Earth Friendly Sustainable Packing List

Start the sustainable party when you get packing in these cubes from Cotopaxi. The brand’s Del Dia collection is made with repurposed nylon and mesh by employees who get full creative control over the colorway design, so no two are alike. You can feel good about filling these up since the material would have otherwise gone to waste, and even better when you arrive at your destination and your clothing is still in one organized space instead of a jumbled mess. You get three sizes in one set, though we only need two for this list. Although the edges are on the floppy side for packing, we’re digging the breathable mesh to let your gear breathe, and odors fade away.

You don’t have to sacrifice comfort and features to save the planet when you opt for this active underwear. They’re sewn in a Fair Trade Certified™ facility and include recycled polyester, so we think it’s a double win when it’s good for the environment and the workers. The spandex makes them stretchy, so they’re super comfortable for any activity, plus moisture-wicking to boot. We’re not sure why Patagonia includes such large tags on their underwear when they also print their brand name and size on the briefs, so we suggest you cut them off before your trip.

You can do more with less when you pack a bra in a neutral colorway like this one. It stays hidden under most tops and is comfortable enough to take you through whatever you have planned for the day. Nearly two-thirds of the materials are recycled (the nylon), and there’s also odor control to keep you feeling fresh. That’s why we’re only packing a couple for our trip, but you do you if you prefer to change it up more often. They pack down small, and you can grab it in a different style if racerback is not your jam. Need another reason to add to cart? How about Fair Trade Certified™ sewing? You're welcome.

Put your best foot forward when you opt for socks made from recycled water bottles. While we prefer to go the reusable bottle route, not everyone does, and you can feel like you’re doing your part to rid the world of plastic when you pull on these socks. The basic style goes with many casual looks, and the COOLMAX® EcoMade polyester will keep you from overheating when climbing a sunny slope.

Why pick from stripes, solids, or plaid when you can choose socks that sport an adorable animal and support them with your purchase? We’re digging the comfort and cuteness of these socks adorned with sloths, although you can also opt to support LBGT rights or protect the oceans if you choose Conscious Step Socks with a different design. While the look isn’t for everyone, you may come around to the Sloth Side when you learn that the company donates a dollar to Conservation International with every purchase. Plus, the Global Organic Textile Standard cotton and recycled polyester come together in a super soft cushion for your feet. What else could you want?

As a brand, prAna uses plenty of eco-friendly materials, like the recycled polyester in this tank. It’s combined with natural hemp for a casual, comfortable top you’ll be happy to wear for many excursions. Toss it over your tank at the pool or beach to cut down on the amount of sunscreen you have to slather on. It’s rated UPF 30, so it will block some of the sun’s rays without the use of added chemicals. Or pair it with additional layers to stay warm and cozy in cooler weather.

If you’ve booked a sunrise yoga session, toss on this tank to be ready to take on the Warriors—1, 2, and 3. Its TENCEL™ lyocell fibers come from sustainable eucalyptus plantations, and the Merino wool fibers meet Responsible Wool Standard equivalency. Together, they create a comfortable and moisture-wicking tank that will look great in your vacation photos, especially if you go with the Vibrant Earth Heather colorway like us. It’s on the longer side, so you’ll keep covered as you stretch from Mountain to Child’s poses, though your mileage may vary as to whether that style works with every pair of shorts.

Sustainability and a capsule wardrobe go hand in hand. After all, buying and packing less is better for the planet, right? A base layer like this looks great on its own or paired with a tee or a sweatshirt for extra warmth. It’s Fair Trade Certified™ and uses Responsible Wool Standard materials, and Merino wool has a lot of benefits for travel as it is. It’s lightweight, breathable, and naturally antimicrobial, so you won’t have to wash it each time you wear it. However, while it feels supremely soft, it can still irritate your skin if you’re sensitive to wool.

Sustainability and a capsule wardrobe go hand in hand. After all, buying and packing less is better for the planet, right? A base layer like this looks great on its own or paired with a tee or a sweatshirt for extra warmth. It’s Fair Trade Certified™ and uses Responsible Wool Standard materials, and Merino wool has a lot of benefits for travel as it is. It’s lightweight, breathable, and naturally antimicrobial, so you won’t have to wash it each time you wear it. However, while it feels supremely soft, it can still irritate your skin if you’re sensitive to wool.

Pull on this fleece to stay cozy and warm while looking great, whether you're heading out to explore the Oktoberfest Biergarten or the holiday market. It’s made entirely with recycled polyester and Fair Trade Certified™ sewn. Plus, the yarn is dyed with a lower-impact process that reduces the use of dyestuffs, energy, and water compared to conventional methods; that’s a good shout. Although it has a slim fit, you can pair it with a tee or long-sleeve base layer for extra warmth, and the arm pocket is a great place to stash a card or a key if you want to run out for a drink.

