bamboo toothbrushes or wooden toothbrushes. There’s even bamboo fiber dental floss!
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You can also check out Goodwell. Their toothbrush has a removable brush head and an aluminum handle. Just switch out the brush head every 3 months.
Reusable Makeup Pads
Did you know that the average woman uses around 1000 makeup pads a year?! These one time use disposables are not biodegradable and sit in landfills for decades.
Switch to zero waste makeup remover pads that are made of compostable materials such as bamboo and cotton. It’s a great eco-friendly alternative to disposable makeup pads. One set can last for years.
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Eco Friendly Sanitary Products
Here’s another fact: did you know that an average female contributes up to 300 lbs of land waste in feminine hygiene product waste alone? It’s mind-blowing. I know.
Good news is we can be green with sanitary products too.
Traveling during (or around) your period cycle is never fun. Forget about all the mood swings and cramps. Let’s just talk about always having to keep a good supply of pads & tampons around. It’s a hassle. Especially if you’re a one bag traveler like me (all that precious space!).
But this can all be solved by replacing these disposable feminine hygiene products with eco-friendly alternatives. Big shout out to wonderful inventions like the period panties and menstrual cups.
As some of my favorite eco-friendly travel products, I highly recommend Thinx period panties and Diva menstrual cups.
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Reef Friendly Sunscreen
Before heading into the water, we all like to pat on tons of sunscreen. But have you ever thought about the impact of the sunscreen you use have on marine life?
The sunscreen we apply on our skin washes off when we’re in the water. And corals and other marine life are dying from the chemicals found in these sunscreens. To protect the coral reefs, some countries like Mexico and Thailand have a sunscreen ban.
For your next vacation, grab an eco-friendly sunscreen with a reef friendly label.
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Eco Friendly Reusable Cutleries
If you’re someone who orders a lot of takeout/delivery, then this eco-friendly travel product is a must have in your bag.
Ever buy a meal, leave the shop, and then realize they forgot to pack the utensils?
That’s great, because now you can eat with your hands these eco-friendly reusable cutleries. It is biodegradable and made of wheat straw. The reusable utensils set comes in a storage case, keeping it clean for traveling or camping.
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Eco Friendly Food Containers
When I go camping, I like to bring my collapsible tupperware. It’s compact and great for storing leftover meals. No more using plastic containers or styrofoam. It’s also dishwasher and microwave safe. Hey, if you buy the right size, you can even make your beloved instant noodles!
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Reusable Food Storage Bags
Grab yourself some reusable food storage bags. Made of food grade silicone, these eco-friendly storage bags are great for storing anything from snacks to random small items in your bag.
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Eco Friendly Reusable Food Wrap
Next up on our list of eco-friendly travel products is reusable food wrap.
Wrap your food with a beeswax food storage wrap. It’s the perfect product to have while traveling (because you know we don’t go around carrying a roll of plastic wrap). To reuse, just wash the wrap with cool water and soap.
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Portable Travel Laundry Bag Scrubba
Not going to lie. I hate doing laundry. It’s a pain. And doing laundry while traveling is even more of a headache.
Where do I wash? How do I wash? Water spills everywhere.
If I bought a giant suitcase full of clothes, I can probably get away with doing zero laundry on the road. And then lug all the smelly clothes back home. However, that’s no longer an option after I’ve adopted the minimalist travel style.
Fewer clothes = more washes
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That’s why I love the idea of the Scrubba wash bag. No more water spills. It’s perfect for traveling, plus it’s environmentally friendly. The Scrubba wash bag is lightweight (only 5oz) and folds to pocket-size so it is the ideal portable travel laundry bag.
You can get some eco-friendly laundry detergents to use alongside your Scrubba!
Once you’re done, hang your clothes up on a clothesline to dry naturally. If you’re staying in a small space, these foldable hangers are great!
Lightweight Travel Backpacks
Traveling light means less emission for cars & planes, plus you’re also saving on the ridiculous baggage fees. That’s why I’m team Carry On.
If you want a good travel backpack, Osprey Fairview 40 (my current bag!) is worth considering. 40L is within carryon restrictions. If you’re traveling on budget airlines, know that there’s also a weight restriction on your carryon bags. The Osprey backpacks are light enough that you won’t be using all your weight allocations on the bag alone.
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Eco Friendly Shoes
Be stylish while knowing you’re making a difference. Allbirds have some of the cutest shoes. Their eco-friendly shoes are made from natural materials such as merino wool and eucalyptus tree fiber. Plus Allbirds offsets all their carbon emissions as a carbon neutral business.
Allbirds have a variety of styles depending on your needs. My favorite part? It’s all washable.
If you’re looking for a sneaker that’s lightweight and breathable, take a look at their Tree Piper series.
Living in a city where the weather have dramatic mood swings? You’ll love the water-repellent sneakers, the Wool Runner Mizzles.
Get yourself a pair of cute flats for a date night!
Reusable Grocery Tote Bags
One of the most common plastic items we use on a day-to-day basis is plastic bags. Instead of using single-use plastic bags, try to bag all your groceries and other items in reusable totes instead.
When traveling to certain states in the United States, as well as many other countries, you will find that there is a ban on plastic bags. Meaning you’ll be holding onto all your goodies from your shopping trip if you don’t have a reusable bag with you.
You can find stylish tote bags made from organic fibers such as cotton and hemp, which are much more environmentally friendly material than plastic.
Best of all? They come in a variety of different styles and designs.
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Eco Friendly Travel towel
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your accommodation after a long travel day to find that you can’t even take a shower, because not all accommodations supply you with a towel.
Surprised?
That’s why I always travel with a light towel.
Made from 30 recycled plastic bottles, the Nomadix towel is undoubtedly a fantastic eco-friendly travel product. It’s truly versatile and great for any activities, whether it’s camping, yoga, or sunbathing at the beach. This travel towel is quick-drying, lightweight, and packs down small.
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You can also look into this microfiber travel towel , which has over 16,000 reviews on Amazon. It comes in six different sizes, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs. Not only is it fast drying and absorbent, it even comes in its own pouch for easy carrying.
Which sustainable eco-friendly travel products do you think belong in your bag? I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting products to add to my travel setup.
I’d love to hear your suggestions! Leave a comment below if you have a favorite eco-friendly travel product you’d like to share. :)
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4 comments
These are fantastic ideas and I love the sustainability aspect for all these products… thanks for sharing
Thank you! A lot of things used on the road are disposables, so I’m really glad more companies are making eco-friendly products.
These are great options! Some may be more practical than others, but it is surely a good thing to consider!
Yea! While some products are travel specific, a lot of these products are useful for regular daily use.