By Paige French
We Brits are famous for many things: our dry sense of humour, our distaste for people who don’t queue (it’s just rude!) and our ghastly weather. But when the rain stops and the clouds part, we can put on a bloody good music festival. In the summer, there are loads of festivals to choose from, Reading Festival, Glastonbury, Bestival. Or you can go international and go to Benicassim or Coachella. But no matter what festival you’re choosing to go to, there are essential items that you should be packing to make the weekend in the mud that little bit easier to get through.
Since you’re outside (and possibly feeling a bit…toxic, shall we say?), make sure whatever you bring is going to be easier on the earth and your body by making some sustainable choices.
Here, we’ve picked 12 Eco Friendly Festival Must Haves that will see you through any festival, anywhere.
1. Good Deodorant
Dancing all night with no shower afterwards? This is a must do! Make sure yours is non-toxic, like this one by Tom’s.
2. Solar Mobile Charger
No plug in site, but you NEED to take pics of yourself and your mates….the only solution? A solar charger. They’re dirt cheap now–this one is a top seller on Amazon, and is nice and compact, too.
3. Healthy Snacks
Yeah, there’s food on offer there, but do you really want to brave the queue? Pack some essentials that will last the weekend. Granola bars, dried fruit, boiled eggs and nuts are good, healthy options. Get some here.
4. Some Solid Sunnies
Not just for blocking out the sun’s rays, but also for hiding the bags under your eyes, of course! We prefer ours eco-friendly, like these ones below.
5. Tattoo Jewellery
The best accessory for the weekend: will last throughout the festival, make you look pretty and you certainly won’t lose this jewellery! Get some here.
6. God Willing, Some Sunscreen
True that British festivals are best known for being a mudbath, but you never know…should the sun decide to shine down, you may be delighted, but you’ll still need to cover up. Of course, organic is always best, like this one by Lavera.
7. Wet Wipes
Still the best way to stay ‘clean,’ given the terrifying spectre of queues for portaloos and all–but many are full of parabens and other harmful chemicals. Make sure yours are as natural as can be, like these ones from natracare.
8. Dry Shampoo
Greasy is never a good look. A hat can only stay on for so long, so to prevent ‘hair shame’ when the hat’s off, make sure you’ve got a bottle of decent organic dry shampoo like this one by Tabitha James Kraan.
9. A Good Bag
This will be your home-away-from-home for the next few days. Make sure it’s durable, eco-friendly, waterproof and big, like this one from Paguro. Put all of the above in it!
10. A Tent, of Course!
If you’re not staying in a mate’s tent, make sure you get a nice, roomy, eco-friendly one like this one by Big Horn at the Reliable Tent Company, that will last season after season
11. A Sleeping Bag
Ok, it’s not the Ritz, but it’s better than sleeping in the dirt. A lot of sleeping bags are made from toxic materials, so make sure you’re not cosying up to some nasty fire retardants and such. There are some good eco friendly bags: Prism makes sleeping bags that are a little bit greener, for example.
12. Excellent Boots
Hope for the best, expect the worst is the motto you should be following for festival weather. And just in case you’re hit by the worst, you’ll need some boots that love mud. This pair of vegan leather boots by NAE look awesome with shorts or skirts, and will last forever, through any weather.
Some Fashion That Makes You Stand Out
Let’s face it: everyone wants to be noticed when they’re festivalling. Celebs, paps, lots of cute boys, and of course, loads of musicians are all going to be there, so look your best with loose, floating maxi dresses and kaftans (that hide unshaved legs) like these silk ones by Holland Street. We also love anything crochet, like these top from ASOS,and Chloe, below.
Happy festival season!
Can’t make it to a festival this year? Relive the glory days of previous ones!
Main image: Pixabay
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