What better way to greet the day than with a hoodie meant for seeing the sunrise? Whether you need to fend off the chill to greet the day or bid it adieu—or anything in between—we think you’ll like this lightweight hoodie. The recycled polyester and TENCEL™ lyocell combine for a super soft layer that looks great with jeans, leggings or tossed over a sporty skirt. While we like the lighter neutral colorway, you can pick it up in a darker hue if you worry about accidental stains. Whichever you choose, it’s easy to roll up and toss in your daypack when you warm up since the hood acts as a de facto pouch and prevents it from coming undone.

You can take these shorts back to their roots if you wear them to fish in the local stream, though you’ll still appreciate their ability to pair with just about any shirt, even if you’re not an angler. The NetPlus® 100% post-consumer recycled nylon faille material comes from recycled fishing nets, so it helps to reduce plastic pollution in the oceans—nice! They’re also coated with a PFC-free durable water repellent if you forget to check the radar and end up in light rain on your morning walk. We like the Oar Tan colorway because it’s a neutral that goes with most other colors, but you can choose from a rainbow of colors and even a print or two if neutral is not your thing—or you like them so much you want to pack more than one pair!

A great pair of jeans is essential for sustainable travel since you only need one perfect pair to go with just about anything. No matter if you dress them up or lounge around, the recycled COOLMAX polyester and Lycra spandex help the organic cotton move with you throughout the day, so you don’t have to worry about breaking them in before you go for a hike. It can take a bit to figure out the sizing if you’re used to American standards, but it’s worth the effort. We like DUER because they use many eco-friendly materials that reduce its climate impact by limiting the chemicals, water, and wastewater used in production. Plus, they look and feel great!

A great pair of leggings will take you from morning yoga to an afternoon stroll and lounging on the deck of your rental home to take in the starry night sky. These recycled polyester leggings will work for all three and look good at the same time. They’ve even got a UPF 50 rating, so you can skip the sunscreen when you wear them to a picnic or at the beach. While they’re not super thick for below-freezing temperatures, they do have pockets, so you don’t need to add a sling if you just need to carry the bare essentials. Less is more, right?

Why pack two swimsuits when one will do the job? We’re digging the reversible nature of this one-piece swimsuit to add variety to your beach vacation photos. Wear one side one day and the opposite the next to switch things up. The added thickness of the suit should help it last through more seasons, and if one side starts to show wear sooner than the other, flip it inside out for a whole new suit. It’s made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory, and the adjustable straps help you find the perfect fit whether you’re long- or short-torsoed.

Sometimes you need to step your style up a notch above a T-shirt and jeans. When you do, reach for this casual dress, and you’ll be set for dinner or exploring the local art gallery. It’s got built-in shorts to take you through slightly more active adventures, and the straps are adjustable to help you find the perfect fit. You’ll need a racerback bra to match the straps or go au natural if that’s your thing. However you wear it, you’ll be happy to know the cotton meets Global Organic Textile Standards, and most of Pact’s facilities are Fair Trade Certified™.

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A good rain jacket is worth the investment, so choose one that will stand the test of time, protecting you from showers from home to the other side of the globe. If you’ve got anything on your itinerary that will take you outdoors, there’s always a chance of getting wet, so pack this jacket and be assured that the GORETEX will keep the rain away whether you’re in Seattle or Singapore. It’s not the most packable jacket we’ve seen, but we think the durability is worth it. Then you’re not replacing it year after year and contributing to a landfill full of plastic ponchos.

Don’t you love happy little trees? Channel Bob Ross and cap your outfit off with this hat, constructed of organic cotton twill grown in rain-watered fields. It’s adjustable through a metal clasp in the back, though it can be a little slow to find the perfect fit. You’ll be happy once you do since this hat is “green” in both hue and construction, with a cute little white pine on its front. See what we did there? Puns make us happy, and so does this hat.

You may forget all about the sustainability of your cute clothing if your feet are aching at the end of a long day’s explorations. Instead, slip on these cushiony sandals while you stroll sidewalk shops or explore local museums. They pair the comfort and durability of traditional Tevas with the style and flair you expect from less cushiony strappy footwear. You can adjust all the straps to find your perfect fit, and the REPREVE® recycled polyester webbing uppers dry quickly when you get them wet. That’s great because it means you can rinse them clean when repacking before slipping them back into your travel backpack; no extra shoe pouch required.

Mix sugarcane and a plastic bottle, and what do you get? No, soda pop isn’t the answer—it’s these shoes. VEJA uses recycled plastic bottles for the mesh and sugarcane for the EVA midsole, then throws rice waste into the outsole for good measure. It comes together in a good-looking package with a matte finish thanks to the vegan suede, which involves a solvent-free process that's less toxic than other ways of producing synthetic suede. That way, you get the look you want without feeling bad about its impact on animals or the environment. These stylish shoes will take you through evening walks, light hikes, and general exploring of new destinations, though, like most suede-like materials, they’re not really meant for wet weather since it can impact the soft finish.

