17 Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas That Every Traveller Will Love
Who loves to travel? Everyone! But let’s face it, travelling is not easy on the environment. Many forms of transportation contribute to climate change, by releasing greenhouse gases, mainly CO2, from burning fuels. Tons of plastic is being used on producing hotel toiletries, plane amenities and other single-use plastic products: coffee cups, water bottles, plates, cutlery and so on. A significant amount of electricity and water is being wasted on washing hotel towels used just once. The list is long.
But there are little things, that can be done to offset a travellers’ carbon footprint. If you know someone who’s crazy about travelling or are one of those crazy people yourself, here are some eco-friendly gift ideas perfect for every traveller who has Mother Earth’s best interests at heart. No matter the occasion: Christmas, birthday, name day or just ‘being a good friend’ day, you can use this little guide as inspiration to treat someone who you care about.
Sustainable Travel Essentials
1. Water Bottle with Filter
One million plastic bottles are brought across the world every minute! This is one of the most compulsive ways we consume plastic. This particular bottle can spare the Earth hundreds of plastic bottles you’d use. It filters 99% of waterborne bacteria and parasites and has 1000 litre lifespan. I swear by this bottle!!! It accompanied me on my trip around the world and I solemnly swear, that I did not get sick!
2. LifeStraw
If you’re opting for minimum packing, or your traveller is an outdoorsy type, LifeStraw could be a better solution. It filters bacteria, parasites, microplastics and reduces dirt, and cloudiness. The company gives 99,99999% guarantee of protection from Salmonella and E.coli and claims that the membrane microfilter will last up to 4,000 litres of water – that’s enough drinking for one person for over 5 years.
3. Reusable Cutlery
This is another thing that every eco conscious traveller needs. Studies show that we use plastic cutlery for only 3 minutes before throwing it away and if you’ve travelled in Asia, you know how often you’re offered it. No matter whether bamboo or stainless steal, a reusable cutlery set is one of the most vital eco-friendly gift ideas for travellers.
4. Travel Lunch Box
Zero-waste products are the perfect gift for anyone who wants to reduce waste. This sustainable gift guide has got you covered with zero-waste products to help save the planet.
Sustainable Gift Categories and Impact
| Gift Category | Eco-Friendly Benefit |
|---|---|
| Water Bottle / LifeStraw | Reduces single-use plastic bottle waste; filters 99% of bacteria. |
| Reusable Cutlery | Prevents plastic pollution; replaces items used for only 3 minutes. |
| Experience Gifts | Zero-waste; focuses on memories rather than physical items. |
| Unique Eco-Materials | Uses sustainable materials like pineapple leaves, teak leaves, and hemp. |
Experience and Socially Conscious Gifts
Give an Experience
Another great eco-friendly gift idea is to give an experience instead of something physical. This is a great gift for sustainable minimalists or for people who already seem to have everything. Experience gift ideas include:
- Tour a local vineyard
- Book a camping trip, a hotel room or rent an RV.
- Gift a massage or spa day
- Enroll in a local or online class or workshop
- Book a hot air balloon ride
Gifts That Give Back
Another idea for a sustainable gift is one that also gives back to the planet or to people. Buy gifts from brands that donate a portion of the sale to cleaning up our oceans such as United by Blue or Klean Kanteen. You can also gift items from brands that plant trees such as WoodWatch, tentree or Tree Tribe. Conscious Step sells sustainable socks and they donate a portion of the sale to various charities to choose from.
Gifts Made with Unique Eco-Materials
When choosing a gift, why not look for sustainable products that were made using unique eco-friendly materials? This makes a great sustainable gift idea because they’re usually one-of-a-kind. For example:
- Svala makes these purses out of pineapple leaves.
- Tree Tribe uses teak leaves to make beautiful “leaf leather” wallets.
- Pela makes compostable phone cases using flax, hemp and even used Pela products, instead of plastic.
- This hoodie from Coalatree is made with recycled coffee grounds.
Shopping Responsibly
Supporting a small business is a great thing socially and environmentally. Buying your gifts locally from small businesses is a great way to support your community as well as lower your carbon footprint since you’re not shopping online. If you do shop online, EarthHero has carbon-neutral shipping. They offset the carbon created from shipping and transporting their products and their day-to-day operations.
