10 Eco-Friendly Products Every Traveller Needs To Be More Sustainable

If you’ve ever visited a beach piled high with rubbish or been overwhelmed by the sight of plastic water bottles left behind in a pristine environment, then you’ve probably stopped to think about how, as travellers, we can do our bit to further reduce our environmental footprint.

From eco-friendly luggage to chemical-free toiletries, here are 10 items to add to your sustainable packing list that will ensure conscious travellers set off on the right foot.

1. Sustainable travel towel

In the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams writes of the importance of towels for doing everything from wrapping around one’s head to ward off noxious fumes, to waving in emergencies as a distress signal.

If Adams had penned the novel in 2020, said travel towel would have been an Evolve eco-friendly towel made from 80 per cent recycled polyester (that’s about 20 plastic drinking bottles right there).

The anti-microbial towel was created by an environmental science teacher who wanted to inspire his students to make a difference. Ten per cent of proceeds from buying the planet-friendly towel are donated to charity and free carbon shipping is included for all orders over $75. RRP $69.

Evolve eco-friendly towels are made from 80 per cent recycled polyester

2. Eco-friendly luggage

What’s a sustainable packing list without a sustainable backpack? And one made from recycled plastic bottles to boot? Eco-minded business travellers will appreciate the fold-down Crumpler Backpack Colourful Character made from recycled plastic bottles and the addition of a back pocket with a waterproof zip, while day-trippers will love that the bag will go the distance when they’re heading off-road on an adventure.

The bag has an external water bottle pocket and padded shoulder straps, and is stylish enough to be embraced by urbanites looking to show off their eco cred in the office. RRP $199.

Eco-minded business travellers will appreciate the fold-down mechanism

3. Tote Bag

A sustainable Eco-Tote Bag is indispensable when travelling. Use it as carry-on to stuff in your reusable noise-cancelling headphones and neck pillow (to avoid using the disposable headphones supplied on long-haul flights), place it over your shoulder to mooch around a farmers’ market in Mexico or to shop for everyday items at a local supermarket.

You can even use it to wrap around your toiletries bag to prevent a shampoo blowout on the plane or to segment your dirty undies. We love the stylish Angie Rehe X Eco-Tote Eco – L’Amour Cat. $49.95.

4. Stainless-steel cutlery

Disposable cutlery is doled out willy-nilly everywhere from inflight meal service to food courts. Thankfully, Messermeister is now in the mix, doing its bit to tip the scales in favour of reusable cutlery.

The German knife brand introduced a new chef-grade travel set designed for adventurers: each foldable set comes with its own canvas carry case, making it safe and convenient to pack when you go camping or on a road trip. The range has been crafted using stonewashed stainless carbon alloy blades, which means it’s durable, easily re-sharpened and cleaned. The 4-in-1 Adventure Chef tool includes a dual-action serration knife, fork, spoon and integrated bottle opener. RRP $64.95 to $119.95.

Messermeister is now in the reusable cutlery mix

5. Food container

A great habit to get into when on the road is to travel with a stackable food jar made from stainless steel, which will keep food hot or cold for hours and is more durable than plastic. If you’re self-catering, this is a must-have that will save you money as you can pack the leftover soup or pasta from the night before into the leak-proof food jar for a picnic on the go.

Choosing a container or food jar that is stainless steel means it’s built to last, non-toxic and eco-friendly. We love the Zoku Neat Stack Food Jar, which is perfect for packing porridge or chia pudding; it’s also handy when you front up to a street food vendor and ask for your dinner to go in your very own vacuum-insulated container. $44.95 to $59.95.

Zoku Neat Stack Food Jar is perfect for packing

6. Water Filter Bottle

A sleek, water filtration bottle is the perfect accessory for travellers who like to journey through a remote forest, bike or hike, or travel to countries where clean water is not readily available. A bottle with a water filtration system enables travellers to drink water from ponds, lakes, rivers or streams while on the hop.

Those who purchase a LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle can also quench their thirst for paying it forward: for every product purchased, a school child receives safe water for an entire school year. LifeStraw also produces a sleek, sturdy sustainable stainless-steel water filtration bottle.

All LifeStraw components are recyclable, except the carbon filters. But the company is now evaluating a recycling program that takes it a step closer to that goal. RRP $62.95.

LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle quenches thirst for paying it forward

7. Lip Balm

While hard-core environmentalists may well curl the corner of their lip up in contempt for frequent flyers, it’s a fact that many of us want to see the world and do so in a more sustainable fashion. Enter the Pure Planet Club Lip Balm, designed to replenish the moisture that is sucked out of your lips and into the pressurised cabin on that long-haul flight to Chile an Patagonia.

