Eco-friendly travel products are easy to introduce into your everyday packing list, whether it’s a local road trip or a worldwide adventure. There are many sustainable and responsible choices that are easy swaps. Whether it’s sustainable toiletries, ocean friendly products or something that’s environmentally conscious, every little bit counts. And with these environmental products, I feel like you’ll enjoy them even more than the traditional version. Here’s my list of green products that you need to bring on your next trip.
Tru Earth Laundry Eco-Strips
Tru Earth will completely change how you do laundry, both at home and when traveling. You don’t need to buy bulky, plastic containers of laundry detergent any longer. Traditionally, most laundry detergent that you buy contains a whole lot of water and a small amount of actual detergent. Tru Earth eliminates the water and captures all of the detergent into one small strip that you put directly into your washing machine.
It works as effectively as traditional laundry detergent without all of the waste. Each strip weighs 3g and is equally as effective as 40g of laundry detergent (that’s 94% less!). Their packaging uses zero plastic and massively cuts down on transportation costs and emissions. If everyone switched to Tru Earth laundry strips, the annual impact would be astounding: eliminating one billion plastic jugs, and saving the truck fuel and emissions equivalent to taking 27 million cars off the road for one day (or planting nine million trees).
You can feel good about buying Tru Earth laundry strips: they’re environmentally friendly products, vegan, palm oil free, hypoallergenic, and paraben free. It’s both sensitive on your skin and sensitive to the environment. This past year, the company has given back by donating over 2 million loads of laundry to needy organizations, like the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, Philadelphia’s Share Food Program, Health Partners International of Canada, and more.
How does it work?
It’s so easy! Tear off one laundry strip and place it directly inside any standard or high efficiency washing machine. It dissolves completely in both hot or cold water. I’ve used Tru Earth products exclusively for the last couple of months, and these zero waste laundry strips clean my clothes so well. Also, living in an apartment, shelf space is at a premium. I save a lot of space by storing a small sleeve of laundry strips instead of a bulky plastic jug.
Shop for Tru Earth products here. You can shop for individual packs for 8 loads of laundry, 32 loads of laundry or even more. Plus, if you hop onto one of their subscription services, you can save big. I know that I won’t ever switch back to regular laundry detergent now that I know about Tru Earth! Use them at home or while traveling. As there’s no liquid involved, you won’t have any issue bringing Tru Earth’s environmentally conscious products in your carry-on bag.
Their online shop also has other great items like metal straws, bamboo utensils, and mesh produce bags. You can get a lot of your eco-friendly travel products all in one place.
Sustainable Toiletries: Earth Suds
Earth Suds are zero waste shower tablets that eliminate the need for single use plastic waste as you travel. Their shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are single-use sustainable toiletries, perfect for when you’re on the go. Their reusable tins hold 5 tablets of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and they are zero waste body care products.
I used Earth Suds when I traveled overseas. They’re eco-friendly travel products that are an amazing alternative to bulky plastic bottles and single-use hotel toiletries. When I added water in the shower, these products created glorious suds. The shampoo and conditioner cleaned and helped de-tangle my hair, and the body wash worked so well, too. I used these sustainable toiletries in India where I felt covered in dust and dirt by the end of the day, and they worked so well.
These eco-friendly toiletries are vegan, sulfate and paraben free, cruelty free, and made without plastic in Canada. Earth Suds works to achieve all three dimensions of sustainability: they eliminate single use plastics, they generate and re-invest profits, and they employ adults with developmental disabilities.
This travel pack takes up very little space in your bag, and it’s ideal for your next camping trip or weekend away. When we all go back to flying, you can easily toss this kit into your carry-on bag as there are no liquids. It’s so convenient and you can feel good about making a positive impact on the environment, too.
Earth Friendly Products: Bamboo Toothbrush
There are so many reasons to switch to bamboo toothbrushes from traditional plastic ones, both at home and abroad. First, it’s great to ditch another wasteful plastic item that will ultimately end up in the landfill. Next, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, growing to full size within two years. It’s stronger and harder than wood, as well as more durable than plastic.
Bamboo toothbrushes are one of the best eco-friendly travel products. Bamboo is fully biodegradable, plus it’s a renewable and sustainable resource. Once you’re finished with a bamboo toothbrush, you can remove the bristles and throw the handle into a compost bin to safely return it to the soil. These bamboo toothbrushes have activated charcoal in the bristles, cleaning your mouth even more effectively.
Reusable Utensils and Straw
Why use disposable utensils and straws when you can simply pack the real deal? I highly recommend carrying a reusable straw and a small set of reusable utensils, whether you’re traveling, packing for a road trip, or even ordering take-out or food delivery at work. Reusable straws and utensils are among the best eco-friendly travel products that take up very little room in your bag.
There are lots of great options according to your personal preferences. I find that stainless steel straws are perfect for travel. They’re on my personal list of green products that I always bring with me. Stainless steel straws don’t break, they’re easy to clean, and they’re extremely portable. When you’re at home, you might prefer glass straws that are still durable, BPA free, and dishwasher safe.
