I began looking for eco-friendly products while on the beaches of Greece surrounded by plastic waste. Then we traveled to truly remote destinations like Mozambique and Seychelles; however, the plastic hung around, and I knew the world had to become more familiar with green products.
While the touristsf may have remained in Greece, the plastic waste followed us. Now it’s all over the world. On every beach we visit, every mountain we climb, even in beautiful national parks, it’s the same story – plastic everywhere.
We are all guilty of littering at some point, even if not intentionally. It’s time that we do something and care for Mother Earth, letting us rent space and destroy her day by day. However, we don’t have to stand by and let the world go to crap; we can take measures to become environmentally friendly, starting with what we buy.
Read on for a great list of eco-friendly products to help you go green in your daily life and travel. Most of these environmentally friendly products are here to help reduce your waste and make simple purchase decisions. Most importantly, don’t just buy these items for needless consumerism; use them to replace everyday items once they’ve seen their lifetime.
What is the Importance of Eco-Friendly Products?
We’re destroying the earth, and it’s something that can be prevented. We can all take small steps toward reducing our environmental footprint. Even as travelers, we use many eco-friendly products that can make a huge difference. A great place to start is to reduce waste when taking green initiatives.
By 2050 the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish in the ocean – that statistic is shocking. While consumers are not solely responsible for pollution, we have an impact. With that in mind, we’d like to replace simple everyday items with environmentally friendly products to have a significant effect.
Did you know? According to the World Wildlife Fund
- 90% of the world’s seabirds have plastic fragments in their stomach.
- Only 9% of plastics are recycled around the world. The world needs more green products.
- It will take hundreds of years for a single piece of plastic to decompose, and then it will turn into dangerous microplastics.
- 80% of ocean plastic originates on land. Then it enters our ocean through rivers and streams.
The Best Eco-Friendly Products
Our Favorite Sustainable Products
AllBirds
Allbirds have billed themselves as the most comfortable shoes in the world, made to fight odor, be worn without socks, and handle the demands of life exceptionally well. They do all of this while being some of the most eco-friendly shoes in the world. It is no small feet (pun intended), and we consider them to be a staple men’s and women’s travel clothing item.
Allbirds started with the classic Wool Runner, a simple shoe with a comfy wool upper. Since then, they’ve expanded the line to include various materials and shoes, from slip-ons to trail runners. We love their Tree Breezers for warm weather.
While doing this, they have developed and implemented various new materials for a more sustainable shoe. We’re continuously impressed by their commitment to environmental and social impacts. This includes full audits of their entire supply chain and a pledge to reach near net-zero carbon emissions as a company by 2030. See the full Allbirds review here.
Allbirds
Lomi Kitchen Composter
The Lomi Kitchen Composter allows you to compost on your kitchen countertops. Not everyone has the space or ability to compost their food scraps in the garden. The Lomi is great for those living in apartments, townhomes, or urban environments without a yard. Most impressive is the speed at which the Lomi operates. It has several cycles that range from 3-30 hours to produce compost.
Traditionally organic waste generates methane in landfills. Composting organic waste at home significantly reduces methane emissions and creates nutrient soil — perfect for potted plants and gardens. The one downside is the machine has a steep price. However, it’s a great way to reduce emissions and make something useful.
Lomi Kitchen Composter
Blueland Cleaning Products
The plastic waste around cleaning products feels silly. That doesn’t include the environmental impact of the chemicals or the carbon footprint from shipping liquids. We love eco-friendly products that are good for the environment and more convenient to use than traditional products. Blueland is an excellent example of a product that fits our daily lives.
It’s a simple concept, add a tablet of cleaning concentrates to a reusable bottle with water. A starter pack comes with their “Forever Bottles” and several cleaning solution tabs. Afterward, you can order a subscription for new tablets or buy as you go. The small tabs come in compostable packaging with no single-use plastic.
Blueland Products
Misfits Market
Mistfits Market is another great eco-friendly product and service that helps you save money and eat better/greener. Their goal is to save food products from going to waste. They buy organic produce that doesn’t look perfect for grocery store shelves.
The result is organic produce at a fraction of the price in stores. It’s tough not to love a service that reduces food waste, saves consumers money, and helps people eat healthier.
