12 Eco Friendly Products for the Sustainable Traveler

Travel can never be 100% sustainable, but it can somehow be achieved with a little help from eco-friendly travel products. Now’s the time to pack your bags without feeling guilty about what you’re carrying! There are always alternatives to plastic water bottles, plastic utensils, and shampoo bottles. Here is a list of 12 sustainable products we love (and some which we have used) to help reduce our carbon footprint and negative impact while we travel.

Reusable Water Bottle

We buy a million plastic bottles every minute around the world, and the number is surely to rise by 20% in 2021. So, what better way to make a positive impact than using a refillable, reusable water bottle – especially while you travel? The Grayl Ultralight Purifier literally allows you to drink anywhere, since it actually purifies water which seems unsafe to drink. It is a perfect product for the more adventurous traveler who’s looking to be in the mountain or out camping.

Toiletry Bars

Instead of traveling with shampoo and body wash bottles, you can opt for solid toiletries like solid shampoo and conditioner bars. They’re light and take up little space in contrast with the big plastic bottles. LUSH even sell toiletry bars without packaging and Ethique use natural and organic ingredients for their bars.

Reusable Travel Bottles

If you prefer traveling with liquid shampoos, reusable travel bottles are the perfect solution. I personally use 3-pack bottles which I bought from a local store but have been wanting to get the GoToob travel bottles which are carry-on approved and prevent accidental openings.

Matador Toiletry Products

Matador reusable soap bar cases and toiletry bottles are made of Cordura fabric, so their products are durable, eco-friendly, and made with minimal waste. They are also 5x lighter and 3x more compact than reusable bottles. You can easily fill them with shampoo, liquid soap, conditioner, and even toothpaste.

Reusable Utensils

Did you know plastic utensils are one of the most harmful items to sea turtles and other marine animals? Another great way to be sustainable is to carry reusable utensils, either metallic, aluminum or bamboo – based on preference. These aluminum Magware utensils go above and beyond and are designed from recycled material to be lightweight, easy to carry around, and magnetic.

Reusable Straws

Straws fall under utensils which are also harmful to marine life, and fortunately, over the years, single use plastics, including plastic straws, have been banned from a major number of airlines, hotels, and restaurants. This is where reusable straws come in, and you can never go wrong with carrying one with you, like this pocketable, reusable, and even chewable straw from CHEW.

Recycled Sunglasses

Travel Wash Bag

What’s better than fashionable sunglasses? Yes, that’s right: recycled, eco sunglasses. These are not just sustainable travel accessories but also an every-day product. Recently, many start-up companies as well as big brands have turned to recycled sunglasses made from cork, plastic, rubber, bamboo, or metal. Parafina Co. is a Spanish company that designs eco-friendly glasses using all these recycled material as give back to students with every purchase.

This has got to be the smartest travel product to date. The Scrubba wash bag is a mobile laundry machine which is actually sustainable, knowing that, generally, laundry has a huge negative impact on the environment. The Scrubba wash bag works as a disposable laundry bag in which you can then add water and detergent, seal, scrub, and rinse.

Sustainable Backpacks

Eco-friendly Luggage

Perhaps the most used product while traveling is a backpack, so how about considering a sustainable one for your next trip? When choosing an eco-friendly backpack, it can be a brand that supports local economies, uses sustainable material, or even designs recycled products. I use my Matador backpack which is light and even packable to become the size of your palm, or my Fjallraven one which is vegan, light, and washable.

You want your luggage to be durable, strong, and able to tolerate bumps and scrapes, and recycled material fit this description. Patagonia has long been the front-runner of the sustainable outdoor industry and now offers a duffle bag made of recycled plastic bottles. If you’re looking for a sleeker design, Going Places has designed an eco-luggage collection made of recycled material for the eco-conscious traveler.