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How To Create The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Travel Kit
Are you looking for ways to travel sustainably?
If yes, then you should consider swapping some items in your current travel kit. This way, you’ll be able to reduce your carbon footprint and save money at the same time.
Traveling has become a part of our everyday lives. Whether it’s for leisure or business, traveling is now a necessity.
That said, traveling is also known to be one of the biggest contributors to climate change.
Ready to go on a trip?
If you are looking to do the least amount of harm possible, we’ve got you covered. Check out this article for a list of products that won’t hurt the environment, but will help you survive your trip.
Why Buy Products for a Zero-Waste Travel Kit?
With the rise of eco-friendly travel, travelers are becoming more conscious about their impact on the environment. In order to minimize their environmental footprints, they are starting to swap out certain items in their travel kits.
How do you pack your travel kit? If you don’t have one, then you should start creating one today. This way you’ll always have the essentials needed to enjoy your travels.
Disclaimer: This article may contain Amazon affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you. Learn more here.
How Much Do Eco-Friendly Products Cost?
In the past, eco-friendly or sustainable products were carrying a much higher price tag, making the switch from disposable plastic products more difficult and painful for our wallets.
Thanks to technology and a higher request for those products, most items are now produced sustainably and priced to compete with our old beloved mass-produced unsustainable items.
To help you create the ultimate sustainable travel kit, we have collected some ideas of things you can easily swap without hurting your wallet and the Planet:
1 - Bamboo Toothbrush vs Plastic Toothbrush
The normal life span of a toothbrush is between 3 and 6 months. And do you know what happens after that? They end up in our landfill or in our oceans, and if they are made of plastic we can expect them to stay there for about another 500 years.
Now, try to think about how many toothbrushes you have used in your life: they still all exist today.
Here’s another simple statistic for you: 1 billion toothbrushes are thrown away every year in the U.S and 50 million toothbrushes are added to landfills every year in the U.S., but there’s more.
Plastic toothbrushes are produced with non-renewable fossil fuels (polypropylene and nylon being the main ones). This means that other than polluting our environment, precious fossil fuels are utilized in a non-sustainable way.
Not many people give thoughts to where their plastic toothbrush went once they were done with it.
By making the switch to a bamboo toothbrush, you are choosing a product that is biodegradable, light and still very effective!
Bamboo is an amazing material to use for your eco-friendly adventures. Strong and sturdy, bamboo is 100% biodegradable, recyclable, renewable and compostable!
When choosing your new bamboo toothbrush, make sure that the bristles are not made of nylon material.
There are plenty of options out there, but those are two of our favourites:
The Humble Co Bamboo Toothbrush and Travel Case
You can find this amazing (and sustainable travel-kit-worthy) toothbrush on Earth Hero. Apart from being 100% compostable and packaged with recycled materials, this product is one of the few that are “panda-friendly” as the toothbrush is made with bamboo leaves harvested from 5mts and above, where pandas cannot reach.
LEAFICO Bamboo Toothbrush with Travel Case
Brush with Bamboo uses Biobased Bristles, a Bamboo Handle, and it comes in a paper box made from plant cellulose. This great toothbrush is made with 100% Castor Bean Oil and Biobased, Containing 0% fossil fuel.
2 - Reusable Steel Water Bottle vs Plastic Bottle
When travelling sustainably, we try to move by foot or public transport as much as possible.
Hydration remains one of the most important things you need to keep in mind when exploring a new country (or maybe a new continent?).
You’ll need a water bottle to stay hydrated when you’re out and about. Choose stainless steel with a wide mouth so you can easily fill it up at the tap and avoid purchasing plastic water bottles and simply carry your own reusable one.
We love steel reusable water bottles as they do maintain the temperature of your drink for an extended amount of time. This will make them indispensable during your travels.
Here are some suggestions for the best reusable water bottles available on the market:
IRON FLASK SPORTS WATER BOTTLE
This bestseller reusable iron water bottle is made of 18/8 Stainless steel that is 100% BPA free and non-toxic. Its double wall insulation makes the Iron Flask sweat-free. It keeps your drink COLD for up to 24 hours, and HOT for up to 12 hours.
