Travelling more sustainably doesn’t have to mean packing your entire house or striving for perfection. Low-waste, plastic-free travel is about making a few thoughtful choices that reduce waste while still keeping things simple and practical.
When you’re travelling, space is often limited, and convenience can easily lead to single-use plastics and disposable items. I know this firsthand — I spent years living on the road in a shoebox (also known as a caravan), where every item had to earn its place.
That’s where these zero waste travel essentials come in. These plastic-free, low-waste swaps are lightweight, reusable, and genuinely useful for real-life travel — whether you’re flying, road-tripping, camping, or slow travelling.
You don’t need everything on this list. Think of it as a choose-what-fits guide to help you travel lighter, reduce waste, and focus on experiences rather than stuff.
💡 This post may contain affiliate links (including eBay and Amazon Associates). If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I trust.
Zero Waste Travel Essentials for Plastic-Free, Low-Waste Travel
Reusable Drinkware & On-the-Go Essentials
These reusable travel essentials help cut down on single-use plastics while keeping drinks and meals simple on the go.
Insulated Water Bottle
The most well-used of the zero waste travel essentials is the humble water bottle. I recommend investing in a high-quality water bottle made from insulated stainless steel.
If you’re travelling to a hot region (think north Australia), you want to make sure your water stays cool, so that you can stay refreshed and hydrated throughout the day and night.
While visiting cold places, you can use your insulated water bottle to hold hot drinks, if you wish, without having to carry an additional item. Once it’s empty, rinse it out and refill it with water.
Insulated Water Bottle benefits:
- Saves money buying water
- Eliminates plastic water bottles
- Can ask hotel or cafe staff if they’ll refill it for you with filtered water (if the local water isn’t good)
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Insulated Water Bottle on Adventure Awaits → ➤ Insulated Water Bottle on eBay → |
Travel Coffee Mug
Just to inspire some motivation for taking your own reusable coffee cup every time you go to grab a takeaway latte, let’s look at some of the harrowing figures.
According to news.com…
☕️ 1 billion coffee cups go into landfill each year in Australia.
→ That’s 2,700,000 per day or…
→ 50,000 coffee cups per second!
Wait, aren’t paper coffee cups recyclable?
Contrary to common belief, paper coffee cups are not recyclable.
Why not? Well, for the paper cups to be waterproof, they are lined with a membrane of polyethylene (i.e. plastic). So, not only are they not able to be recycled with the other papers and cardboards, but they also aren’t biodegradable.
BYO Coffee Cup benefits:
- Sometimes get a discount for bringing your own coffee cup
- Eliminates disposable coffee cups
- Can make your own tea or coffee for the road
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Travel Coffee Mug on Adventure Awaits → ➤ Travel Coffee Mug on eBay → |
Stainless Steel Straw
Pretty much every bar, restaurant and cafe that you order a drink from is automatically going to slide a disposable straw into your glass. Thankfully, paper straws are becoming much more widely used, although plastic is still very much on the agenda.
Let’s look at why that single, seemingly innocent, plastic straw just isn’t a good thing. Here are some ever-changing facts:
Australians use 3.5 billion straws a year
→ That’s 10,000,000 per day!
→ Each one is used for around 20 minutes, then tossed away forever
And if you still need a little more convincing, think about this – the very first straw you ever used is still in existence somewhere. Maybe it’s floating around the ocean, or it could be sitting on a forest floor, or it’s probably buried in a landfill pile.
While paper straws are a far better option, the resources to create paper in the first place have to come from somewhere. Most of the time, it’s coming through deforestation, much like the mainstream toilet paper. For more on that, check out the Who Gives A Crap review below.
| 🌿 READ: Who Gives a Crap Review → |
Carrying a stainless steel straw in your purse or bag really doesn’t add any extra weight or bulk to your pack. You can also get bamboo, glass and silicone straws, if you’re not into metal ones.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a reusable straw or don’t want to carry one, just say, “No thanks” to the straw next time you order a drink.
