While we talk about responsible travel, sustainable travel, eco-conscious travel, and so on, why not try to find sustainable gifts for the travel lovers in your life?
There are plenty of eco-friendly gift ideas for travelers that are actually useful so you know they will be appreciated.
There is nothing worse than receiving a lot of crap travel presents that you will never fit in your backpack. Because let’s be honest, when you try to fit everything into your backpack you want to make sure you fill it with useful stuff.
After all, you are going to carry all that around while you are traveling.
To make the best possible list of useful, eco-friendly travel items you can get for responsible travelers I asked the experts themselves what their top sustainable gift ideas are. Read on for top tips!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.
3 reasons why you should always look for sustainable gift ideas and shop only useful stuff
The environment
Reducing plastic waste and waste in general has become critical for the environment. Especially in holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, several tonnes of unsustainable wrapping is thrown away. Think about it! It was used to wrap a present, ripped open and thrown away.
Further, unfortunately, most of the presents given are not used. I know, I have received heaps of stash throughout the years that the giver thought were cool things to give me, and maybe they were, but at the end of the day, I didn’t really need it. So it just stayed in a drawer for a few years until I did a clean-up and threw it away. Those gifts actually just created more waste at the end. Therefore, be mindful of buying useful gifts that the receiver will actually want, need, and use.
People
When you buy a thoughtful gift that is both useful for the person you give it to and gives back to the community or the environment, you will put a big smile on the receivers face. No doubt.
Wildlife
With all the tonnes of waste that goes into nature, including the ocean, the ones paying the price are the animals. With buying eco-friendly products as gifts you assure that you don’t contribute to ruining their habitat and poisoning their oceans.
Plant trees to create habitat for animals from the convenience of your home
Eco friendly gift ideas
Find the best eco friendly gift ideas with this sustainable gift guide. Everything you find here has been tried and tested by avid travelers and are products we love!
Florious packing cubes
What better way to organize luggage than with packing cubes? Whether you’re looking for a useful gift for a true backpacker or someone that doesn’t go anywhere without their rolling suitcase, packing cubes are great!
It makes it so easy to stay organized and always know where everything is. Florious is fantastic. They are made from only recycled materials and come with a bag for dirty laundry. No one wants that mixed with their clean clothes.
I love packing cubes and wish they existed when I backpacked full-time.
Buy Florious packing cubes here
Marley Chant Bluetooth Speaker
Recommended by Daniel of Layer Culture
When looking for eco friendly gift ideas that you want to ensure any frequent traveler will love, be sure to check out the amazing range of Bluetooth speakers and audio systems on offer from The House of Marley.
As an avid traveler myself, I have found the Marley Chant extremely useful for sharing my musical tastes with others, and in many cases, being the lifesaver in any impromptu social gathering. The Marley Chant is perfect for hostels or during picnic-style environments where some background music is always welcomed.
All of Marley speakers are designed for the sustainably-minded music lover and made from earth-friendly materials.
Buy the Marley Chant Bluetooth speaker here
Stojo coffee cup
Recommended by Annabel of Smudged Postcard
Millions of coffee cups are thrown away each day around the world so a reusable cup is something every coffee drinker should carry with them. There are plenty on the market but the collapsible silicone cup created by Stojo is particularly appealing as it squashes down to a very small size making it the ideal travel item for those who don’t wish to carry a bag or have little space to spare.
The Stojo collapsible coffee cup comes in a range of colors from stylish dark grey to fun bright colors such as sky blue and grass green. The cup is a perfect eco friendly gift for anyone with a conscience about their coffee habit.
Vegan Tapas Tour of Madrid
Recommended by Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan
Why not give away an eco-conscious experience? And why not in Spain?
Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water pollution, and many other environmental problems, so the most effective single action we can take as individuals is to stop supporting the animal agriculture industry.
Tapas are a quintessential part of the Spanish culinary tradition and something everyone who visits Spain should experience. Traditionally, most tapas feature ham and other animal products, but don’t worry! Vegan, vegetarians and eco-conscious travelers don’t have to miss out. In fact, the vegan food scene in Madrid has exploded in recent years, and there are now so many vegan options in the city that it’s hard to know where to start.
That’s where Madrid Vegan Travel comes in. This local startup company is run by a vegan madrileña who loves taking visitors around her city and sharing with them her favorite spots for vegan tapas in Madrid. The tour focuses on the lively Malasaña district and includes stops at four of the neighborhood’s bars and restaurants.
You’ll be amazed at how these local businesses have veganized traditional Spanish dishes, including everything from patatas con carne (“potatoes with meat”) to calamari! I’m still dreaming about that calamari and have yet to taste anything like it.
Book a vegan Tapas Tour in Madrid here.