Misfits Market
Smart Home Energy Monitor
This simple device may not be for the average consumer as it requires an electrician or a handy homeowner. However, for the price, it can provide some incredible information to help save energy in your home. Once the device is installed in a beaker box, it can monitor energy usage in the house and provide the information in a convenient phone app.
This allows homeowners to determine any issues that may cost them much more on their power bill. After just one statement, it can identify costly problems that justify the unit’s affordable price.
Smart Home Energy Monitor
Betterway Bamboo Toilet Paper
The impact of deforestation from toilet paper production is a tragic reality. It is estimated that we flush 16 million trees down the toilet yearly, which is wild! It’s no secret that bamboo is a more sustainable product, thanks to its ability to grow fast and in a wide range of climates.
For eco-friendly toilet paper, we love Betterway’s 3-Ply Toilet Paper. It’s the softest bamboo toilet paper we’ve tested, and the packaging is plastic-free. As it’s 3-ply, it’s ultra-absorbant and holds up to the job.
Betterway Bamboo Toilet Paper
Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls
Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls are another eco-friendly product that is better than what they replace. It may not be obvious, but traditional dryer sheets are single-use plastic made from synthetic polyester. They also utilize toxic chemicals to release scents and target electrostatic charges.
Wool dryer balls are reusable, soften clothing without chemicals, shorten dry times, fluff jackets, and reduce wrinkles. As they’re chemical-free and all-natural, they are safe for babies and those with sensitive skin. Don’t worry about missing the great scents of dryer sheets, as a few drops of scented oil can achieve the same thing.
Wool Dryer Balls
Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets
Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets are an easy way to reduce waste and carbon footprint. Large plastic laundry detergent tubs are another example of single-use plastic. As they contain up to 90% water, they’re heavier for shipping, resulting in a higher carbon footprint.
These eco-friendly sheets are safe for sensitive skin as they are hypoallergenic, vegan, bleach-free, and phosphate-free. The best part is they take up less room in your house and are easy to store.
Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets
Swedish Dishcloths
Ditch paper towels that create unnecessary waste, and try out Swedish Dishcloths. The small wipes are spongey and highly absorbent, which makes them perfect for quick clean-ups around the house. After the cleanup, the dishcloths are machine washable to refresh them for the next spill. Each small cloth is equivalent to 25 rolls of paper towels.
Swedish Dishcloths
Google Nest Smart Thermostat
A Google Nest Smart Thermostat is an easy way to reduce your home’s energy consumption and make it more comfortable at the same time. The smart thermostat can learn your temperature preferences and automatically adjust the conditions in your home.
Through intelligent programming, the thermostat can adjust the temperature to save power when you’re not home to avoid unnecessary energy consumption. It can even make you more comfortable by automatically lowering temperatures while you sleep and raising them while awake.
Nest Thermostat
Avocado Mattress
If you’re looking for a new mattress, check out the Avocado Mattress for a 100% certified organic mattress. They use no polyurethane foams or toxic fire retardants. The super comfortable beds are made in the US, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of shipping mattresses from overseas.
They even make a vegan version of their mattress that does not contain wool like their flagship model. In addition to their beds, they have a line of eco-friendly sheets, pillows, and mattress toppers.
Avocado Mattress
Grayl GeoPress Water Filter & Purifier
Drinking water from natural sources is not always safe, and it’s tough to ensure water quality when we travel. That is why we travel with a water bottle that purifies water for safe drinking. Our favorite is the Grayl GeoPress Purifier Bottle. It saves money, reduces plastic waste, and ensures our water is safe and free of viruses and other waterborne illnesses.
The Grayl bottle is not only practical but also innovative in design. A press-like system effectively filters out sediment, bacteria, and heavy metals, leaving only clean and safe water. Its wide-mouth top makes it easy to drink and fill, and its sleek design fits comfortably in any bag or backpack—one of our favorite eco-friendly products to reduce plastic waste.
Grayl GeoPress Water Purifier
Compostable Paper Plate Set
While we encourage everyone to use typical plates and cutlery, there are times when paper plates feel necessary. These compostable paper plates are a lifesaver for events, picnics, BBQs, and entertaining. The 250-piece set is heat-resistant and compostable.
Compostable Paper Plate Set
V-60 Coffee Maker
Sometimes, the simplest things are the easiest eco-friendly solutions, like the classic Hario V-60 Coffee Dripper. V-60s are a far more environmentally friendly way to make single-serving coffees and produce far better-tasting coffee.