Reusable Straw benefits:
- Eliminates disposable straws
- Nicer to drink through than paper straws
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Reusable Straws on Adventure Awaits → ➤ Reusable Straws on eBay → |
Reusable Cutlery Set
If you’re one for eating out and on the go while travelling, you’ll no doubt have noticed that plastic cutlery is the norm in those situations.
The best way to avoid disposable cutlery is to have your own handy reusable set in your bag.
There are a few different styles you can go for, which really depend on how compact you want the utensils to be in your bag and what items you think you’ll need.
Travel Cutlery Styles
The Retro Kitchen set (pictured above) includes a fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks, straw and straw brush. All items are stainless steel with a handy tin to store them in.
I love this set because it caters to every need, plus you can hygienically stow everything away until you can wash them later.
If you really want to save space in your bag, go for the 3-in-1 spoon, fork, and knife (pictured below). The benefit is that you don’t have to carry multiple items, although only having a single piece isn’t going to be as easy to eat with. But it’s all about what you get used to, right?
Be sure to check the size of the item before buying anything; some of the all-in-ones can be up to 20cm (7.8 inches) long.
Reusable Cutlery benefits:
- Eliminates disposable cutlery
- Always prepared for your own eating needs
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Travel Cutlery Sets on Adventure Awaits → ➤ Travel Cutlery Sets on eBay → |
Cloth Napkin or Bandana
The uses for carrying a cloth napkin (or bandana) are many. If you visit a bakery and grab a pastry or roll, you can get them to put it directly into your napkin, instead of needing a bag.
Having your own napkin means being able to easily wipe your hands without needing paper serviettes. It’s also handy to be able to put a bandana down on a public table to create a clean space for yourself if need be.
If you’re in a pinch and need to blow your nose, pull out your cloth napkin! Sweating it up in the humidity? Yep, a bandana will do the trick.
I personally prefer a bandana purely for its larger size, but whatever fits in your bag better is the way to go.
Cloth Napkin/ Bandana benefits:
- Eliminates paper towels & napkins
- Always prepared for nose blowing, wiping hands
- Provides a clean surface in public spaces
- Can wrap up food
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Cloth Napkins on eBay → ➤ Cloth Napkins on Amazon → |
Reusable Food Storage & Packing
Lightweight, reusable food storage makes it easier to pack snacks, leftovers, and meals without relying on disposable packaging.
Fabric Reusable Bag
It’s always handy to have a fabric reusable bag rolled up and ready to pull out whenever you need it. Plastic bags with purchases are not always free anymore, so having your own saves money and also saves on plastic resources.
Reusable Bag benefits:
- Eliminates disposable plastic bags
- Always handy to have a spare bag
- Saves money – no need to buy plastic bags
Most of us already have a stash of reusable bags lying around, but if not, grab one from one of the links below.
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Reusable Bags on eBay → ➤ Reusable Bags on Amazon → |
Reusable Food Container
Having some sort of reusable food container with you is a handy zero waste travel essential.
Firstly, you’ll easily be able to pack your own lunch and snacks for the day, which saves a heap of money.
Secondly, you’ll be able to say “No, thanks” to disposable bags and containers when you buy food on the go. Just ask the cashier to put it straight into your container instead.
You don’t have to go for stainless steel here. If you have a handy Tupperware container at home that you can pack, that’s perfect.
Reusable Container benefits:
- Eliminates disposable food packaging
- Can pre-pack lunch & snacks
- Saves money – buy once, use forever
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Lunch Boxes on Adventure Awaits → ➤ Lunch Boxes on eBay → |
Beeswax Wraps
If you’re not keen on carrying a container around in your bag (let’s be honest, they do add more bulk), then pack yourself a set of beeswax wraps instead.
They fold flat and can be used for many different things. You can store sandwiches and snacks for the day and wrap any leftovers along the way.
Beeswax Wraps benefits:
- Very compact & lightweight
- Versatile for wrapping and storing food
- Saves money – buy once, use for years
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Beeswax Wraps on eBay → ➤ Beeswax Wraps on Amazon → |
Reusable Zip Lock Bags
Another option for storing food, snacks and even personal items is reusable silicone zip lock bags. The great thing with these guys is that you can wash them out, let them dry and use them over and over again.
