35 best eco-friendly travel products | CNN Underscored

If you’re looking to reduce your footprint with eco-friendly travel products, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s face it: Air travel isn’t exactly compatible with sustainable living. In the US, commercial airplanes and large business jets account for 10% of transportation emissions. But flying is often unavoidable, so make the decision to go eco-friendly in all other aspects of your travel journey and you’ll be doing your bit to help out.

One of the easiest and most impactful things you can do when getting ready for a trip is to trade plastics for solids — like bars of shampoo, conditioner, soap and even moisturizer. Plus, using solid cleansers for travel gets you past that pesky liquid restriction at the airport’s security checkpoint.

Read on for our top eco-friendly travel gear that includes toiletry bottles, bags, packing solutions, budget travel items and even phone apps to help reduce your carbon footprint while still enjoying our amazing planet.

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We know it looks a little strange, but the UnWipe could change your life ... or at least how you use the bathroom. This simple, portable gadget perfectly wets your toilet paper, making it easier to wipe and stay sanitary. And because you only have to wipe once or twice, you won’t waste as much toilet paper.

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The Bug Bite Thing is a small suction device that extracts the saliva or venom left behind by mosquitoes and other bugs. It’s just what you need when bug spray doesn’t cut it. “No matter how they got you, the Bug Bite Thing provides some much-needed relief even when you’ve taken steps to protect yourself,” says Ash Nudd, national parks expert and dedicated hiking concierge for WorldMark by Wyndham.

When it comes to sustainable clothing brands, Patagonia stands out. Its founder, Yvon Chouinard, even went so far as to give the company away to a trust that will fight climate change. Plus, the clothes are great. After more than three months of testing, we crowned the Torrentshell the best rain jacket of the year, in part because of its packable, travel-ready design.

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The Yeti Rambler may not be packable or ultralight, but it came out on top in our testing because of its excellent thermoregulation. To reduce your use of plastics, take it through airport security empty, then fill it up at a water fountain or dispenser.

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If you’re willing to pay a little extra, you don’t have to settle for plastic toiletry bottles. This TSA-approved set is made of aluminum and comes with a recycled carrying case. When we tested the bottles, we appreciated their leakproof pumps and sturdy construction.

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Inspired by the nopal cactus for its Mexican cultural symbolism, resiliency and sustainability, this solid moisturizing bar provides deep hydration to your skin when you’re on the move. Its bar form eliminates the need for single-use plastic bottles and comes in a reusable and recyclable tin. It’s vegan, cruelty-free and palm oil-free with no synthetic fragrance.

Vida shampoo and conditioner bars are the perfect on-the-go tool for curly hair. The Vida Bars come in six different sets, depending on your type of curls. This Balance Set is perfect for those with oily scalps and dry hair. They’re free from sulfates, phthalates, silicones, parabens and artificial fragrances. Plus, they’re cruelty-free, they’re handcrafted in the US, the company is owned by a woman of color and 5% of the company’s profits go to an education fund for survivors of domestic abuse.

The Green Ablutions fragrance-free shampoo and conditioner bars are great eco-friendly travel products for all types of hair. You can travel super light with a pair of solid bars too, because the shampoo doubles as a body wash and the conditioner as a shaving lather or in-shower moisturizing bar. The zero-waste company is a woman-owned business out of Pennsylvania, and all products are vegan, palm oil-free, cruelty-free and made in the US. Plus, 10% of all sales go to the conservation of sea turtles.

Crafted by the Denver-based Adventurist Backpack Co., this backpack is designed with the modern traveler in mind. With a spacious main compartment that easily fits most 15-inch laptops, chargers and accessories, alongside two side water bottle pockets, it’s perfect for all your travel essentials. What sets it apart is its lightweight design, weighing just 1 pound when empty, making it ideal for trips through airports and train stations. Plus, for every backpack sold, Adventurist Backpack Co. provides 25 meals to families in need in the US.

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Made from recycled plastic bottles, the Paravel Fold-Up is the perfect bag for any trip. It weighs almost nothing and folds up into a neat little zipped cube when not in use. Pack your gym clothes for a trip down the block, pack an entire weekend’s worth of outfits for a getaway, bring it along on a longer trip as an extra bag to fill with treasures or fill it with your dirty clothes on your way home.

If you don’t want to use a bar of shampoo, these travel bottles are the perfect reusable option. “I prefer to travel with my own body wash and hair products, and these bottles are perfect — just the right size, easy to take with you, and they are sturdy enough to ensure you don’t open your suitcase to find a gooey mess,” Nudd says.

The Kelty Catena 30 Sleeping Bag is great for the casual camper. Down-insulated jackets and bedding have been the norm when it comes to warmth in outdoor gear for many years, but down feathers come from birds that are often plucked and kept in horrible conditions. Vegan insulation technology offers a similar warmth for travel during the colder months. Synthetic fillings might not be as lightweight or compact as down, but they’re generally cheaper, they dry faster and they’re nonallergenic.