It’s easy to clean and makes the perfect coffee. Most importantly, it doesn’t produce plastic waste compared to its alternatives. It also allows you to source your coffee beans to ensure they’re harvested sustainably.
Hario V-60 Coffee Dripper
Aurorae Yoga Mat
The Aurorae Yoga Mat is one of our favorite yoga mats we use at home, and it’s eco-friendly. The mat is made from a non-toxic resin, free from Phthalates, Phenols, PAHS, Latex, Rubber, and Silicon. On top of that, they are biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
The grip and soft support we love the most about the mat. We find the ¼” thick mat to be the perfect thickness. Durability is also impressive with the mat, and after several years of use, our mat shows almost no wear. Another excellent eco-friendly yoga mat we love for travel is the Manduka eKO Lite Travel Yoga Mat.
Aurorae Yoga Mat
Topdrawer Bento Box
Packing your lunch for work is a great way to reduce climate impact and save money. Topdrawer specializes in Japanese products, and their Bento Box is one of our favorite items for daily life. The large boxes are made in Japan and are microwave and dishwasher-safe. Its easy organization makes it possible to prepare fantastic multi-course meals.
Topdrawer Bento Box
Reusable Grocery Bag Set
This is an easy one as far as eco-friendly products; reusable bags are one of those sustainable home products that help the environment. Even paper bags have an environmental impact. We love the BeeGreen Reusable Bag Set as it incldues a carrying case and ten strong bags for an affordable price.
BeeGreen Reusable Bags
Bee’s wraps
Beeswax wraps are great eco-friendly products that we use daily. It’s a natural alternative to sandwich bags and plastic wraps. Instead of single-use plastic cling wrap, we use these to wrap our vegetables, sandwiches, and dough.
The Bee’s Wraps are washable, reusable, and compostable. They are made from sustainably harvested beeswax, cotton, and organic jojoba oil. Most wraps should last around a year with regular use. After their lifespan, they are compostable or can be used as fire starters.
Bee’s Wraps
Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Bags
The Stasher Silicone Packs are a fantastic kitchen accessory with many uses. A thick silicone exterior and secure seal keep food items fresh and can even store liquids. The packs are heat resistant up to 400f and microwave safe. Another great eco-friendly product that is way better than its single-use alternative. Stasher bags come in a wide range of sizes to accommodate whatever you want to store.
Stasher Silicone Packs
Thin Bins Collapsible Containers
Instead of always getting takeaway food in styrofoam or plastic containers, use Thin Bins and Collapsible Containers for food storage. These eco-friendly containers pack up nice and small and take up less space when stored. The collapsible food storage containers are BPA, lead, and phthalates free.
Thin Bins, Collapsible Containers
To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set
We love reusable utensils that replace traditional plastic ware for takeaway food. You can buy reusable utensil sets, but most are still made from plastic and have a lifespan. We love the To-Go Ware Bamboo Set for travel, daily life, and camping.
The bamboo set is super durable, heat resistant, compact, and lightweight, making it easy to stash in a backpack or hang bag. Another fantastic eco-friendly product is the GoBites Trio, a compact set with everything you need.
To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set
Leaf Shave Safety Razor
Leaf Shave razors are an excellent option for the bathroom to help reduce waste. Never buy those cheap plastic razors again; invest in a lifelong earth-friendly product. Leaf Shave razors use recyclable steel razors that are compact and far more affordable than disposable razors.
Not only are the razors far more attractive in your bathroom, but they perform much better. They can achieve a far closer shave, which means less razor burn. The one downside is they are far easier to cause a knick, but with some care and practice, they’re easy to use.
Leaf Shave Razor
Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
Ditch the disposable cotton pads and go green with Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads. They are made from organic bamboo fibers and have a small laundry bag to wash them. Save money over time by not buying cotton pads and save the environment! We have not purchased cotton rounds or balls in years.
Greenzla Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
Humangear Travel Collection
We love HumanGear for its thoughtful collection of camp and travel containers. As a result, we haven’t bought travel-size toiletries in years. GoToob bottles are an eco-friendly product made with durable silicon that is food-safe, and airplane carry-on approved.
We love all their eco-friendly product line for things like their FlexiBowl, GoTubb, and GoCup. It’s all gear made to be reusable, thus eliminating one-use plastic products. It’s simple switches like this that can make a significant impact on your environmental footprint.