Reusable Zip Lock Bag benefits:
- More compact than containers
- Washable & reusable
- Can be used for anything to create compartments (including toiletries)
- Saves money – buy once, use for years
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Silicone Zip Lock Bags on eBay → ➤ Silicone Zip Lock Bags on Amazon → |
Low Waste Bathroom & Toiletries
Swapping to solid and reusable toiletries reduces plastic waste and saves space in your travel bag.
Face Washers
I always carry a few face washers with me as they’re always a handy zero waste travel essential to have. Even if I’m just travelling for the night, I’ll pack at least one washcloth.
Face washers are perfect for removing makeup, washing hands, face, feet and even your entire body if need be.
You can pre-dampen a washer and store it in a waterproof pouch (or a silicone zip lock bag) as a reusable travel wipe.
Face Washer benefits:
- Versatile – can use to wash anywhere on your body
- Use to remove makeup
- Easy to hand-wash & dry while travelling
- Pre-dampen for DIY travel wipes
- Eliminates disposable wipes
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Face Washers on eBay → ➤ Face Washers on Amazon → |
Reusable Makeup Pads
If you use some sort of wipe for cleaning your makeup off, invest in a set of reusable cloth ones. I personally prefer to keep my products to a minimum, so I just use face washers, but each to their own.
You can easily hand-wash fabric makeup rounds while you’re travelling, so that you can keep reusing them on the go.
Reusable Make-up Pad benefits:
- Eliminates disposable make-up rounds
- Easy to wash & dry on the go
- Saves money – buy once, use for years
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Reusable Makeup Pads on eBay → ➤ Reusable Makeup Pads on Amazon → |
Soap Bar
A bar of soap in a tin or container is a much more sustainable option than liquid soap in a plastic pump bottle. Plus, a bar of soap is more compact, making it perfect for washing while travelling.
For truly zero waste soap, buy it unpackaged. If that’s not possible, go for soap bars that are packaged in cardboard, which can be recycled.
Soap Bar benefits:
- Eliminates plastic waste
- Compact
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Soap Tins on eBay → ➤ Soap Tins on Amazon → |
Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Much like the bar soap, solid shampoo and conditioner bars reduce the waste of plastic bottles.
I’ll admit, I tend to have a greasy hair type and not all shampoo bars are as effective for me as liquid shampoos. So, it may take a bit of trial and error to find a brand that works well for you.
You can store your solid bars in soap tins or containers, which take up way less space than pump bottles.
Shampoo & Conditioner Bar benefits:
- Eliminates plastic waste
- More compact than pump bottles
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Shampoo Bars on eBay → ➤ Shampoo Bars on Amazon → |
Zero Waste Deodorant
The ultimate zero waste deodorant is to make it yourself from regular kitchen ingredients. If you can fill up your kitchen ingredients at a bulk food store with your own containers, that’s even better.
DIY Deodorant Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Bicarb Soda (or Baking Soda)
- 1 tsp Arrowroot Powder
- Fractionated Coconut Oil
- 2 drops Essential Oil (optional)
| 🌿 READ: DIY Deodorant Recipe → |
If you’re not keen on making your own, there are plenty of great zero waste deodorants online. Look for ones that are stored in glass or metal pots, or cardboard push-up containers.
Zero Waste Deodorant benefits:
- No nasties going onto your armpits or near your breast tissue
- Less disposable waste
- Cheaper (if you DIY)
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Zero Waste Deodorant on eBay → ➤ Zero Waste Deodorant on Amazon → |
Plastic-Free Oral & Personal Care
These plastic-free personal care items are small, durable, and easy to pack for low-waste travel.
Bamboo Toothbrush
Okay, I think we can all agree by this point that plastic is the product we’re trying to avoid here. It’s a finite resource, which is petroleum-based.
Thankfully, there are other resources, which are much more sustainable, such as bamboo and hemp, just to name two.
Bamboo toothbrushes are great. Once they get to the end of life, you can burn or compost (if you can) the timber handle after pulling out the plastic bristles. Unfortunately, there are no other bristle types on the market that I’m aware of.
