Sustainable travel isn’t just a trend, it’s a necessity. Every year, around 8% of global CO₂ emissions are generated by the tourism industry. Which shows how much of a burden our travelling style is on the environment.
I know, most of these emissions are caused by cruises, cars, airplanes and other means of transportation. That usually operate through huge organizations that we can’t really influence a lot. But still, we as travelers can make a small difference by using the right eco-friendly travel gear. Because with the right equipment, we can reduce our ecological footprint without sacrificing comfort.
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Must-Have Sustainable Travel Products for Your Journey
Before we talk more in detail about eco-friendly travel containers and other utensils, we will actually give you some recommendations of our favorite sustainable travel products that we personally can’t travel without.
- Reusable water bottles
Plastic bottles are a major burden on the environment. Around 1 million plastic bottles are bought every minute worldwide, resulting in huge amounts of waste that is often not recycled.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), at least 14 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans every year, causing massive damage to the environment and wildlife. Reusable bottles made from durable materials such as stainless steel are an efficient way to reduce this waste.
Recommendation: Stainless steel bottles from Klean Kanteen, which are optionally available with an integrated water filter.
- Sustainable dental care
Every year in the USA alone, over 850 million plastic toothbrushes end up in the rubbish, which are not biodegradable and remain in landfills for centuries. Alternatives such as bamboo toothbrushes help to reduce plastic waste and are biodegradable.
Recommendation: Bamboo toothbrushes from Humble Co. and toothpaste tabs from Georganics.
- Plastic-free hygiene products
Solid shampoo and soap bars eliminate the need for plastic bottles for personal care products. According to one estimate, such products prevent the production of around 200 million plastic bottles every year.
Recommendation: Lush shampoo bars and plastic-free soaps from Friendly Soap.
- Lightweight, foldable shopping bags
Disposable plastic bags cause around 300 million tonnes of waste worldwide every year, according to data from the United Nations Environment Programme. Reusable cloth bags are a practical and environmentally friendly alternative.
Recommendation: Baggu’s foldable bags are compact and durable.
- Solar-powered gadgets
Using solar energy for gadgets can save considerable amounts of electricity. According to EnergySage, a solar charger can generate up to 1,000 kWh of electricity per year, reducing the need for conventional energy.
Recommendation: Solar chargers from Anker or Goal Zero will make you stay connected and always have your gadgets charged in an environmentally friendly way.
Why are sustainable travel products even important?
Sustainable travel utensils are in fact important and the reason for it is too much plastic waste. Plastic waste is actually a major problem all over the world. Around 19-23 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans, lakes and rivers every year. This is horrible and disposable products such as toothpaste tubes or plastic water bottles contribute significantly to this. Many people use disposable products when travelling in particular, which drastically increases the amount of waste. As you can imagine, part of the solution to this problem is using sustainable travel items such as eco-friendly luggage or eco-friendly travel bottles.
- Sustainable travel bottles: Did you know that one refillable water bottle can replace up to 167 disposable bottles per person and per year?
- Eco-friendly travel essentials: Products made from bamboo or other natural materials leave no harmful waste behind.
- Energy-efficient gadgets: Solar-powered chargers can reduce electricity consumption when travelling, which also positively contributes to the environment.
In particular, brands such as Hydro Flask and Chilly’s Bottles offer durable, reusable water bottles, while for example Lush produces plastic-free shampoo bars.
Top Criteria for Sustainable Travel Products
Sustainable travel products make an important contribution to making travelling more environmentally friendly and socially acceptable. The 4 most important criteria that these products should fulfil are explained in detail here:
| Criteria | Description | Example |
| Material | Biodegradable, recyclable, or made from reusable raw materials. | Bamboo toothbrushes from Humble Co., stainless steel bottles from Klean Kanteen |
| Durability | High-quality craftsmanship enabling long-term use. | Backpacks from Patagonia or Got Bag made from recycled plastic |
| Fair Trade | Socially responsible production adhering to labor rights. | Products with Fairtrade certification |
| CO₂-neutral shipping | Logistics with low environmental impact, e.g., climate-neutral transport. | Providers like Avocado Store |
- Material
Sustainable travel accessories made from biodegradable, recyclable or reusable materials significantly reduce the environmental impact.
- Biodegradable materials such as bamboo are a popular alternative to plastic. Bamboo grows extremely quickly and decomposes in nature without leaving any harmful substances behind. One example is the bamboo toothbrushes from Humble Co.
- Recycled materials such as stainless steel offer a long-lasting solution that reduces waste. Stainless steel bottles from Klean Kanteen are a prime example.
- Durability
Products that are manufactured to a high standard and last for many years avoid the need for frequent new purchases and reduce waste.
- Patagonia’s backpacks, made from recycled plastic, are extremely robust and designed to last a long time.
- Got Bag uses so-called ocean impact plastic to recycle it and manufacture sustainable travel bags, backpacks and even luggage.
According to a study published in 2023, extending the life of a product by just 50% can reduce its environmental impact by up to 30%.
- Fair Trade
Products that are manufactured under fair working conditions ensure that social and labour standards are met and therefore can be called eco-friendly travel accessories.
- Fairtrade labels guarantee fair wages and humane working conditions. Even though it might not be directly related to sustainable travel products, a phone is definitely part of your (sustainable) travel kit. This is why as an example I would like to mention Fairphone.
- CO₂-neutral shipping
The logistics industry is responsible for a significant proportion of global emissions. Climate-neutral shipping is therefore an important criterion when it comes to consuming sustainable travel containers.
- Providers such as Avocadostore rely on environmentally friendly transport methods.
According to a report by the International Transport Forum in 2023, shipping processes in e-commerce cause 23% of global CO₂ emissions. This is why, CO₂-neutral shipping is crucial to actually having sustainable travel products.
Do’s and Don’ts to Choose The Right Sustainable Travel Products
These recommendations are just to give you an idea or inspire you to look for yourself. Luckily, there are tons of sustainable travel products on the market now. However, some of these items are really not that eco-friendly and brands are just trying to scam you. So here’s a quick list of Do’s and Don’ts to avoid greenwashing and choosing really eco-friendly travel bags and other products.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| Pay attention to certifications: Quality seals such as Fairtrade or Blauer Engel help to recognise sustainable products. | Avoid unnecessary packaging: Products with a lot of plastic packaging place an unnecessary burden on the environment. |
| Support regional suppliers: Buy from local manufacturers to minimise transport emissions. | Don’t accept unclear sustainability promises: Brands without transparent standards or reports could be greenwashing. |
Do you have any further recommendations for us concerning sustainable travel products? Let us know in the comments below.