HumanGear Products
Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler
Did you know that the vast majority of coffee cups that many use daily from coffee chains are not recyclable? According to an audit, the U.K. alone throws out 2.5 billion of them a year. We’re not saying you need to forgo your morning coffee routine, but to drop the disposable cups.
The Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler is a great tumbler for hot and cold drinks. It’s one of the best-insulated coffee mugs and remains our favorite in the cupboard. Not just because we love Hydro Flask products but because it never leaks and insulates the drink almost too well. We also like the custom colors and ability to engrave.
Hydro Flask Tumbler
Funbiz Collapsible Straw Set
A reusable straw is a great travel essential for several reasons. First, it helps reduce waste and is more environmentally friendly than disposable plastic straws. Second, it is convenient and easy to enjoy drinks on the go, whether in a hotel room, at an airport, or on a plane. The Funbiz Straw is collapsible and has a small carrying case.
As a result, we can’t remember the last time we used a single-use plastic straw. Of course, we’re also big fans that most smoothie shops worldwide have transitioned to compostable straws.
Reusable Straws
MPOWERD Luci Outdoor Solar Lantern
We love to travel and hike with a solar-powered lamp! The MPOWERD Inflatable Solar Lantern is super lightweight and compact for light wherever needed. The light can be used on a table, hung around your neck, or attached to a bicycle. Five hours of sunlight will yield seven hours of bright illumination and 24 hours of low illumination.
MPOWERD Solar Lamp
Tree Bird Biodegradable Dental Floss
We love Tree Bird’s Pure Silk Eco Floss. Floss may not be your first thought regarding single-use plastic, but it’s another easy item to replace. While it’s not reusable, I’m not sure we would want that; it is biodegradable. Traditional floss is also toxic and coated with PFCs (harmful chemicals) that make the gloss glide better. These chemicals have even been linked to dementia, cancer, and thyroid disease – yikes!
Tree Bird Pure Silk Eco Floss
Scrubba Portable Wash Bag
Washing your clothes while traveling is never fun. We were pumped to get the Scrubba Portable Wash Bag, a lightweight mobile laundry machine. Put your dirty clothes in the bag, add water and soap, seal, and scrub away. Now you can wash your clothes anywhere there is water.
The best part? The Scrubba only uses 3-6 liters per wash. Although the Scrubba retails for around $50, think about how much washing your clothes can cost in a hostel, hotel, or laundromat. We usually pay about $5 per load. So you will easily make your money back after just ten loads of wash.
Most importantly, this eco-friendly product uses less water than a commercial washing machine and no energy. I also found that this is another fantastic eco-friendly gift idea for travelers and hikers.
The Scrubba Portable Wash Bag
Alaffia Bath Products
Alaffia is a skincare company from Togo in West Africa. Their eco-friendly products are made out of all-natural, ethically traded ingredients. Alaffia empowers and employs women from rural Togo, pays them an honest and fair wage, and runs several empowerment projects.
This includes reforestation, education, maternal care, and FMG (female genital mutilation) projects. If you need another reason to buy from them, they’ve also planted nearly 100,000 trees since 2003. We wish they wouldn’t bottle the products in plastic and hope this changes soon.
Alaffia Bath Products
Ethique Shampoo Bar
Ethique makes some of the best eco-friendly skincare products. They have a wide range of toiletry products, from dry shampoo to face cream. All of their products use natural and organic ingredients and use completely eco-friendly packaging on their products.
Oh, it doesn’t hurt that a woman started this small business, and every product is Cruelty-Free, TSA Friendly, and Compostable. There are 80 billion shampoo and conditioner plastic bottles thrown out yearly, and too many make their way to the ocean. Purchasing one bar from Ethique saves three plastic bottles from a landfill.
Ethique Shampoo Bar
EcoFox Bamboo Cotton Swabs
EcoFox Bamboo Cotton Swabs are better than the original as the sturdy bamboo interior allows for better cleaning. These cotton swabs are disposable, biodegradable, and feature organic cotton and all-natural bamboo! We also appreciate the plastic-free packaging.
EcoFox Bamboo Cotton Swabs
Diva Cup
Ladies, have you heard of the Diva Cup yet? It’s one of those life-changing sustainable products. This 100% silicone piece will eliminate the tampons from your life. Which means you can stop those plastic applicators.
