Pack for the planet: our favourite eco-friendly travel products
Our guide to eco-friendly travel products is full of the essentials to make it easier for you travel more sustainably, no matter where in the world you're wandering. Includes water treatment solutions, plastic-free toiletries, and essential travel accessories (like KeepCups and tote bags!).
In the last few years, we've all become more aware of how we can tread more consciously when we travel. From not riding elephants and saying 'no' to plastic bags, to avoiding big hotels and swapping short flights for public transport there are plenty of choices we can make to lessen our impact on the world as we're exploring it.
Unfortunately though, while it's easy enough to make the 'big impact' decisions, everyday travel can still be a huge accumulator of waste. There are the plastic water bottles you have to buy because the tap water is undrinkable, the takeaway containers from the street food stall down the road, the throwaway coffee cups that keep you fuelled for your adventures.
The good news is, just by adding a few sustainable travel essentials to your regular packing list, it is possible to reduce your footprint and cut back on plastic quickly and easily.
Here's our guide to the eco-friendly travel products to help make it easier for you travel more sustainably, no matter where in the world you're wandering.
OUR GUIDE TO THE ECO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL PRODUCTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
-
TRAVEL GADGETS
SOLAR CHARGER
Finding a reliable way of charging your gear can often be a major hassle for travellers on the road.
Enter the trusty Anker solar charger which harnesses the energy of the sun to keep your gear charged - no matter whether you're off the grid hiking mountains in Nepal, in an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, or simply can’t get near a powerpoint in your hostel in Europe!
-
TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
CANVAS TOTE
The humble tote is a versatile little lifesaver when on the road. We’ve used ours to keep our electronics and valuables together when travelling through airports, to carry our lunch and jackets on a day of exploring, separate our washing, and fill up with goodies and souvenirs from the local market. They're small, easily foldable, and can pack a surprising amount in!
Check out Etsy’s range of beautifully designed, personalisable totes bags here.
Can't choose? Our personal faves are this globe print canvas bag, this happy camper canvas bag, and this 'adventures are forever' tote.
travel for good: our 26 best responsible travel tips
KEEPCUP
A day without coffee is like, well… a day that Mim never wants to face!
KeepCups are the perfect way to have your coffee and drink it on the road too, without having to use takeaway coffee cups. They don’t just have to be limited to just tea and coffee either - you can use them for water, soft drink and juice, and probably even for a sneaky wine at a pinch!
BUY | Buy yours here
REUSABLE STRAWS
Ever noticed just how many plastic straws you go through when on holiday? They seem to end up in your Pina Coladas by the pool or beach, your refreshing can of soft drink from a roadside stall, in your glass of water with dinner.
Heck, we’ve even been served a straw with our beer when travelling before.
And when you’re finished, those sneaky plastic tubes end up straight in the trash (or worse, dumped on the ground or in our waterways).
Switch from loads of single-use plastic to this 12-pack of Bambaw straws (handmade in Bali and comes with their own cleaner too), or this gorgeous pack of 4 printed metal straws instead.
REUSABLE FOOD CONTAINERS
In countries where there’s a strong street food culture, it can be almost impossible to avoid having to use one-time use takeaway containers and plastic bags.
These reusable silicone food containers from Reuseit are the perfect alternative, and also useful for storing lunch or snacks when you’re on the go too - ours came in SUPER handy for storing meals on a 42-hour bus ride in Africa.
Short on space? These collapsible plastic containers are a fab alternative too!
REUSABLE CUTLERY
It's one thing to replace takeaway plastic containers, but what about the plastic cutlery that comes with them? Not only are they pretty flimsy and useless, they often don't get recycled properly either.
Carry a bamboo cutlery set (or at least a spork) in your daypack and you're already prepared for that next pad thai from a Bangkok street stall!
SCRUBBA WASH BAG
The days of not being able to wash your travel clothes for weeks on end are over!
The Scrubba wash bag is the world's first pocket-sized washing machine-quality wash bag, and can be used when camping, or travelling in areas where washing might be an issue.
Plus it uses far less water than a regular washing machine, and packs up super small - perfect for an eco-minded backpacker.
REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE & WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM
Carrying a reusable water bottle is a great way to avoid contributing to the 200 billion plastic bottles used each year, but in many places the tap water simply isn’t clean or safe enough to drink.
We use the Grayl water purification bottles, which allow us to fill up from any water source, anywhere in the world (including train taps!).
It’s honestly the best product we’ve ever used on the road, and as a result we’ve not bough a bottle of water for over 18 months.
If there’s one thing you buy from this post, by the Grayl water purification bottle.
Alternatively, use the Water to Go bottle, which is an all-in-one device: a reusable water bottle meets incredibly powerful filter device (designed by NASA!), which removes 99.9% of all nasties from any water source you fill it up at. Muddy river or contaminated tap water? No problems!
Order yours here, and get 15% off with our special code: TCW15
If you’re keen to filter larger quantities of water (say, if you’re hiking in remote areas), check out the Lifestraw instead, which you can either purchase separately (it comes on a handy chain you can wear around your neck), or with a 1l bottle as well.