Bamboo Toothbrush benefits:
- No plastic handle
- Usually sold package-free or in cardboard
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Bamboo Toothbrushes on eBay → ➤ Bamboo Toothbrushes on Amazon → |
Zero Waste Toothpaste
You can buy zero waste toothpaste in three different forms…
- Paste
- Chewable tablets
- Powder
Rather than using toothpaste from a plastic-lined toothpaste tube, these three options offer healthy alternatives, which are often stored in metal or glass.
To use the tablets, you just pop one in your mouth, chew it up, then start brushing. For the powder and paste, you can dab a bit onto your damp toothbrush and brush away.
As for which one suits you the most, you’d have to give them all a go and decide for yourself.
Zero Waste Toothpaste benefits:
- Eliminates plastic
- Choice between three different styles
- Can make your own paste at home
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Zero Waste Toothpaste on eBay → ➤ Zero Waste Toothpaste on Amazon → |
Zero Waste Lip Balm
For a zero waste lip balm, look for ones that are stored in a metal tin, glass jar or cardboard push-up container. The idea is to avoid plastic containers and plastic wrappings.
You can even make your own lip balm with shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax all melted down in a double boiler on the stove, then add a few drops of essential oil for scent.
Zero Waste Lip Balm benefits:
- Natural ingredients
- Eliminates plastic
- Can DIY if you like
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Zero Waste Lip Balm on eBay → |
Stainless Steel Ear Picks
Rather than using disposable cotton tips to clean your ears, grab a set of stainless steel ear picks. They take up next to no space in your toiletry bag and can easily be washed and reused forever.
I know most people are used to using cotton tips to clean the wax out and dry inside the ears after a shower, but they really aren’t necessary.
A towel will help to dry your ears, as well as allow them to air dry naturally. Using a stainless pick to clear out the wax is a different sensation from a cotton tip, but again, it’s all about what you get used to.
Stainless Steel Ear Pick benefits:
- Eliminates plastic waste
- Reduces the need to produce disposable resources (e.g. cotton)
- Stainless steel is very hygienic
- Saves money – buy once, use forever
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Stainless Steel Ear Picks on eBay → ➤ Stainless Steel Ear Picks on Amazon → |
Low-Waste Grooming Essentials
Reusable grooming items are ideal for travel, reducing waste while lasting far longer than disposable alternatives.
Safety Razor
Swapping out disposable razors for a single stainless steel safety razor is really easy.
You’ll also need a box of metal blades, which are inserted into the safety razor for use. Once that blade is blunt, it can go straight into the recycle bin, then slot in a new blade for next time.
✂️ Every year, 100 million disposable razors end up in Australian landfills alone.
A good safety razor is an investment that will last you a lifetime if cared for properly. Plus, you’ll no longer be contributing to plastic razors going into landfills.
Another great zero waste hair removal method is laser. After around twelve treatments (once every 4–6 weeks), you’ll be hair-free forever! It’s not as painful as it sounds. I’m very sensitive, but I still rocked up to my laser appointments with a bounce in my step, knowing that the effects are permanent – I love it!
| 🌿 READ: Eco Hair Removal Methods → |
Safety Razor Benefits:
- Eliminates plastic
- Saves money – buy once, use forever
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Safety Razor on eBay → ➤ Safety Razor on Amazon → |
Wooden Comb & Brush
When it comes time to replace your brush or comb, opt for wooden items rather than plastic. Unfortunately, sometimes the wooden brushes still have plastic bristles; however, you can opt for sustainable boar hair bristles.
When your wooden brush or comb gets to the end of its life, you can burn the wooden pieces and put the plastic bits into the bin.
Remember, the most zero waste item you can use is the one that you’ve already got.
Switching out your plastic items for things made from more sustainable resources (wood, hemp, bamboo, metal, etc.) is ideal once they need to be replaced. It’s a step-by-step process.
Wooden Comb & Brush benefits:
- Eliminates a lot of plastic
- Produced with more sustainable resources
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Wooden Brushes on eBay → ➤ Wooden Brushes on Amazon → |
Sustainable Period Care for Travel
Reusable period care products are reliable, space-saving, and a low-waste option for travelling comfortably.