Bear in Mind logbooks
Recommended by Leah of Officer Travels
Every traveler is in search of the perfect way to document their travels but if you’re anything like us, you never seem to ‘have the time’ to sit and write an in-depth diary day by day. Which is why we fell in love with the Bear in Mind logbooks.
Each day has sections to fill in – including sections for daily costs, activities and even what food you ate – making it quick and easy while still enabling you to jot down those important memories, it even has a little pocket at the back for those of us with hoarding tendencies… but that isn’t the sole reason we love them.
The Bear in Mind logbooks are made from stone paper, a process that uses rock waste from quarries and a lot less water than traditional tree paper. The stone paper is also unbelievably durable, it’s waterproof and rip-proof (it’s true! We tested it) so once your memories are safely written down they’re not going anywhere!
On top of all this, they have several different ‘themes’ to match your style of travel. Backpacker, food, hiker, diver… they have one for everyone and they’re all ecofriendly!
You can get Bear in Mind journals on their official website.
An alternative is this small eco travel journal with a bamboo pen
Eco-friendly sunscreen
Recommended by Emily of Two Get Lost
Living by the sea has made me ultra aware of just how important it is to protect it and all the incredible wildlife that calls it home.
14,000 tons of sunscreen are thought to wash into the oceans each year and the toxic chemicals found in most off the shelf sun creams are contributing to destroying the world’s coral reefs.
There is an answer to staying safe in the sun and protecting our oceans. Tropic sun cream is 100% mineral and completely free from the toxic chemicals that are harming our seas.
It comes in SPF 15, 30, and 50 and is packed with nutritious botanical extracts, which soothe and hydrate while shielding skin from UV rays.
There is also a tinted sun cream, great as a light foundation, and an enriched sun balm for those sensitive areas like lips, ears, and eyelids. As an added benefit it is extremely gentle on sensitive skin and water-resistant.
An alternative is the eco-friendly and reef safe sunscreen Kokua Sun Care.
Adopt a donkey
Why not give a sustainable gift that gives back to animals as well as brings joy to the person you give it to?
El Refugio del Burrito, part of the British organization The Donkey Sanctuary, rescuing donkeys from all over Spain, lets you adopt a donkey for only 5 Euros a month. The money you pay goes to assuring that the adopted donkey and the other rescued donkeys and mules at the sanctuary get the care they need.
It is also possible to visit and volunteer at El Refugio del Burrito, so with an adopted donkey, maybe you inspire the travel lovers in your life to travel to Spain and maybe even volunteer with the animals.
Adopt a donkey here.
Eco friendly soap & shampoo bars
Recommended by Marta and Milosz of BackpackersWro
We are not proud of the fact that for many years of traveling, we have used disposable mini-versions of cosmetics.
Now we are doing our best to discover the world sustainably. In almost all the shops around the world, you can find ecological and handmade cosmetics packed in reusable tins or boxes.
A soap or shampoo bar in a beautiful tin is an excellent sustainable gift idea for any eco-conscious traveler.
They last for a long time and once finished, they can buy a replacement with no packaging and put it in the reusable tin. Finally, they will not get confiscated at airport security so you can place them in your hand luggage.
Get your shampoo bar and soap bar
United By Blue 25L Rift Pack
Recommended by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett of Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide
We’re big believers in buying experiences over things, but the simple fact is that sometimes you need things in order to have good experiences. That’s where we look for products that 1) are made in the most sustainable and ethical way possible, and 2) are made by manufacturers who give back to the planet in some concrete way.
That’s one of the reasons we love United By Blue, a certified B Corp that prides itself on sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing, and also cleans one pound of trash from the ocean for every product purchased (over 2.13 million pounds to date).
Their 25L Rift Pack backpack is made from 100% recycled polyester and is available in five stylish designs. All of them are lightweight enough to carry all day and feature lots of pockets for storage. It’s perfect for weekend getaways or everyday usage, and rugged enough to stand up to even your outdoor wildest adventures.
Get the United By Blue 25L Rift Pack here
Find more recommended eco-friendly backpacks here.
Lifestraw filtered water bottle
Recommended by Stephen of A Backpackers Tale
One gift any eco-conscious family member or friend will love is a Lifestraw water bottle. On the outside, Lifestraw might look like an ordinary water bottle, but it is much more than that. Lifestraw is a personal water filtration system. And makes water from anywhere in the world, from a puddle in a remote forest to a faucet in India, drinkable.
And while this might sound too good to be true, data backs it up. Lifestraw removes over 99.9 percent of water-borne germs, parasites, and bacteria. It’s also a gift that keeps on giving as the Lifestraw filters
1,000 gallons of water and lasts for an entire year before it needs to be replaced.
As travelers, this helps us cut down on waste in countries where we can’t drink tap water. No more buying tons of bottled water to stay hydrated and wasting tons of plastic. Imagine not throwing one plastic
bottle away for a year, and how good that will feel. Lifestraw is bound to please the eco-friendly travel addict in your family.