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How many times have you been in a hotel room, on a plane or in a cabin and the pillow is just terrible? The Avocado Green Mattress Organic Mini Pillow rectifies this problem with a packable, nontoxic, breathable pillow you’ll probably want to use even when you’re at home. The pillow is stuffed with 100% organic certified and renewable kapok fiber fill and 100% organic certified latex. Plus, it’s all stitched together with 100% organic certified cotton.

Turkish towels have been around for decades, but their popularity has grown recently both in home decor and for travel. It makes sense too because they’re super lightweight, fast drying and stylish. The Sand Cloud Turkish Towel is our pick because Sand Cloud not only sends 10% of its sales to ocean conservation but its towels are hand-loomed in ethical factories in Turkey with organic cotton and a clever sand-resistant weave.

The By Human Kind Bestsellers Bundle features all the brand’s most beloved travel products, all of which can help cut single-use plastic out of your routine. The bundle includes refillable deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash tablets and floss. For an extra charge, you can purchase the recycled plastic travel bag and top up the bundle when needed. All sets are vegan, cruelty-free, ethically made and 100% carbon neutral.

App in the Air (AITA) is a personal travel assistant that’s already helping 6 million people worldwide manage their air travel while prioritizing eco-friendliness. The app’s founder and CEO, Bayram Annakov, wanted to create a service to encourage carbon-neutral traveling. AITA filters flights by estimated carbon emissions, times and price so users can choose the least polluting option. The service also plants a tree for every flight booked and tracks personal carbon footprints to help offset emissions in an easy and genuinely impactful way.

Campsuds works on your hair, body and dirty dishes. The concentrated soap works in hot, cold or salt water to wash nearly anything. It’s made from vegetable-based biodegradable anionic and nonionic cleaning agents, natural fragrance, oils and germaben. But remember, even biodegradable soaps need to be used away from natural water sources.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on a trip and needed to do just a few pieces of laundry to last me until the end. That’s when I pull out my trusty Ecos Laundry Sheets and get to cleaning. I never go anywhere without them. And I can feel good about what I’m putting back into the earth since they’re formulated with stain-fighting enzymes that are 100% dissolvable and biodegradable and with ingredients that are safe for the environment.

When it comes to being more environmentally conscious on the road, it’s easy to overlook the bathroom. While single-use wipes can damage plumbing systems, the Tushy Travel Bidet will help you reduce your carbon footprint by using less toilet paper. It's discreet and collapsible with no batteries or charging required. In our testing, we found that it was easy to use and had a surprisingly strong stream.

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As one of the first compact travel flatware sets, Outlery raised millions on Kickstarter before becoming one of the go-to companies for sustainable outdoor eating and drinking tools. “Obviously, anything reusable is better than single-use plastics,” says Hillary Richard, a travel writer focusing on sustainability. “But I like travel utensils because they’re amazingly convenient. If you’ve ever gotten caught out by a surprise side salad along with your takeout sandwich, you need these.”

The GIR multipack straws are the perfect travel option to replace the many disposable straws you’ll come across on your trips. The multipack includes four straws, one travel case and a cleaning wand, making it easy to clean on the go. The straws break down to fit into the travel case, they’re made from 100% silicone and they’re BPA- and BPS-free.

A family-run business, Booda Organics is committed to using only ingredients you can find in nature to make its all-organic products. The Booda Butter Cream Deodorant is great for traveling, thanks to its compact jar, and the formula works to prevent smelly pits by creating an alkaline-positive environment that naturally reduces odor-causing bacteria. It’s non-GMO and non-NANO; it contains no aluminum, alcohol, soy, wax or fragrance; and it’s gluten-free and cruelty-free.

Always choose mineral-based sunscreen and not chemical sunscreen — your body and the planet will thank you. Lani & Kai is made with 98% organic materials and is 100% mineral. Even though the packs are limited use, they’re designed to cut down on used sunscreen bottles ending up in landfills. The broad-spectrum sunscreen will last for two to four uses, making it the perfect weekend carry-on.

Badger Anti-Bug Shake and Spray repels bugs naturally with its rosemary, citronella and lemongrass essential oils. It’s one of the few bug sprays out there with 100% organic ingredients, meaning no synthetic chemicals at all — especially not DEET. It comes in two sizes, including one measuring 2.7 fluid ounces, perfect for carry-on trips.

YouSwim is on a mission to help destigmatize our ever-changing body sizes and eliminate unnecessary waste. I love my YouSwim bathing suit. It’s so comfortable and flattering, and I can use it as a top under pants, shorts or a skirt. I’d say the only downside is that it can take a little longer to dry because of the material, but I feel like that’s a small price to pay for all its upsides. And I’m so excited for its mix-and-match option coming soon so I can pair different top styles and colors with different bottom styles and colors.