While the most sustainable route is probably to skip shaving altogether, we understand if that’s not your style. Instead, choose a brand built to last, and you’ll go through less plastic when replacing the cartridge than you would with disposable razors. The handle is anodized aluminum with a fiberglass core and coated in silicone, so it’s ultra-smooth to hold. While they only ship to the U.S. and Canada at the time of posting, you can schedule refills for delivery on a timeframe that works for you, and stock up on more before taking off on a long-term trip.

Harness the power of wooden pin bristles to help distribute the natural oils in your hair for a silky smooth look in a travel-friendly package. While it’s not the most packable brush we’ve encountered, it’s small enough to fit in many toiletry bags and slings, and it still feels good to hold while brushing your hair. There are some things you don’t want to sacrifice in the name of packing less, and while your mileage may vary, you may want to make room for this.

Just say no to paper emery boards that snag and shred with this lead-free, tempered glass file. It’s great for cleaning up the jagged edges of your nail so you don’t keep catching it on your sweater, although it can take a bit of time to get your nails short if they’ve grown out too much. It will easily last for decades, though it’s recyclable if you decide to go in another direction with your manicure. Don’t have recycling at home? Urban Oreganics will take care of it for you if you send it back to them.

When it’s time to take off your makeup at the end of the day, don't reach for a disposable cotton ball or round when you can use one LastRound more than 250 times before it wears out. The pack of seven should replace more than 1,750 single-use pads and are designed to last for years. The organic cotton and wood fibers feel a little stiff right out of the package, but they turn cottony soft when you get them wet. You can even throw them in the laundry in a wash bag after you use them or scrub them clean with a little hand soap and elbow grease. Their case is recycled ocean-bound plastic, and the packaging is plastic-free, so you can feel good about more than just having a clean face.

Stop tossing pads in the trash with this reusable option from LastObject. The antibacterial polyester material is silky against your skin, and it has absorbent bamboo inside, plus a bottom layer of polyester and leak-proof TPU to protect your clothing. It can last up to a decade, keeping 250 single-use pads from landfills. You may want to bring more than one so you can have a day to wash them in between, but you’ll save time finding a local pharmacy if Aunt Flo decides to drop in on your trip.

For times when you’d usually reach for a tampon, try a Diva Cup instead. There’s a learning curve to using this silicone device, but once you know, you know—you know? It’s washable and reusable, so use it throughout your trip, and you can avoid adapting to a foreign replacement if you run out of your favorite brand of period protection. Different sizes are available for different ages and types of users, so pick the one that best suits your needs.

Brighten up your face, and your outlook on the health of the planet, with this zero-waste makeup. Its metal tube is strangely satisfying to hold and use, and a 90-day supply comes straight to your home in a zero-waste reusable shipper with no outer packaging. After about three months, Izzy will remind you to return your empty tube in the prepaid shipper, and then they’ll refill it and send it back. We’re digging the creative way they’ve eliminated shipping materials and packaging, although if you forget and toss the tube or shipper, you’ll have to pay a restocking fee.

Eliminate plastic packaging when you pick up one of these refillable bamboo palettes. You can go a step further on the sustainable journey by opting for the Perfectly Imperfect design, which eliminates waste—and saves you money—by sending you a palette with minor flaws. It may have some minor cosmetic damage like scratches or dents, but you could do that the first time you drop it yourself, too. Fill it with foundation, concealer, blush, and eye shadow sold separately by Elate, and everything snaps into place with magnets. All their ingredients are vegan and sourced from ethical, fair-trade sources, and nearly all the packaging is reusable, recyclable, or plantable. Plus, you can buy replacements as you need, in the colors you want, so you’re not wasting hues you won’t use. We like the Essential size for minimal packing, but you can get larger palettes if you need room for more options.

The makeup brushes you used in middle school probably had plastic handles, but you’ve outgrown that outlandish eyeshadow, and it's time for your makeup kit to grow up too. This set of brushes includes sustainably-sourced bamboo handles. The brush bristles are Taklon, a cruelty-free, antibacterial, and hypoallergenic fiber. You can buy the brushes you need individually or grab the entire set and bring a few or all when you travel, depending on the trip. While we like the versatility of the largest Multi-Use Brush, it can be tricky to use in smaller palettes, so use what works best for your makeup routine.

Have a panda bear party when your mascara comes encased in bamboo. It’s water-resistant and great for sensitive eyes, and the luxurious brush gives you great big lashes. You can use it to touch up your brows, too. Thanks to a recyclable plastic inner tube, the liquid won't leak into the wood. If you don't have curbside pickup, send it back to Elate for recycling, and you can crush the water-processed bamboo tube for composting in your own backyard.

Cut the plastic from your lip care routine without eliminating moisture altogether with this self-preserving lip balm. It comes in a handy metal tin; just unscrew the cap and slather it on. Fair Trade and organic ingredients—including shea, cocoa, and beeswax—soften up even the driest of lips, and it smells so bright and fresh that it’s a joy to use. Plus, it may make you happy to know the cocoa butter comes from farmers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are paid a premium for investing in their local communities.