11 Eco-Friendly Travel Products To Jetset Your Sustainability

From coffee mugs for conscious caffeine consumption to toiletries that help you freshen up without dirtying the planet, there’s a plethora of planet-friendly accessories and products out there.

Let’s go there now! And if you’re looking for more, check out our sustainable travel tips for more ways to keep green when you’re on the move.

A quality, durable, sustainable backpack is the ultimate travel companion and perhaps the most important of all sustainable travel gear.

Whether you use it as a carry-on, personal item, or a daypack, choose wisely, and it will be one of the travel accessories you will use forever.

Solgaard’s Lifepack has it in the bag. It’s made of upcycled ocean-bound plastic and features a built-in solar panel, anti-theft lock, and tons of organization. Add a power bank and solar-powered Bluetooth speaker for a next-level backpacking experience.

Meanwhile, if you’re traveling the galaxy, Patagonia’s Black Hole line of Fair Trade Certified travel bags are made from 100% recycled materials that will withstand plenty of airline abuse on the baggage belt.

With a comfortable back, padded shoulder straps, pockets for your reusable water bottle, and plenty of storage options, it’s perfect for hiking the backwoods or dashing your way through TSA Pre-Check.

For shorter trips, we recommend traveling light and sticking to a carry-on backpack, duffle, or suitcase. Longer trips, however, may require checked luggage.

Luggage can be expensive, but your piece(s) will last you for years if made well. Look for eco-friendly materials (like recycled plastic), and try to find styles that can be repaired if needed so that you can maintain them throughout your travels.

Horizn Studios’ Circle One line is the world’s first biodegradable hardshell suitcase. Made in Europe from BioX, a plant-based material that is both lightweight and robust, these durable cases are designed to be repaired.

Carbon Neutral-certified Paravel backs its stylish luggage with a five-year warranty.

We personally love the sleek, earthy look and packing-efficient design of the Aviator hardshell collection, the world’s first 100% carbon-neutral luggage. Made from recycled materials, Paravel offsets all emissions involved in its manufacturing and shipping—and they include the emissions of your first plane trip.

Well-organized luggage not only saves you from rummaging through a mountain of clothes, but it also helps you to maximize the amount of space in your suitcase.

Packing cubes help with this, and come in various shapes and sizes to cater to different needs.

Eco-friendly materials are an essential consideration, so look for packing cubes made from sustainable fabrics.

It’s Paravel to the rescue again with packing cubes made from recycled bottles. They come in a selection of sizes, and can even be personalized with custom embroidery (helpful if you are packing for multiple people).

They also offer compression cubes to help save space in your suitcase.

Anchal is a non-profit social enterprise supporting women in India coming out of the sex trade. Their gorgeous, color block toiletry bags and organizers are made from hand-embroidered GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Available in several styles and sizes, they’re perfect for organizing all your bits and bobs.

A portable solar panel is an innovative way to charge your electronic devices on the move and a must-have sustainable travel accessory if you’re going off-grid.

Whether you’re in the woods or the middle of downtown, BioLite’s portable solar panels will keep you powered the planet-friendly way. The Climate Neutral Certified company offers 5W, 10W, and 100W panels, with integrated sundials to get the right placement.

Designed for rugged adventures, Goal Zero’s portable solar panels are ideal for your next van life or RV trip. Their Boulder 200 Briefcase model is foldable with no roof mounting required.

They also donate a percentage of profits to humanitarian causes.

Using single-use plastic bottles when traveling is both bad for the environment and financially costly.

Save money and the planet and BYOB.

Hydro Flask offers a classic reusable water bottle option, with their stainless steel bottles keeping liquids both hot or cold for hours on end. They also offer reusable coffee cups and tumblers, for a cup of coffee on the go.

For both your reusable coffee cup and water bottle needs, Klean Kanteen offers water bottles with stainless steel straws and sip lids, as well as reusable cups, mugs, and thermoses.

