Picnics are one of our favorite past-times. What’s better than relaxing with friends and family, all the while enjoying our natural surroundings—not to mention the good food! But to truly enjoy the great outdoors, we should all do our part to protect them from the sustainable snacks we pack to the sustainable picnic baskets we pack them in.
With picnickers contributing to around 30% of overall litter in outdoor recreational spaces, plastic-free picnic baskets are a quintessential ingredient.
See, while traditional wicker picnic baskets are sustainable in nature, a lot has changed since the 18th-century when picnicking was first invented. Between plastic faux wicker and a “more is more” approach with suppliers creating elaborate pieces full of shiny intricate hinges, clasps, and cutlery to catch the eye of their next buyer, we’re a long ways away from the basket’s humble eco origins around 8,000-6,000 BC. While they may look pretty, these unnecessary cotton and plastic pieces are doing ugly things to the environment and making these pieces difficult to dispose of properly.
Fortunately, there are several brands keeping that age-old tradition alive with natural materials like grass and wicker.
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Make Picnic Time Plastic-Free With These Primo Brands
Korissa‘s cottage-core style baskets feature 100% seagrass, meaning you’re picnic can look Instagram-worthy cute while staying fully compostable.
Take a walk in the woods Caminito’s clever designs like backpack picnic baskets that top our list in terms of function and durability.
Index: Eco-Friendly Picnic Basket Brands
- Caminito Jump to brand
- Picnic Time Jump to brand
- Korissa Jump to brand
- Uashmama Jump to brand
- Olli Ella Jump to brand
- Cotopaxi Jump to brand
- Etsy Jump to brand
Caminito
Price Range: $57–$150
Spanish for small wandering paths, Caminito’s palm frond bags allow artisans from all walks of life to showcase their traditional artistry while earning a generous livelihood. Their sustainable picnic bags and blankets are handwoven by crafters in Guerrero, Mexico. A process that is beautifully documented here.
Palm is one of our favorite sustainable materials to purchase considering it is both biodegradable and compostable. Though it has its faults and we like to be extra cognizant about how and where it is sourced.
With bags of various shapes and sizes, Caminito has some of the widest variety of multi-functional picnic gear we’ve seen. The Palma Canesta Lantern Bag is perfect for stacking those plastic-free storage containers and small snacks to go. For cookouts that require more of a climb, we recommend the Mercado Canasta Backpack. The functional design allows you to carry your feast on your back, leaving your hands free for important things.
Picnic Time
Price Range: $35–$65
Picnic time just got a little bit cooler with Picnic Time’s insulated tote bags and eco-friendly picnic baskets. The Italian family-owned business has been serving up affordable European-style picnic gear since 1982 and though most of their products come in the hues of blue and white, they’re all pretty green.
That’s because the GreenBusiness Platinum Certified business prioritizes sustainable fabrics like willow, bamboo, organic cotton, and rPET, as well as low waste shipping. They’re even working on making an entire Climate Partner certified line.
A staple piece for any occasion—from picnics to shopping your weekly farmer’s market— their chic willow base Canvas Basket Tote seamlessly blends fashion with functionality.
Korissa
Price Range: $104
No planet-friendly picnic is complete without a Korissa picnic basket. Though the sustainable home decor brand doesn’t specialize in picnic gear entirely, they definitely offer one of the best picnic baskets in the bunch.
Their Savar Picnic basket is handmade from 100% seagrass, a material deemed by many as nature’s gifts to the world of craftsmanship. The fiber grows abundantly, meaning it can be harvested without depleting its surroundings. With a wide base and tapered handles, the multi-functional basket provides a great foundation for items big or small, from food to books to tiny trinkets.
All products use natural dyes and come courtesy of plastic-free and curbside recyclable packaging. Your plastic-free picnic can also be guilt-free knowing that Korissa works with artisan organizations in Bangladesh that operate under fair trade principles.
Uashmama
Price Range: $46–$199
Not a fan of traditional wicker? Uashmama’s Italian-made picnic basket alternatives may suit your picnic fancies. Shipping from the USA through Food52, the family owned company utilizes a brand made washable paper created from cultivated fibers that mimic the Italian-leather feel, minus the Italian-leather ethical issues.
Though they do not specify what their trademarked AGGO paper is made from, they do state the process begins with the acquisition of raw materials (sustainably harvested prioritized.) The fiber is then treated with vegetable-based dying and finishes like biodegradable wax. The ending fabric is soft, pliable and resilient, with the main benefit of being washable (unlike traditional baskets.)
Their Water Resistant Glossy Tote Bag is great for family feasts. Large but lightweight, you can fit everything but the kitchen sink (though you may even be able to squeeze that in thanks to durable handles made from 85% recycled t-shirts). Upcycling clothes AND good food outside? We’re sold.
Olli Ella
Price Range: $50–$80
What’s a sustainable picnic without a few friendly bees? (err, B Corps, that is.) Knowing what goes into your picnic baskets is just as important as knowing what you put in them, Olli Ella is pretty transparent about the people that make their products.
The Australian Certified B Corp publishes a detailed manufacturer list outlining where their products are made, who is making them (including the percentage of female staff) and even the materials they are using. Thanks to their detailed reports, we know that all of their picnic products are handwoven in Vietnam using sustainable materials like rattan and bamboo.
Marketed for family-friendly outings, you’ll find a lot of stylishly sweet offerings, from mini Wicker Children’s Baskets to Chicken Shaped Carriers. One of our top choices is their Ella Mosey Basket. The vintage-inspired silhouette is large and sturdy and thanks to a partnership with Food52, they ship from the US to US customers, too.
Cotopaxi
Price Range: $105–$200
If you prefer modern day designs over traditional picnicking feels, Cotopaxi’s color blocked designs are just what you need to spice up your next meal. The Latino-owned brand makes compact cooler backpacks that keep food cool during long road trips and beach days. Something that traditional wicker baskets are notably not so good at (not surprising considering picnics used to be solely for indoor aristocrats.)
Their Helio Del Dia Cooler Backpack is one of the best picnic bags we’ve come across. Ideal for outdoor adventurers, the bucket-style sustainable backpack features padded shoulder straps and grab handles that allow the bag to be secured to the back of boats or paddle boards. Insulation comes courtesy of PE foam encased in repurposed nylon and polyester fibers. The food-safe liner is 100% leak proof and exceptionally durable.
1% of your purchase will support the Cotopaxi Foundation, a donation platform that works to improve healthcare, education, and livelihoods in communities in the Americas.
Etsy
Have you gone down the Etsy black hole? We have. A lot. The platform is used by sellers all over the globe, making it a great place to get nearly anything and everything. But when you need a break from endless scrolling, they can help get you away from the screen and into the sun with picnic baskets a plenty!
Being a maker-to-peer market, Etsy features a large range of sellers offering new eco-friendly picnic sets (and some not so eco-friendly), as well as our choice of vintage picnic baskets to bring some character and history to your. outdoor brunch Many already include plates and cutlery too.
Nebraska based LouLous Vintage Co. has a number of suitable options in stock like bamboo carved duck baskets and banana wicker gathering baskets. Salvageon Savannah sells affordable pre-2000’s pieces dug out from the land down under. Beyond those two, just search up terms like “vintage picnic baskets” and “antique homeware” to see what’s in stock.
Since keeping things small and localized is a key factors to ethical manufacturing, Etsy’s teeny tiny traceable supply chains are #manufacturinggoals. Don’t forget all Etsy orders come with 100% carbon neutral shipping!