The soothing lip balm is organic, the lip balms are encased in handcrafted, plastic-free, compostable packing, made from 100 per cent uncoated PCW paper, USDA-certified organic, cruelty-free and gluten-free, recyclable and available online. Pucker up with a three-pack of the organic vanilla lip balm for $30, which includes delivery to your door.

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8. Reef-friendly sunscreen

Investing in good-quality reef-friendly sunscreen is a no-brainer. Piff that gloopy bottle of toxic sunscreen and put a chemical-free version on your sustainable packing list that is both good for your skin and the environment.

Sukin’s SPF30 Sheer Touch Facial Sunscreen responds to increasing consumer demands for sunscreens that are free of the chemical oxybenzone, coral reef-friendly, not tested on animals and 100 per cent vegan. The formula includes a rich blend of rosehip oil, green tea and cucumber. RRP $24.95.

9. Deodorant Paste

Feel better about yourself and your impact on the planet by travelling with a deodorant paste rather than an aerosol antiperspirant that contains aluminium compounds. Black Chicken Remedies has something to squawk about with its bicarbonate-free Axilla Deodorant Paste for sensitive skin.

The cute little green-and-black jar of BO basher is chemical free and contains only natural and certified organic ingredients. Better still: it is vegan and cruelty-free. The paste is completely invisible when applied and has a clean citrus scent that is free from sweat blockers. RRP $18.50.

The paste is completely invisible when applied

10. Eco-Friendly Bamboo Toothbrush

A 2016 report showed that more than 30 million plastic toothbrushes end up in landfill in Australia every year. A bamboo toothbrush is a sustainable alternative to this environmental abomination. Forgo the mini toiletries or amenity bags when you fly and BYO Flora & Fauna Bamboo Toothbrush, which has soft bristles. While the bristles are nylon, they can be recycled.

The biodegradable toothbrush is made from MOSO Bamboo. Yes, caring for your dental health is important; so is being kind to the planet. Check out the Flora & Fauna website for a range of products that will help you be ethical and eco-friendly on your travels. RRP $3.95

Flora & Fauna Bamboo Toothbrush bristles can be recycled

For more on ethical and sustainable travel and wildlife experiences visit our Conscious Traveller section.

Why travellers are increasingly dreaming of a white Christmas – and the best places to experience one for yourself.

If the Euro summer has long been Australians’ defining holiday, the white Christmas may well be emerging as its frosty successor.

Booking data from APT Travel Group has revealed that Australians are planning long-haul travel further in advance and increasingly swapping summer at home for a white Christmas abroad.

Why more travellers are booking a white Christmas

tallinn winter — Find festive spirit in abundance in Tallinn, Estonia. (Credit: Unsplash/Dmitry Sumin)

Part of the shift is practical. With the Australian Government recently downgrading its travel warning for parts of the Middle East, travellers’ confidence in long-haul travel is returning as key transit hubs for Australians travelling to Europe reopen.

But accessibility alone isn’t the reason we’re seeing an incline in festive winter holiday bookings.

This year, Australia has experienced a particularly patchy start to the snow season, reminding travellers of how unpredictable winter has become and leading them to look overseas for their next wintry escape. At the same time, rising global temperatures are making reliable snowfall less certain across many parts of the world. Ironically, the rarer a classic white Christmas becomes, the more alluring it feels.

finland snow — Travellers are increasingly looking overseas for guaranteed snowy escapes. (Credit: Unsplash/Joni Kuusisto)

Behavioural psychologists have long observed what they call the ‘scarcity effect’: we tend to assign greater value and desirability to experiences that feel limited or increasingly out of reach. A white Christmas – once an annual tradition for many – has evolved into a bucket-list experience.

It’s also a novel antidote to the Australian festive season. Rather than scorching pavements and beachside barbecues, travellers want to experience the Christmas they’ve spent their whole lives watching in films: snow-dusted pines, chestnuts roasting over an open fire and streets glowing beneath tinsel garlands and fairy lights. Nostalgia sells, but even more so when we feel like it might not always be available to experience.

For decades, Australians have sought to escape winter in search of a European summer. Now, the pendulum is swinging the other way. Below are the top places to have yourself a very Merry Christmas in the snow.