Notice how both brands rely on metal. While a reusable plastic bottle can serve you well, try to go for a plastic-free water bottle made from a more sturdy material, like stainless steel, for extra durability.

Plastic bottles can slowly leach synthetic particles into your water, especially on a warm day, so if you’re planning on being out and about, then a non-plastic option is ideal.

While some travel destinations have all the first-world amenities, other locations might not always have things we take for granted—like clean drinking water.

Carrying your own portable water purifier can help avoid waterborne diseases, especially if you’re backpacking off-grid or otherwise away from infrastructure.

Lifestraw is a go-to brand for water filtration on the move. You’ve probably heard of their Lifestraw independent filter (from which the Climate Neutral and Certified B Corp brand gets its name), but they also offer a range of reusable water bottles with built-in filtration systems.

Say goodbye to yucky tap water with an in-bottle straw filtration system from Epic Water Filters. Compatible with both Hydro Flask and Nalgene water bottles, they’re a simple way to keep your water clean while you’re on the go.

Some useful eco-friendly travel accessories to have on hand are supplies for eating on the go.

Food storage and reusable cutlery make it easy for you to take your leftovers from the street stall back to your hotel room—without having to deal with styrofoam takeout containers, disposable plastic cutlery, and plastic straws.

Containers should be sealable, durable, and small enough to tuck away in your bag without adding too much weight to your pack.

For food storage, U Konserve offers travel containers made from non-toxic stainless steel with plastic-free silicone lids.

To-Go Ware’s Bamboo Utensil Set contains a fork, knife, spoon, and chopstick housed in a carry case made from recycled water bottles. The spoons, knives, and forks are also available in packs of five.

The Climate Neutral and Certified B Corp offers kids bamboo utensils for mini eco warriors, too.

A word on personal care: staying clean is much less complicated than big companies might want you to think that it is.

Rather than packing a bunch of different products, pare down to the essentials to waste less and save space in your carry-on.

You may be familiar with reusable silicone travel bottles, but an even more sustainable option is to eliminate liquids altogether and opt for solid products with plastic-free packaging. Solid bars also have the bonus of being TSA-friendly.

Here’s our basic list of the top travel-ready eco-friendly toiletries:

Solid soap bar

A good quality, skin-friendly soap bar is an essential travel item. EcoRoots offers zero waste organic body soap bars that are handmade in small batches. Pop it in a reusable tin to keep you feeling fresh no matter where your travels take you.

Shampoo and conditioner bars

Suds & Co’s vegan and zero waste shampoo and conditioner bars are made from natural ingredients and come in various scents. Each bar replaces 2-3 plastic bottles, making them a must-have item for your travel kit.

Toothpaste tablets

Traveling with liquid toothpaste can get tricky. Toothpaste tablets are a less messy and more sustainable, plastic-free teeth cleaning option.

Try Huppy vegan tablets for 100% plastic-free teeth cleaning—and don’t forget to pack a sustainable toothbrush!

Solid Moisturizer

A good moisturizing agent can have multiple uses. Simple emollients like shea butter or jojoba oil can be used as a face moisturizer, body lotion, hair conditioner, and lip balm.

Alternatively, Ethique’s Solid Face Creams come in a plastic-free compostable tube, ideal for zero waste travel.

Sunscreen

Getting sunburned is a great way to turn a vacation sour, so sunscreen is a must.

A reef-safe biodegradable sunscreen is best, and even better if it has natural ingredients and biodegradable packaging. Check out ATTITUDE’s SPF 30 sunscreen, with a plastic-free compostable tube and EWG Skin Deep Verified ingredients.

Solid Deodorant.

Some travel destinations may make it easy to go au naturel, but if that isn’t your jam, then you’ll want some deodorizer.

Ethique’s solid deodorants come in a compostable tube and are formulated with sustainable, natural ingredients. They’re also vegan, cruelty-free, and palm oil-free.

