Festival season is upon us, which means that now is the time to prepare your festival gear with the health of the planet in mind. Whether you’re attending a show for one day or camping or the weekend, your simple choices can heavily impact the earth—make sure it’s for the best! 
This festival used Eco Products compostable cups—an awesome biodegradable, compostable alternative to single-use plastic. We still recommend taking a second reusable cup for all beverages besides water, though some venues don’t allow this.
ProTip: You don’t need single-use water bottles in your trunk or at your campsite, either. Invest in a 5+ gallon water jug, and refill your reusable bottle from there.
ProTip: Apply your sunscreen while you sip your morning coffee, and remember to reapply whenever you refill your water bottle (which should be at least every few hours)! We’d love it if you followed all of this advice for your next festival experience, but please take special care to remember to protect yourself from the sun with reef-safe sunscreen, and stay hydrated sustainably—your safety and enjoyment depend on it. Now go have a blast while #ProtectingWhatYouLove!
Personal Care
If you’re camping, pack all these items in a drybag for easy access. As your venue allows, tote the products you’ll need throughout the day in your small bag!
Sunscreen and SPF Lip Balm
Even if you’re on a farm in the middle of the country, your sunscreen choices impact the marine ecosystems downstream. Make sure you pack your Stream2Sea sunscreen, and reapply often! Do not forget this step—it’s a long weekend if you’re sunburned. Remember, your lips are susceptible to the sun’s rays, too. Try our cherry SPF lip balm—it fits in a pocket or small bag, so there’s really no excuse to leave it behind! ProTip: Set breaks are the perfect time to take a moment for some quick sunscreen application.Shampoo & BodyWash
It should be obvious that if you’re using a portable shower that empties directly onto the campsite grass, you should choose a Shampoo/BodyWash that won’t harm the environment. Our conditioning shampoo and bodywash is designed to be safe for our waters at all points in the watershed, and it’s a great way to stay feeling refreshed over the course of a dusty, hot weekend. ProTip 1: Bring a washcloth for maximum ease of use—baby wipes and paper towels might be tempting alternatives to the shower system, but are also, unfortunately, single-use items and should be avoided if possible. ProTip 2: If you’re worried about soap or sanitizer availability in the venue, bring your shampoo/bodywash along.Leave-In Conditioner
Want your ideal hairstyle to hold through humidity and heat, but don’t want to harm the planet with toxic hairsprays? Try our leave-in conditioner to manage your perfect festival look.Sun & Sting Relief, Lotion, and Soothing Lip Balm
Despite your best efforts, you might wind up with bug bites, chafing, or a sunburn that threatens to bring an itchy vibe into your weekend. Don’t let it overtake your fun! Use our sun and sting relief gel or lotion to relieve skin that has been out in the elements for days in a row. Do your lips feel dehydrated? Give them some relief with our soothing lip balm. ProTip: Pack a travel-size sun and sting relief gel in your bag as the venue regulations allow so you are ready to relieve an insect bite as soon as it happens.
This festival used Eco Products compostable cups—an awesome biodegradable, compostable alternative to single-use plastic. We still recommend taking a second reusable cup for all beverages besides water, though some venues don’t allow this. Hydration & Food
Reusable Water Bottles
Generally, festivals have become hip to the need for water refill stations, and usually allow you to bring an empty reusable bottle or hydration pack into the venue for use at the refill station. This trend has made it possible for festivals like Forecastle to save 800,000 single-use water bottles from becoming plastic pollution over the course of the weekend. Not only does bringing a reusable bottle or cup protect the planet, but constant access to hydration is essential for your health and safety. ProTip: For the most convenience, we recommend packing a Hydaway collapsible bottle—that way, when you’re between hydration stations, you can put the folded up bottle in your pocket or hook it onto your small bag with minimal extra use of space.
ProTip: You don’t need single-use water bottles in your trunk or at your campsite, either. Invest in a 5+ gallon water jug, and refill your reusable bottle from there. Straws and Utensils
You may have already considered a reusable bottle or cup, but take it a step further and bring your own utensils and straws! ToGo Ware makes great sustainable cutlery, and Final Straw makes it possible for you to toss a collapsible, reusable straw on your keyring for use whenever you need it. Many festivals have eliminated single-use straws, and have opted for biodegradable utensils, but it’s always great to bring your reusable options to further reduce waste.Handy Festival Items
Earplugs
Like your skin, your ears are especially vulnerable during long days at festivals. Keep them protected sustainably with biodegradable or reusable earplugs. Be prepared so you don’t have to opt for wasteful, single-use earplugs as a last-minute purchase. These alternative earplugs usually come in keychain containers, so you don’t have to worry about portability.Lanterns and Lighting
Everyone wants a little personal touch at the campsite they’re calling home for a whole weekend. So why not bring a waterproof, collapsible, solar-powered lantern for your campsite? Solights are our favorite choice because they are all of the above and are available in a “Merlin Multicolor” option that will bring the extra energy that will make you the most popular tent on the block. ProTip: Are there any other decorations or electronic devices you can re-think to cut down on your need to use power while you’re camping? A lot of items come in a solar-powered option these days, be creative!Outfits
A big part of the festival experience for many folks is the chance to wear a special outfit. If you go out to buy new clothes in preparation for your festival trip, we encourage you to visit secondhand stores, and to buy sustainably manufactured clothes from companies like Toad and Co when you do purchase new items. Items made from recycled plastic, like our rash guards, also make great clothing choices—our rash guards have the added bonus of protecting you from the sun, too! ProTip: Work a hat, sunglasses, and bandana into your outfit if you can—it is important to keep your face and neck out of the sun. You can also pour water on your bandana to help you cool down in the middle of the day.
ProTip: Apply your sunscreen while you sip your morning coffee, and remember to reapply whenever you refill your water bottle (which should be at least every few hours)! We’d love it if you followed all of this advice for your next festival experience, but please take special care to remember to protect yourself from the sun with reef-safe sunscreen, and stay hydrated sustainably—your safety and enjoyment depend on it. Now go have a blast while #ProtectingWhatYouLove!Take the Safe Sunscreen Pledge!
Take the Safe Sunscreen Pledge and we’ll send you a digital 20-page resource that dives into ingredients to know, ingredients to avoid, what “organic” and “biodegradable” really mean, and what is truly “reef-safe.”
Thank you for being part of a global movement to protect marine and other ecosystems from unsafe ingredients! What we put on our bodies DOES make a difference, and your positive choices help protect the planet!
