Travel Eco Products
Travel can be wasteful and harmful to the planet but you can easily reduce your impact. Here are some great eco products to travel with to reduce your need for single-use plastics. Zero waste is a lofty goal at the best of times but it gets even harder when travelling. If you can reduce your waste as much as possible it goes a long way to keeping our planet clean and beautiful. Here are my top 10 eco products that I have taken with me all over the world.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I don’t want to encourage people to go and purchase all these items brand new if you already have something fit for the purpose. For example, bamboo cutlery is great if you are taking it in your carry on for a flight but otherwise normal silverware that you already have at home is perfect to take with you for everyday use. If you do need to buy something or are purchasing as a gift the links will take you through to Biome which is an Australian owned company provided eco-solutions instore and online.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.
Essential Eco Products To Travel With
- Cutlery Set
- Straw
- Coffee Cup
- Water Bottle
- Water Filter
- Bamboo Toothbrush
- Solid Shampoo
- Canvas Bags
- Reusable Container
- Sandwich Pouch
Cutlery Set
An essential for eating zero waste on the go, I always leave my cutlery set in my backpack. These handy pouches have a knife, fork, spoon, chopsticks, straw and cleaner. A set like this is super handy for eating street food or at outdoor events. I also use mine when I’m on a flight so I can refuse the disposable cutlery. The amount of plastic you can refuse by having this with you is astounding. This travel eco product is easy to carry and saves a huge amount of waste!
Straw
The refuse the straw movement has gained a lot of momentum and it’s great to see a lot of businesses not giving out plastic straws anymore.
Usually, I am happy to go without a straw but I do prefer one for icy drinks. Having my straw with me in my cutlery set solves this problem. You can find many alternatives to the single-use straw including metal, bamboo and silicone so you can enjoy your next Mojito with zero guilt!
Coffee Cup
This is my favourite travel eco product! I always have my favourite cup with me when I’m out and about. This particular cup by U-Konserve is awesome because it is double-wall metal and will retain the heat in your drink for hours. I have also used it for juices and smoothies.
There are many reusable cups available now from amazing ethical companies so you can choose one to be your new favourite.
Water Bottle
One of the easiest ways to prevent a huge amount of waste is by bringing a water bottle with you. If you are buying bottled water not only are you wasting plastic but there is the added carbon footprint of manufacturing and transport.
So many places have perfectly safe drinking water so research your destination. Even if the water isn’t safe to drink out of the tap you can often refill at your accommodation or at cafes and restaurants. If you don’t see any available it never hurts to ask. Sometimes there can be a charge for a refill but it’s a whole lot more eco-friendly than buying a bottle.
Bamboo Toothbrush
In Australia, over 30 million toothbrushes are used and disposed of each year which means approximately 1000 tonnes of landfill annually. Luckily it’s easy to switch the common plastic toothbrush for a bamboo alternative. For long-term travel take a spare for when you need to replace yours as they are not always easy to find in some regions.
Canvas Bags
The humble canvas bag is one of my favourite travel essentials. I usually travel with 3-4 which I use for shopping as well as separating clothing to be washed. I leave one in my backpack so I can grab a few items without having to worry about needing a plastic bag.
Reusable Container
At first, I thought travelling with a container might be a bit unnecessary and a waste of space but I have changed my mind! I really love being able to make a larger portion when cooking so I have a meal ready for lunch the next day. Storage containers are a rarity in hostels so bringing my own was most definitely worth it. I also like to take one with me to cafes and restaurants in case I have extra food I can take with me.
Water Filter
Life Straw filters water as you drink through the straw. It makes contaminated water safe to drink by removing bacteria and parasites, preventing the majority of waterborne disease. It can be used to filter up to 4000 litres of water. They also offer water bottles with a built-in filter.
Solid Shampoo
I love the Godiva Solid Shampoo Bar by Lush! Buying a solid bar instead of a bottle saves a huge amount of plastic. One bar can last for up to 80 washes which could equal two or three bottles of liquid shampoo. Lush sell metal tins to keep them in or you can use something you already have. Other products they offer as a package free alternative include conditioner, face cleanser (i love Fresh Pharmacy), soap, toothpaste, moisturiser and deodorant.
Sandwich Pouch
I bought a reusable pouch by Keep Leaf a few years ago and I have had so much use out of it. It folds down small enough that it’s easy to leave in my day backpack so it’s a really easy eco-product to travel with. I use it at a cafe or restaurant if I want to take something to go. I have used it for sandwiches, pizza, empanadas, cookies and cakes. It has waterproof fabric on the inside so it’s easy to turn inside out and wipe the inner surface.
Disclosure: Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.
Fantastic products!! I love the idea of taking restaurant leftovers in a container. I absolutely hate single use to-go containers. I need to get better at planning for that.
Yeah it definitely takes a little bit of planning. I try to leave these things in my backpack so I don’t forget!
I love your ideas on being an eco friendly traveler…My favourite was the cutlery on the place…such a great idea. There is always so much wastage on flights with the plastic they give you…
I never thought about traveling with eco-friendly products, but now I recognize the need to. I never knew about solid shampoo so might even try that at home.