The LifeStraw Peak Series Collapsible Water Bottle is an eco-friendly travel product that helps to cut back on single-use plastic bottles — and it also cuts back on space use. Because it folds up, you can slip it into just about any small space. Its BPA-free silicone keeps it lightweight, and there’s a leakproof feature and key ring for attaching to a bag. There’s also a built-in water filter, meaning you can fill it up from just about any water source. Because it’s so malleable, filling it up in tricky sinks is also a breeze.

Reducing the number of single-use plastics on your travels can be difficult, especially when it comes to using Ziploc bags to store your toiletries and other goods, but Stasher bags can be a huge addition to your travel arsenal. That's because they’re endlessly reusable and made without BPA, lead, latex or phthalates. In our testing, we loved the variety of Stasher bags available and how easy they are to use. They also kept our leftovers fresh, and we didn’t experience any spillage or leakage from the bags.

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Since we’re still required to adhere to liquid restrictions on airlines, multiuse skin care is a no-brainer. Stream2Sea’s Everyday Tint Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 meets rigorous ocean-safety standards while also being the most lightweight and spreadable zinc sunscreen I’ve come across. It’s free of titanium dioxide and only relies on zinc oxide for UVA/UVB sun protection. And with its tint color, you’ve got a foundation of sorts, plus you avoid that white, flakey look that zinc-based sunscreens often cause.

Covry wanted to bridge the gap (pun intended) in ill-fitting eyewear. Its Elevated Fit frames use measurements from real people instead of just going by traditional industry standards. The company’s site has a great frame-finder guide, which is how I found the right fit for my face in the Merak style, and it also has an at-home try-on service so you can truly find the best pair for your face. Covry also makes its frames from plant-based cellulose acetate, a nonpetroleum-based, hypoallergenic material primarily derived from cotton and wood pulp. Each frame comes in a vegan leather case, and they only produce in small batches to reduce waste.

Icebreaker is a great company for a few different reasons, but the fact that it has women’s, men’s and children’s clothing is a great place to start. All its products are lightweight and breathable, but the Cool-Lite line — and in particular, the performance hoodie — is designed for any weather while on your travels. “Merino wool regulates body temperature, which means it adjusts to keep you warm or cool depending on the season,” Richard says. “This makes it a key travel piece, especially for long trips or outdoor adventures. Icebreaker’s base layers and Cool-Lite T-shirts are lightweight and made from sustainable, natural fibers, whereas plenty of other breathable sportswear is full of microplastics.”

When I’m trying to pack light, one of the most annoying things is figuring out how to include some workout gear along with cute outfits. Happy Earth’s plant-based athleisure line provides a great solution: Clothing that doubles as workout outfits, daytime wear or lounging/traveling outfits. The Flare Leggings are super cute with a sweater, leather jacket and a pair of boots. I’ve worn them to dinner. Plus, Happy Earth is one of a handful of clothing companies truly championing vegan, eco-friendly, slow fashion with its Certified B Corporation standing, fair trade policies and other ways it gives back to the planet while still providing great clothing for us.

Costa polarized sunglasses offer a great nose grip without feeling heavy or with wrap-around coverage. And when you’re on the move, having sunglasses that don’t slip off your face every five seconds is important. Plus, they’re made from recycled fishing nets, so they check off that sustainability box. I also love the style options — from uber sporty to trés chic for women and men. For a great everyday pair, try the Victoria.

Most sanitary pads use plastic that requires as many as 800 years to decompose, not to mention the harm it can do to our bodies. It has never been more important to buy organic and sustainable period products — for the health of the planet and our health. That’s why Rael’s reusable period care products protect both. And when you’re on the move, Rael’s Reusable Period Underwear, Pads and Menstrual Cup are the perfect travel companions. The pads can be reused up to 120 times with proper care and come in various sizes to fit all types of bodies.

The Pixie Soft Menstrual Cup is made to make you forget you’re even on your period. Designed for comfort and reliability, our Classic Cup Small offers 12-hour wear, zero-waste functionality and medical-grade silicone construction. With FDA registration and carbon-neutral production, it’s not only eco-friendly but also incredibly durable, lasting up to 10 years. Plus, with every purchase, a cup is donated to a woman in need.

There is a massive waste problem in the makeup industry — over 120 billion units of packaging waste, according to the Plastic Pollution Coalition. Axiology is trying to fight back on that with 100% plastic-free products. They’re also completely vegan and cruelty-free, of course. I love my Super Fan Pack, which comes in 14 colors. Then, for any trip I’m going on, I have the Empty Trio Box so my makeup is more mobile on the go. And you really can’t beat having a lip color, cheek tint and eye shade all in one.

Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored chose as our best travel credit cards.

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