HYDRO CELL Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Made with premium BPA-free materials, this bottle is leakproof, sweat-free and keeps your water cold or hot for 24 hours. Featuring wide mouth lids, this water bottle is ergonomically shaped to make one-handed use a breeze. Perfect for the gym, office and outdoor activities-Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Camping.
3 - Non-Toxic and Reef-Safe Sunscreen vs Conventional brands
There is so much more in sunscreens than what we actually know.
Other than making sure they don’t contain harmful chemicals for our skin, recent studies have linked some ingredients in sunscreens directly to coral bleaching and water pollution.
In this article, we have covered all there is to know and look for in non-toxic sunscreens. We have also listed the best sunscreens available on the market for you, following the important and strict criteria of the latest EWG reports.
4 - Reusable Mini Travel Towel vs Disposable Wet Wipes
When thinking of being more sustainable, you simply want to avoid everything that needs to be disposed of after one use. Wet wipes are our next item on the list that requires a swap!
In your eco-friendly travel kit, you’ll need a small towel to wipe off sweat and dirt after a hike. It’s easy to forget to pack one when packing for a vacation, so keep a small towel handy at home and take it along whenever you travel.
5 - Refillable Travel-size Bottles vs Mini Travel Toiletries
We all have plenty of small toiletries samples at the back of our bathroom draw, but for some reason when it’s time to pack for our imminent travel we forget all about it. So, our suggestion here is to first use up all the mini travel toiletries you already have laying around your house.
If you don’t have any, the next best thing to do is to consider buying refillable eco-friendly travel toiletry bottles instead of mini travel-size plastic packaged products from the grocery store.
Refillable travel toiletries can be used with shampoo, soap, conditioner, toner, creams etc.
Ensure to buy them in a size that is less than 100ml so you can take them with you even in your carry-on luggage.
There are plenty of different brands producing these bottles nowadays, so we have selected a few different types for you to check out, that are TSA-approved.
6 - Fabric Reusable Shopping Bags vs Plastic Bags
The next time you travel, why not consider bringing a reusable bag with you? It’s practical, it reduces the need to buy things while on the road, and it also aids in becoming more eco-aware.
The war on plastic waste is one of the most well-known across States and countries. The convenience to have bags handy while traveling is important. You can carry your essentials, do groceries or even use it as your washbag.
There are plenty of sustainable companies now selling organic cotton bags and we couldn’t recommend enough to make this easy switch as soon as possible!
7 - Eco-friendly First Aid Kit vs Conventional Bandages
Make sure you pack a small first aid kit with bandages, chemical-free antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and other essentials. If you’re traveling by plane, make sure you bring an emergency kit with you as well.
Bandages are one of the essentials in any travel kit. We strongly recommend opting for a latex-free version, like the one offered by All Terrain: eco-friendly and effective.
All Natural EcoGuard Bandages are:
- Not Tested on Animals
- Latex-free
- Made from recycled or recyclable material
- Water-based adhesives.
- Natural, food-grade colours and pigments
- 100% Sterile Guaranteed.
8 - Spork vs One-Use Plastic Cutlery
In our Guide on “How to Be a Sustainable Traveler” we have talked about the importance of eating from local restaurants or even street markets to support the local economy.
Why then don’t carry with you your very own “Spork”? They are light, they are reusable and they mean you say no to plastic one-use cutlery.
Find our favourite here:
OUTXE Titanium 2 in 1 Fork and Spoon Combo
A fork and spoon combo all-in-one piece, eco-friendly and allergy-free.
Made of 99.9% pure titanium, 100% food-grade, easy to clean and dishwasher safe. You can choose from the classic silver color, blue or pink.
Final Thoughts on Creating Your Very Own Eco-Friendly Travel Kit
We hope you have found this list useful and that it made you realize how easy it is easy to make small changes in your habits to actually have a big impact on our Planet during our travels.
In the end, what is most important when it comes to travelling sustainably is that you do your best to reuse and recycle as much as possible. Do what you can never to use single-use products, and start exploring the beautiful world that is out there in a conscious way!