Yes, the DivaCup is a reusable menstrual cup that collects menstrual flow and offers 12 hours of protection. It’s odor-free, comfortable, and saves you money on buying tampons over time. It’s one of my favorite sustainable items for women.
Diva Cup
BioLite Headlamp
After a year of driving across Africa, we learned that a headlamp is never bad. Our headlamps have come in handy so many times. Whether camping in Hawaii or inspecting our car after an accident, we always had a light. Instead of using a headlamp with disposable batteries, we love a rechargeable headlamp like the BioLite 330 or 150.
BioLite Headlamp
Goal Zero Nomad 50 Solar Panel
Another great earth-friendly product is the Goal Zero Nomad 50 Solar Panel. It allows you to charge electronic devices when you’re off the grid, like camping, and it serves as an excellent emergency device. One panel is conveniently portable and can produce up to 50 watts. While we wouldn’t go backpacking with these panels, they’re excellent for car camping or RVing.
This portable solar panel pairs with a portable Goal Zero Sherpa Power Bank or Goal Zero Yeti 200X Portable Power Station to create a robust backup power system. We love that you can link multiple solar panels to generate more power for your power bank.
Goal Zero Nomad 50 Solar Panel
Canvas Tote Bag
Traveling with a canvas tote bag in your luggage is great for shopping when your travel. Now that short-term rentals with kitchens are standard for trips worldwide, visiting the local markets with a reusable bag is an excellent idea.
A canvas bag is versatile and takes up less room than a T-shirt. The canvas versions are also more stylish and feature long carry straps for the shoulder than the bags we use at home. It allows us to walk around and explore a new destination after purchasing.
Tote Bag
Sun Bum Sunscreen
Sun Bum Original is our favorite eco-friendly sunblock. We highly recommend getting an eco-friendly sun cream that does not contain harmful chemicals, especially if you are on the beach.
Once you enter the ocean, those toxic chemicals from your sunscreen will run off and ruin the coral and marine life, so it’s essential to sunbathe responsibly. Eco-friendly sunscreen is mineral-based and usually only costs a few dollars more to help protect our natural bodies of water.
Natural Sunscreen
PackTowl
We always pack a travel towel when we’re on the road. It’s one of the best travel essentials for international travel you can buy. They pack up small, antimicrobial, and lightweight, saving you from needing a new towel or constantly washing yours.
The biggest complaint about travel towels is that they often feel nothing like the plush cotton towels we are accustomed to at home and in hotels. However, with the PackTowl, you can forget that because they set out to create a towel that mimics its cotton counterparts with the technical features of a travel towel.
PackTowl
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.
i love this post. i was curious if you guys knew anything regarding bamboo allergies, are people allergic to bamboo?
Great post! We love our Stojo’s when we travel – and at home, too – they’re collabsible silicone coffee/tea cups which take up hardly any space when not in use – perfect for travel! Happy wanderings, Ellie
It’s so interesting! I’m sure it would help the Earth a lot!
New toys!!! Thanks for the recommendations! I just got some bamboo toothbrushes haha You bamboo-loving vagabonds should check out BongoTies! — bamboo and rubber ties for keeping things together! (And a sweet bracelet haha)
These are some great suggestions- I try to use reusable water bottles, grocery bags, and snack bags. The bamboo options are a great idea; I’ll definitely have to check out the toothbrushes and qtips to try out in my own home. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I think it’s really odd to make this list and include tons of Amazon links. Amazon is a top-tier earth destroyer, so if you’re encouraging all these products to be bought through Amazon, this entire article feels redundant.
Look, Amazon has some huge issues, and they encourage over consumption. However, they are far from an “earth destroyer” and take concrete steps towards a more sustainable future.
I think your suggestions are excellent. Using eco-friendly products in your daily life will have a positive impact on the environment by lowering pollution and improving your health.
I love some of these product ideas. I will most definitly be looking into a few of them. My wife and I are moving closer and closer everyday to a zero wast lifestyle.
One product we both particularly like is a set of reusable to go cups by a company named Lukara. We take them everywhere so we never feel bad stopping for coffee. The cups are made from a bioplastic called PLA (Its made from corn starch)
Not only are they reusable, they are compostable once they finally reach the end of their useful life. If that isn’t reason enough for us to love them the material itself produces 60% less greenhouse gasses to produce than plastic. We got our cups from Amazon but the company also has a website.