Here’s a great set of lightweight utensils and straws that you can bring with you no matter where you go, created by National Geographic. It comes with bamboo utensils, chopsticks, a straw, and a straw cleaner in a portable pouch. It’s perfect for the office, the beach, or any adventure you’re taking. Throw it into your backpack as you travel the world.
Reusable Water Bottle
I bring a reusable water bottle when I’m out hiking for the day or traveling. It’s like second nature, and I rarely leave home without one. First, it’s better for the environment to reduce our plastic waste. Next, it’s way more affordable to fill up your water bottle before you head out. You can usually fill up a water bottle at the airport for free at a water fountain. (Pro tip: You can always ask the employees at an airport coffee shop to fill up your bottle for you, and they’ll most likely help you out!)
Aeropress and Coffee Travel Mug
Looking to brew your own coffee at home or when traveling? The Aeropress coffee maker is the perfect solution to create rich espresso and coffee beverages. All you need are coffee grounds and hot water. It’s as easy as that!
As a coffee fanatic, I love drinking coffee both at home and worldwide. If you’d like to save your money and be kind to the environment, the Aeropress is one of the top earth friendly products around. You’ll save tons of wasteful disposable cups when you brew your own coffee. You can support the local economy when you travel by purchasing coffee beans on location. Plus, you’ll likely save lots of money by brewing your own coffee, too.
If you still love drinking from local coffee shops when you travel (I know that I do!), I suggest bringing a coffee tumbler / reusable coffee travel mug on the go. It’s all about limiting waste from using those disposable wax paper cups that often cannot be recycled. Rather than creating more landfill waste, it’s easy to use a reusable coffee tumbler on the go.
The Aeropress weighs in at 7.98 oz, which is pretty respectable. It’s both sturdy and portable. Size wise, it doesn’t take up more space in the suitcase than a firmly rolled shirt. The Aeropress is my favorite travel coffee maker, and I hope it becomes a little contraption that you take on the road with you, too.
If you’re a fan of the Aeropress, there’s actually a lot of fun merchandise to show off your love for it, too! Check out these Aeropress stickers and Aeropress t-shirts to show off your Aeropress fandom.
Eco-Friendly Travel Products: Solar Powered Items
Did you know that there are eco-friendly travel products to charge your smartphones and devices? This impressive solar charger will charge most smartphones six to eight times! It’s a fantastic solution for anyone who spends time outdoors, goes camping or glamping, or might not have access to electrical power. However, I feel like these solar power banks are a perfect addition to any sustainable and environmentally friendly products list.
You can use solar power banks to charge your iPhone, Android, camera, tablet, or any other electronic accessory that you’re bringing along with you for the ride. It’s easy to toss into your backpack or carry on bag. Plus, it allows you to get off the grid and have a lower environmental impact.
Ocean Friendly Products: Reef Safe Sunscreen
I always recommend packing sunscreen, whether you’re going for a day hike or a trip to the beach. However, it’s very important that we choose ocean friendly toiletries, such as organic, reef safe sunscreen. Many conventional sunscreens are very harmful to coral reefs by causing bleaching and inhibiting its ability to reproduce. A reef safe sunscreen is one of the best eco friendly travel products that protects your skin and our waters.
Reusable Grocery and Zip Lock Bags
Two of the biggest culprits for plastic waste are plastic bags and zip lock bags. Slowly but surely, municipalities and countries are banning plastic bags outright. For instance, you cannot bring a plastic bag into Tanzania as they’re completely banned in the country. It’s really easy to limit the amount of plastic you use by switching to reusable grocery bags and reusable zip lock bags.
You’ll likely run into situations when you’re traveling when you’ll need an extra grocery bag or a zip lock bag. It’s easy to throw a couple of these into your luggage for those moments when you go shopping or need to store some food items. There are truly infinite uses for grocery bags and zip lock bags, so why not choose reusable ones to help the environment?
Eco Conscious Bags by Cabin Zero
If you’re looking for a new backpack or portable carry-on bag, I recommend choosing Cabin Zero backpacks. It fits within the dimensions and restrictions for carry on baggage. And it’s great for that weekend trip away or that hiking adventure you’ve been planning. I love that this environmental product is also an ethical choice, too.
CabinZero not only cares about its customers, but also ensures that their backpacks are created in an ethical manner. Their products are not made in sweatshops. CabinZero has a close relationship with factory staff, and they do not exploit their workers in any way. In fact, they even interview their sewers from time to time on their blog.
The materials used in CabinZero backpacks must pass all regulatory tests in Europe. The bags are very high quality and you can expect them to last for a very long time, reducing environmental impact. Customers won’t have to replace their backpacks for years and years to come. CabinZero encourages sustainable tourism, and they’ve started giving back to charities in developing nations. Shop all CabinZero backpacks here.
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What are your favorite earth friendly products to use at home and abroad?
Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 45+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.