How to be eco friendly at a festival: A practical guide to low-waste packing

What does being eco friendly at a festival actually mean?

Festivals all over the world are a place for community and self expression, but they’re also known for leaving behind huge amounts of single use plastic, abandoned tents and overflowing bins. In the UK alone, festivals are responsible for generating around 23,500 tons of waste, with 68% ending up in landfill - even though much of it could’ve been recycled.

If you want to take a more low waste approach to festivals, it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing fun or turning up with a rucksack full of new, complicated gear. Being eco-friendly can include making small changes to your usual festival packing list, and even choosing eco-friendly festivals that are actively working to reduce their environmental impact.

It’s also not just what you pack, it’s about being mindful of the impact you’ll have before, during and after the event. Choices such as how you travel, the products you use and the waste you create once the festival is over that can make the biggest difference.

Common waste problems at festivals

Even the most well-organised and well intentioned festivals can leave a surprisingly large environmental footprint. From huge amounts of plastic to discarded camping gear, the types of waste created at festivals are varied, but knowing what they are can help you plan ahead and make better choices. Here are some of the most common waste problems at festivals:

Single-use plastics

Disposable water bottles, coffee cups, straws, and snack wrappers are often left behind at festivals because they’re an easy option for festival goers on the move.

But while they’re convenient, they’re also a major source of litter that can end up in fields, rivers, and oceans, with 1.3 million single use food containers discarded annually at UK festivals. Even small items like plastic cutlery and condiment sachets add up fast.

Abandoned tents and camping gear

Over 250,000 tents are left at UK festivals each year, with 52% of festival attendees considering tents to be single use items.

Many festival attendees also leave behind sleeping bags, camping chairs or airbeds behind at the end of the event. This not only creates waste but can also put a strain on festival clean-up crews and local recycling systems.

Food waste

Picnics, takeaway meals, and festival snacks are easy and often a sub conscious choice by crowds at the events because it’s convenient.

While these types of food might not be inherently bad for the environment, leftovers often get thrown in the wrong bin and can contaminate other recyclables. Also, food in general waste ends up in landfill rather than being composted, producing unnecessary methane emissions.

Small, single-use items

Wristbands, balloons, confetti and even flags might seem harmless in the moment, but they can take years to break down, or may not ever break down at all.

With over one million wristbands unable to be recycled after festivals, these single use items often end up scattered across festival sites or nearby countryside, contributing to micro-waste problems.

Hygiene and toiletries

Hygiene products and toiletries like disposable wet wipes, single-use sunscreen sachets, and small toiletry bottles may be convenient, but they also create significant packaging waste. Popular items such as wet wipes are often made from non-biodegradable materials, and can remain in landfill for over 100 years. Over a long weekend, these small items accumulate into surprisingly large amounts of rubbish.

By breaking down the main sources of festival waste like this, it’s easier to see where your low-waste choices can make the biggest difference and which areas to focus on when packing and planning ahead.

Eco friendly festival products that make a big difference

Choosing the right products can completely change how low-waste your festival experience is. The key is picking items that are reusable, compact, and designed to last, so you can enjoy the weekend without worrying about the impact you’re leaving behind. From hair care to camping gear, the right festival essentials make it easy to stay prepared, comfortable, and eco-conscious.

Low-waste toiletries and hair care

Thinking about how you’ll wash your hair at a festival can also be stressful, and packing bulky plastic hair care bottles will not only take up space in your bag, but also have a negative impact on the environment if left behind.

Shampoo bars and conditioner bars are perfect for festivals, they’re compact, long-lasting, and completely plastic-free. We love Hairy Jayne’s 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner bar tin for the perfect compact hair care option for summer festivals, and shampoo concentrate that allows you to wash your hair with half the amount of water compared to traditional shampoo.

Also quick refresh products don’t need to be unsustainable. Choosing a refillable dry shampoo, reusable travel hair care minis and natural soap bars can make it easy to have fun and care for your hair and body without creating unnecessary waste during the festival.

Reusable food and drink essentials

Your festival bag can stay light and eco-friendly at the same time. Instead of multiple small plastic water bottles, opt for travel-sized, refillable water bottles. Brands like Chilly’s and Ocean Bottle offer a variety of reusable bottle sizes, perfect for refill stations at festivals.

Also items like single-use cups, bottles, and cutlery can pile up fast, but reusable options are simple to carry and use. Bring collapsible cups for hot drinks, reusable cutlery for takeaway or picnic foods, and silicone or stainless-steel containers are perfect for snacks and leftovers, without needing to rely on plastic bags to keep food fresh.