Period Care

If you’re a person with a period, then travel-friendly period care is essential for a smooth trip.

A menstrual cup is ideal for on the move; they’re reusable, easily cleaned, and won’t take up space in your luggage. Saalt’s menstrual cup is made from medical-grade silicone.

Period underwear is another low-waste option (though you’ll likely want a way to wash these pretty soon after wear). Modibodi offers a selection of styles, inclusive sizing, and a 60-day risk-free trial to get you started.

Most hotels provide towels, but if you’re in a hostel, backpacking out in the woods, or planning to hit the beach, you’ll need to bring your own.

The best travel towels and beach towels are lightweight and quick-drying, so that you get back on the road or trail again quickly. Nothing is worse than having to pack away a wet towel…

The Mini and Ultralight towels from Nomadix are designed for travel and camping trips. Made from 88-90% post-consumer recycled polyester, they’re super lightweight, quick-drying, and come in tons of fun prints.

Also made from recycled plastic bottles, Evolve Travel Goods’s towel is lightweight, anti-microbial, and dries in a flash. Sand doesn’t stick to it, making it the ultimate double-duty bath and beach towel.

Evolve also donates 10% of profits to environmental charities.

If you’re traveling for more than a few days, you’ll probably find yourself doing laundry at some point on your trip.

Depending how far off the beaten track you go, you might not always have access to laundry facilities, and even if you can go to a laundromat or use the laundry in your hotel, those aren’t always the most sustainable options, especially if you only need to wash a couple of items.

Doing your own laundry while traveling can make a more efficient use of your travel wardrobe and can be done in a sink or bathtub if needed.

Alternatively, try a Scrubba Portable Wash Bag. It’s a collapsible bag made from TPU-coated nylon fabric with an internal washing board so you can wash your clothes without electricity and with minimal water wherever you may be.

Detergent sheets are helpful for travel. Those from EcoRoots are plant-based, biodegradable, and pack a powerful cleaning ability—just tear a sheet in half to wash a normal-sized load of laundry.

Traveling to and from destinations can put a real crick in your neck.

Whether you’re getting comfy on the train or camping out in the airport waiting for your red-eye, a travel pillow is a helpful accessory to keep on hand,

An eco-friendly pillow should be natural, non-toxic, and ideally capable of being recycled or repurposed at its end of life. Plastic-free pillows are the way to go, so look for natural fillings and outer covers.

The Avocado Organic Mini Pillow is a small, travel-sized pillow made from kapok, latex, and cotton—all of which are GOTS-certified organic.

Sleep & Beyond offers the MYTRAVEL PILLOW, a U-shaped neck support pillow made from washable British wool and natural cotton. It features a zipper opening, so you can remove some of the wool and get the comfort just right.

What is the most sustainable form of travel?

Well, a roundtrip flight from LAX to JFK emits over 1,200 pounds of CO₂ per person. Considering that it takes approximately 50 trees to absorb 1 ton of CO₂ (two round trip flights from LA to NYC), air travel can quickly take its toll on the environment.

Traveling by car and train usually results in significantly less carbon output per passenger. However, there are still environmental factors to consider, including the use of fossil fuels and the waste associated with longer travel times (think of how much fast food you eat on a cross-country road trip).

In short, there’s no silver bullet solution to eco-friendly travel. Sometimes you can only reach certain destinations by air, and if you’re traveling for work or with family, you might not always have control over all your travel choices.

So, what do have control over?

You can support the local economy by buying from small, independent businesses, contributing to a regenerative travel model. And you can support the local environment by consuming more mindfully so that you aren’t contributing towards needless waste.

If you’re booking a trip through a tour agency, consider going through one of a growing number of ecotourism companies.

You can also consider purchasing carbon offsets to offset the equivalent carbon output of your trip.

And, of course, you can choose eco-friendly travel products and accessories to take with you to minimize waste from the very start.

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