Menstrual Cup & Period Underwear
A menstrual cup and some period underwear make great zero waste travel essentials.
Let’s be honest, the thought of reusable period items while travelling doesn’t sound easy or appealing.
However, if you can get comfortable using a silicone menstrual cup, that time of the month can be really simple. You can empty them wash themin toilets along the way and give them a wash in the shower, in complete privacy.
Period underwear is great as well. You can give them a rinse out in the shower and throw them into the wash with the rest of your laundry. I also sometimes use cloth pads, but period underwear is much more discreet while travelling.
Zero Waste Period benefits:
- Eliminates disposables
- Saves money – buy once, use for years
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Menstrual Cups on eBay → ➤ Menstrual Cups on Amazon → |
Plastic-Free Skincare & Sun Protection
Low-waste skincare and sunscreen options help protect your skin while avoiding unnecessary plastic packaging.
Zero Waste Moisturiser
When it comes to moisturiser, look for natural brands that are packaged in metal or glass jars or containers. It’s handy to have a tiny moisturiser jar for travel, so that you can add in a bit of your moisturiser from home, rather than having to take a large container.
Coconut oil is also a great natural body moisturiser for many body types (and works as a lubricant as well), however, it can clog up the pores on your face.
Zero Waste Moisturiser benefits:
- Eliminates plastic packaging
- Can eliminate chemicals from the product
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Zero Waste Moisturiser on eBay → |
Zero Waste Sunscreen
Many people make their own DIY sunscreen at home, which is a much less wasteful option. You can buy the ingredients in bulk and get many pots of sunscreen out of it.
However, I would enter the homemade sunscreen realm at your own risk. The SPF is lower and can vary from batch to batch. I’ve made it myself and found that it wasn’t always as effective as the commercial sunscreen, especially in the Australian sun.
Alternatively, you can go for a pre-made zero waste sunscreen, usually sold in tins.
Reef Safe Sunscreen
The three ingredients to steer clear of, which damage and
contribute to coral bleaching:
1. Oxybenzone
2. Octinoxate
3. Octocrylene
Make sure you look out for ‘Reef Safe’ brands. Many of the commercial brands use a few ingredients that have been known cause significant damage and bleaching to the coral reef.
Zero Waste Sunscreen benefits:
- Eliminates plastic bottles
- Eliminates nasty chemicals
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Zero Waste Sunscreen on eBay → |
Eco-Friendly Travel Accessories
These eco-friendly travel accessories are practical swaps that reduce waste without sacrificing comfort or style.
Eco-Friendly Flip Flops
A good set of thongs (or flipflops, depending on where you’re from) are absolutely zero waste travel essentials.
But many flip flops are made from rubber or a plastic-based product. For a more eco-friendly option, look for flip flops made from natural rubber or recycled materials.
Etiko make natural rubber thongs made from a natural rubber tree, blended with recycled rubber. They even have a ‘take back’ program. Once your Etiko thongs get to the end of their life, you can send them back to Melbourne and receive a $5 voucher towards your next pair. The thongs will then be recycled into floor matting.
Eco Flip Flops benefits:
- Reduces synthetic rubber from petrochemicals
- Reduces landfill by recycling other rubbers
- Return for a $5 voucher at the end of their life
Eco-Friendly Sunglasses
Don’t forget about eye protection when packing your zero waste travel essentials. Covering our eyes from the harsh sunshine glare is super important, especially when on the road or travelling.
But, they don’t have to be old school plastic.
Some sustainable resources, which are being used for sunglasses include:
- Wood
- Bamboo
- Cork
- Recycled plastic
- Other repurposed products
| Where to Buy |
|---|
| ➤ Eco Sunglasses on eBay → ➤ Eco Sunglasses on Amazon → |
Low-waste, plastic-free travel isn’t about doing everything — it’s about making a few mindful swaps that work for your trip and your lifestyle. Choose what feels realistic, travel lighter, and focus on enjoying the journey.
More on Zero Waste
Pin It