Here are some of our favourite reusable food containers and low-waste essentials for festivals:

• Stojo’s collapsable hot drink travel cups
• Black + Blum’s travel friendly reusable cutlery
• Elephant box & seal go 3 in 1 food containers

Sustainable camping and travel choices

Your festival footprint starts before you even arrive. Where possible, choose public transport, shared rides, or cycling to reduce carbon emissions. Using schemes like festival lift shares can be a convenient and eco-friendly way to travel to festivals.

For camping, look for durable tents and sleeping bags you can use year after year rather than cheap single-use options. Lightweight, multipurpose items like foldable, easily transportable camping chairs, reusable lanterns, and solar-powered chargers keep your packing manageable while keeping waste to a minimum.

Opting for pre-pitched tents at festivals can be another great alternative, with many festivals offering ready to go tents or even larger cotton bell tents for an additional price. This can help reduce waste by eliminating abandoned camping gear and offering a convenient, no-stress, ready-to-use setups with optional bedding.

Simple swaps that reduce waste instantly

There are also a number of quick wins that can help you easily reduce your environmental footprint at festivals. Some of the biggest changes come from simple habits and small swaps you can start straight away. These are the kind of low-effort choices that quickly become second nature, and they’re just as effective when it comes to cutting down waste.

Bring a reusable water bottle

Most festivals now have free water refill points, so there’s no need to keep buying bottled drinks. A sturdy bottle will save money, reduce plastic waste, and keep you hydrated throughout the day.

Pack a tote or foldable bag

Whether it’s for shopping, carrying layers, or bringing snacks back to your tent, a reusable bag is one of the most useful things you can take to a festival. It also means you won’t need plastic carrier bags from food stalls or shops on site.

Swap wet wipes for reusable cloths

Disposable wipes create a huge amount of waste and often aren’t biodegradable. Instead, bring a few small reusable cloths or muslins that you can rinse and reuse. They’re a great choice for freshening up, removing makeup, or cleaning hands.

Choose multi-purpose products

Look for items that do more than one job, like a moisturiser with SPF, beauty oil for hair and skin, or a natural, solid soap that can be used for both hands and body. This keeps your bag lighter and reduces packaging.

Avoid “just in case” packing

Overpacking often leads to waste. Try to plan outfits, meals, and essentials in advance so you only bring what you know you’ll use. This also makes packing up at the end of the festival much easier.

Even one or two of these swaps can make a noticeable difference, especially when thousands of people are doing the same thing.

How to stay eco friendly during the festival

Planning ahead is important, but your actions during the festival matter just as much. Once you arrive, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and forget about waste, so having a few simple habits can help you stay on track without having to think too hard about it during the festival. 

Use the right bins

It sounds obvious, but recycling and compost bins only work if the right items go in them. Take a few seconds to check the signage, and if you’re unsure, ask a volunteer. Small habits like this can make a big difference.

Support sustainable vendors

Many festivals now highlight food stalls and brands that focus on local, seasonal, or low-waste options. Choosing these where possible helps support businesses that are trying to do better.

Keep your campsite tidy

A small bag or box for rubbish and recycling makes it easier to stay organised. If your space stays clean throughout the weekend, packing up and taking everything home becomes much simpler.

Respect the space around you

Festivals often take place in beautiful natural locations. Being mindful of where you walk, disposing of waste properly, and leaving your pitch as you found it helps protect these spaces for future events.

Take everything home

One of the most impactful things you can do is also the simplest: pack up all your belongings. Many festivals now have more of a focus on their environmental impact and are making pledges to help reduce their footprint on the earth.

This includes Glastonbury’s "Love the Farm, Leave No Trace" pledge, and Burning Man’s ‘trash free policy’ where there are no trash cans at the festival and attendees must remove all of their own rubbish.

These pledges and policies encourage participants to be responsible for their own waste. From packing up your own campaign gear, to taking home anything broken or no longer needed to recycle properly, these small changes can have a massive impact.

In a nutshell

With a little planning and a few thoughtful choices, being eco friendly at a festival can feel simple and realistic rather than overwhelming. From the products you pack to the habits you build while you’re there, small actions really do add up.

Ultimately, it’s not about your choices or actions being absolutely perfect. It’s about doing what you can, making sustainable swaps, and being more conscious about your decisions each time you head to a festival.

By preparing in advance and choosing eco-friendly festival products that fit your lifestyle, you can enjoy the music, the community and the experience while leaving the space just as beautiful for the next group of festival-goers.