Finally, Purification tablets are a solution, but they make water taste pretty gross, SteriPens require batteries, and boiling your water doesn’t always guarantee all the nasties are gone.
ETHICALLY PRODUCED TURKISH TOWELS
Beach towels are too bulky, microfibre towels pollute our oceans: if you need to travel with a towel, what eco-friendly options do you have?!
Lightweight, compact, and pretty fast-drying, (ethically sourced) Turkish Towels are the perfect alternative to having to haul bulky, heavy, environmentally questionable towels around in your luggage, and they also help cut down on unnecessary towel-washing at guesthouses or hotels too.
-
TOILETRIES
COMPOSTABLE TOOTHBRUSHES
This compostable toothbrush is the perfect way to combat unnecessary plastic use in the bathroom: 100% recyclable, vegan, and the company is committed to sustainable resource usage and education about oral hygiene. So basically, all the good things.
Travelling long-term?
Grab this 4-pack vegan-friendly bamboo brush for your toiletries bag instead!
ROSEHIP OIL
Forget carrying around big plastic bottles of moisturiser, a few drops of organic Rosehip oil are the perfect remedy for dry skin.
Bonus, Sukin skincare are 100% committed to producing quality organic skincare that doesn’t cost the earth, and their bottles last for ages too.
TEA TREE OIL
A natural antiseptic, Tea Tree Oil is basically a wonder-remedy for soothing sunburn, fungal and bacterial skin infections, treating blemishes, itchy insect bites, and itchy or flaky scalps.
It also doubles as a powerful natural deodorant, insect repellent, and mould cleaner!
REUSABLE MAKEUP WIPES / FACEWASHERS
Disposable makeup wipes might be super convenient (particularly when travelling), but they’re actually a nightmare for the environment. Wipes are made from a nasty combination of polyesters, rayon fibers, polypropylene and wood pulp, many of which aren’t biodegradable, and are destined to end up in landfill where they’ll take years (or decades) to break down.
Flushing them is even worse, as they have to be fished out by waste management workers and sent straight to, you guessed it, landfill!
But you don’t have to give up the convenience of makeup wipes altogether, just switch to a pack of reusable makeup wipes and clean them as you go.
ODE TO CLEAN WIPES
If you have to use a disposable wipe, these face and body wipes are seriously a game changer. They’re fragrance, allergen, and toxin-free (which means they’re great for you), and they’re entirely plant-based, biodegradable, and wind-power manufactured (which means they’re also great for the planet too!).
Finally, convenience meets eco-friendly.
SHAMPOO BARS
Shampoo bars are way more practical than lugging around big plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner; they're lighter and also take up way less space too!
We bought ours from Lush Cosmetics and we're in LOVE with the cinnamon smell (and brilliant washing) of their 'new' shampoo bar, while the 'Jungle' smells like the tropics. Mmm.
Just pop them into a tin and they're totally mess-free too.
DEET-FREE INSECT REPELLENT
Harsh chemicals be-gone.
This natural insect repellent will help to keep you bug-free, without covering you, or the environment you're travelling through, in harsh toxins too.
MOONCUP / DIVACUP
Alright boys, you're allowed to tune out for this one!
Using a menstrual cup like the MoonCup is a really easy way to cut down on the amount of sanitary waste produced from one-time use tampons and pads.
They also reduce the risk of TSS (toxic shock syndrome), which means they're a healthier alternative for our bodies too. There are plenty of different types to choose from, so take some time to work out which is best for you personally - but try to avoid cheap knock-offs as they tend to be more prone to breakage or leaking.
Personally, I'm a big fan of the mooncup.
OCEAN-FRIENDLY SUNSCREEN
Sadly, recent studies have shown that the active ingredients in sunscreen are contributing to rapid bleaching of our coral reefs, and harming the overall aquatic life.
Switching to an ocean-friendly alternative like these ones from Stream2Sea is better for you, and better for our oceans - which means you'll be able to snorkel over colourful reefs on holiday for years to come!
-
MORE RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL TIPS
We’ve written a pretty comprehensive guide to responsible travel here, but in the meantime here are a few tips to get your started:
If travelling on a group tour, choose a travel operator committed to travelling sustainably
Take public transport, or walk, wherever possible
Stay in locally-owned guesthouses, airbnbs, and homestays instead of big hotel chains
Buy and source local: shop in local markets and eat at locally-owned restaurants rather than big chains
Say no to elephant rides, lion and tiger selfies, and any other animal tourism that negatively impacts wildlife
Dress respectfully and be aware of cultural differences in what's seen as appropriate clothing
-
TRAVELLING SOON?
We have a heap of essential reading before you hit the road
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
Do you have any other eco-friendly travel products you love using on your adventures? Help a fellow traveller and share your tips in the comments below!
LIKE THIS POST? PIN AND SHARE IT!
LEARN HOW TO BE A MORE RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER HERE
Disclaimer: some of the above links are affiliate links.
If you choose to purchase using the above buttons we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please know that by using these affiliate links, you’re directly supporting The Common Wanderer to stay wandering.
If you use our affiliate codes, you’re officially a legend.
