Our Favourite Eco-Friendly Travel Essentials Guide
We’re all about travelling light and as sustainably as possible but we know that perfection is impossible, especially as travel by its very nature is not always sustainable, so we’re always looking for ways to lessen our footprint. We've put together a few of our favourite essentials to help you travel in a more eco-friendly way.
Reusable bottles
We have about 5 of these and they come a few sizes so they can go with us everywhere. I love that you can put hot drinks in many of them too.
This small bottle is from Chilly's and is the perfect handbag size.
Also...why would you pay for water and pointless packaging when you can refill for free? Most restaurants and cafes will refill them for you all you need to do is ask.
Straws
Re-useable straws are available everywhere now and they are made from all sorts of materials, stainless steel, bamboo, glass and even pasta, so there is no need for plastic, or even paper straws if you have your own. Just remember to take them home with you, I’ve left a few behind over the years. We love our extra wide glass smoothy straws from our friends at WiseSip
Coffee cups
Did you know that most places offer a discount if you take your own cup? Usually around 20-30p so definitely worth it and nothing gets wasted. We love these because are perfect for camping and they stay hot for ages. The only downside is that they don’t fit in all cupholders….This one is from Sole Cup
Solid bars
Solid toiletries are the ultimate zero waste solution for travel. 90% of most liquid products are water so save yourself the luggage space and opt for a solid bar that you can breeze through airport security without eating into your liquid allowance.
Conditioning shampoo bar
It goes without saying that we take our shampoo bars with us. We love them because they’re a 2in1 bar so you only need to take 1. Give your hair a good double wash with these and you’ll be ready in a flash.
Handmade soaps
A good quality handmade soap is all you need, you can cut them in half to make them easier to travel too. Wrap them in a face cloth or take them in a travel tin. We love our soap on a rope which is perfect for camping.
Available from Zenoté
Bamboo toothbrush
We leave our trusty electric toothbrush at home when we travel and opt for a bamboo alternative to save on space. This evermore toothbrush from WiseSip comes with a changeable heads so we never have to worry about the handle going mouldy.
Toothpaste
My dentist rolls his eyes at the mention eco-friendly toothpaste, as they don’t have fluoride so I do alternate between a few to keep him happy. I’m currently using a soap toothpaste from Georganics and it’s really nice, takes a bit of getting used to but my teeth feel really clean after using. You could even cut this into smaller pieces to save on space too. If you can't get away from your beloved conventional toothpaste, you can recycle all brands via Terracycle otherwise it will end up in landfill.
Dental floss
A great alternative to plastic floss is bamboo, I've been using Georganics for years and it lasts forever. It comes in a refillable glass bottle that has been dropped several times and is still going strong.
Safety razors
These razors are a great alternative to disposable razors. They take a bit of getting used to and you need to take your time when using them but they are worth it in the long run, saving money and a lot of plastic. You won't be able to travel with them in hand luggage but they are good for checked in bags.
I bought this one from Peace With The Wild but you can get them in most zero waste shops as well as the refill blades.
Mensural cups
I can’t shout enough about how amazing these are and I’ve lost count of how many friends I've converted. If you haven’t moved to a mensural cup, I would recommend looking into them. They’re an eco-alternative to disposable products and a real game changer, especially when you’re on holiday.
I’m a big fan of the OrganiCup