Get a Lifestraw filtered water bottle here
For anyone traveling with their dog: Biodegradable poop bags
Recommended by Candy of Boogie The Pug
If you’re traveling with your dog, there’s one important item you’ll need to bring everywhere with you: poop bags! Help any pet traveler reduce the environmental impact of dog waste and the amount of plastic going into landfills by gifting them compostable poop bags. When your dog has to go, they gotta go, and it’s up to travelers to keep their destinations clean and dog poop free. It’s an item they’ll always be in need of and most certainly use, and it makes a great stocking stuffer.
But before you purchase your eco-friendly gift, take a closer look. Many companies are known to deceive consumers by claiming their product is biodegradable when it’s not. In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission busted 20 poop bag companies for this. Make sure the bags you’ve picked out meet the ASTM D6400 criteria, which is only given to products that can actually be composted, like ECO-CLEAN Poop Bags Biodegradable, made of plant-based materials.
Buy biodegradable poop bags here
Bamboo utensils
Recommended by Katherine of Tara Lets Anywhere
A set of bamboo utensils is a great sustainable gift for travelers. Bamboo, in particular, is a good material for use for a couple of reasons: it’s natural and biodegradable, it has natural antibacterial properties, and it is eco-friendly.
With a bamboo utensil set, you can forego the use of plastic utensils and straws. It can be used for casual take-outs or travels especially to developing nations such as Asia, where plastic waste is a huge problem.
Personally, I love my bamboo utensil set as it’s not only eco-friendly, it’s also stylish! I love the natural look of each piece. It’s also lightweight so I can easily pack them in my shoulder bag or backpack. As a gift, it’s a budget-friendly option and there are a lot of stores selling one starting at $10.
Stainless Steel Razor
Recommended by Sophie of The Wanderful Me
If you’re looking to get your favorite traveler an eco-friendly and sustainable gift this year they’ll use everywhere and anywhere, consider stocking their stuffing with a handy stainless steel razor!
A seriously practical gift, I use my own stainless steel razor weekly. A ridiculously awesome way to reduce one’s plastic usage, a stainless steel razor eliminates any need for those nasty landfill-clogging plastic razor heads, as well as any plastic bottles of shaving cream (I’m continually blown away at how smooth a shave is with one of these babies!).
While a stainless steel razor might not be the most heart-warming or thoughtful gift, it’s surely something your eco-friendly travel lover will use over and over again in the future!
Get a stainless steel razor here
Reusable Snack Bags
Recommended by Catherine of Traveling With The Littles
If you are looking to buy an eco-friendly gift for travel lovers, then look no further than reusable snack bags.
Reusable snack bags are great because you can buy a big bag of snacks (pretzels, trail mix, crackers, fruit, treats), and parse it out into smaller snack bags.
This not only saves on packaging (not buying individual serving sizes) but also helps the environment because you are not using disposable baggies.
Reusable snack bags come in a variety of material options, with many options available on Amazon. An additional benefit to reusable snack bags is that many of them are quick-dry and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
Lastly, consider using reusable snack bags for other things besides snacks, including lunches, toiletries, and organizing electronics chargers.
Grayl water bottle with filter
Recommended by Stephanie of Sofia Adventures
One of my favorite tips for travelers who want to cut down on waste during their travels is to bring a reusable water bottle. However, I suggest going one step further and getting one that comes with a filter. My favorite is the Grayl water bottle. The filter allows you to filter your own water and thus drink tap water when it might otherwise be unsafe or unpalatable.
Most places in Europe have clean and safe drinking water, but when you travel into the country or on small islands, this isn’t always the case. If you always have one with a filter, then you don’t need to worry about looking up the rules in different places on your trip.
Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket
Recommended by Jenny of Campsite Vibes
One of the best sustainable gifts that also keeps you warm and is perfect for winter, is the Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket.
I’ve worn it in 15-degree weather with a fleece underneath and have been nice and toasty! Since it has 800-fill-power down, it’s designed to keep you warm (the higher the fill power, the warmer you’ll be).
Patagonia focuses on creating quality products that are also as environmentally friendly as possible. The jacket is lightweight, packs up small and is windproof.
Patagonia uses recycled down and recycled polyester ripstop shell to reduce waste and make it as ethical as possible. The recycled down is Advanced Global Traceable Down.
More recommendations for useful travel items
Read: 20+ Useful and unique travel gifts for world travelers!
Read: 20 best travel books to fuel your wanderlust
For camping enthusiasts: The ultimate eco friendly camping gear list
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Great collection! I see some excellent gift ideas here! ?❤️
Glad you found it useful! Good to see other eco-conscious travelers out there!