The best places to have a white Christmas

Finland

best places for white christmas — Finland is one of the best destinations for a white Christmas. Credit: APT)

When you’re set on experiencing a blanket-white Christmas, your best bet is to go north. Thanks to its chilly temperatures and geographical proximity to the Arctic Circle (nearly one third of the country’s landmass lies within the Arctic region), travellers are guaranteed to see snow during Finland’s winter months. Plus, the possibility of witnessing the northern lights ribboning across the sky makes the experience all the more magical.

Tallinn, Estonia

tallinn old town — The city of Tallinn has a UNESCO-listed medieval town. (Credit: Unsplash/Ilya Orehov)

While places like Finland and Norway are coveted Christmas destinations, they certainly aren’t easy on the wallet. Estonia’s charming medieval capital of Tallinn is one of the best places to have a white Christmas on a budget, boasting Gothic spires, an intimate atmosphere and toasty market stalls selling everything from handicrafts to sugar-coated almonds. While snow over the Christmas period isn’t guaranteed these days, the country is further north and generally colder than Western European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

Canada

whistler christmas — Explore the Christmas lights of Whistler. (Credit: APT)

With its festive spirit, friendly locals and picturesque landscapes, Canada is a top contender for the best place for a white Christmas. Victoria in British Columbia has just about every Christmas tradition covered in one town: a main street of snow-frosted stores, a gingerbread competition, a visit to see the reindeer and horse-drawn trolley rides; while Alberta will see you embracing cosy holiday traditions with the spectacular Canadian Rockies as your backdrop.

If you can’t choose just one destination, the Twelve Days of Christmas tour by APT includes Christmas in Banff, sleigh rides at Lake Louise, Vancouver’s Canyon Lights and the Canadian Rockies. “It’s a relaxed, accessible way to get a proper white Christmas, snow guaranteed rather than hoped for,” says Sarah Latimore, international GM Product & Operations at APT.

New York, USA

new york winter — Central Park dusted with snow is all but magical. (Credit: Unsplash/Caitlyn Wilson)

Yes, films have been romanticising Christmas in New York for decades, but there’s a reason: the cool shift transforms the grand metropolis into what feels like a cinematic village where families glide over ice skating rinks in Central Park, dazzling displays illuminate the streets and carollers sing outside cosy bars with crackling fireplaces.

Germany

Browse bountiful Christmas markets in Regensburg. (Credit: APT)

Germany does Christmas with all the trimmings, especially the Christmas markets; there are hundreds (if not thousands) to choose between in picture-postcard historical towns across the country. Dresden has one of the oldest markets in the country, while Regensburg offers four fairy-light festooned markets within its UNESCO-listed medieval old town.

London, UK

london snow — Cosy up in London for the winter. (Credit: Unsplash/Zhang Kaiyv)

London is a prime place to celebrate a white Christmas with little people: Hamleys alone is worth getting on a plane for! Not only do many hotels offer holiday packages for families, but the sight of latticed snowflakes drifting from the sky on a rugged-up stroll along the Thames is nothing short of enchanting.

Prague, Czech Republic

prague snow — Escape to the charming city of Prague. (Credit: Unsplash/Lukas Konvica)

Offering Gothic architecture, charming cobbled streets and spiced pastries in spades, Prague is among the best places to spend a white Christmas. Come Advent season, when a dusting of snow may cover its ancient castle, and the smell of roasting ham rises from the market stalls, it becomes utterly unforgettable.

Niseko, Japan

niskeo skiing — Hit the slopes for a Christmas spent skiing in Niseko. (Credit: Unsplash/Kristian Klausen)

You don’t need to fly all the way to Europe to enjoy a wintry Christmas abroad. On Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, Niseko is a wonderland for travellers wishing to spend the Christmas season carving up the ski slopes. Promising festive events such as fireworks and giant illuminated trees, as well as plenty of the fluffy white stuff, this ski resort town doesn’t disappoint.

Is Europe or Canada better for a white Christmas?

Europe and Canada are the two most popular destinations among Australian travellers booking wintry Christmas escapes. But which is right for you? Sarah Latimore, international GM Product & Operations at APT, says the answer hinges on your travel interests and preferences.

“Europe suits travellers who want depth, variety and a bit of indulgence, moving through centuries-old Christmas market traditions city by city,” Latimore says.

“Canada is for travellers chasing that classic, snow globe white Christmas. Think twinkling lights and decorations through Whistler and Banff, evenings by an open fire in a Fairmont hotel, and the kind of moments that define the season: dog sledding, sleigh rides, snow underfoot rather than sand.

“Neither is the ‘right’ choice universally; it comes down to matching the traveller. Someone chasing romance and heritage will lean Europe. Someone chasing a classic, white Christmas will lean Canada.”

10 items to add to your sustainable packing list