It’s festival season and blimey, have we all been desperate for some music and dancing in the sun again after the last few years! But festivals can also produce a huge amount of waste, with thousands of tons of single-use plastics being dumped into landfill once the partying stops and everyone goes home to recover.

However, there are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to reduce your environmental impact and ditch the single-use plastics forever (plus make you feel exceptionally virtuous!).

So for Plastic-Free July I’ve put together 12 simple plastic-free sustainable swaps for a guilt-free festival this year.

1. Reusable Water Bottle - Kept for Life - £29.95

Reusable water bottles are a must these days and there's certainly plenty of options available. But I just love Kept for Life's stainless steel water bottle and can actually vouch for it personally as I have one myself! It's double-walled so it can keep drinks hot or cold and it come's in 3 colours. I love the wooden lid and the super handy handle for carrying. 

2. Natural Deodorant - Seal - from £3

Kept those pits smelling fresh as you dance the day and night away with a natural deodorant from Seal. Their Peppermint and Patchouli smells divine and is made with natural, vegan friendly ingredients in the beautiful Cotswold town of Stroud. 

3. Reusable Cup - Hunu - from £15

You might be in need of a strong coffee after a night of partying so you shouldn't be without a reusable cup at your festival weekender. Hunu's  bestselling cup folds down to just 3cm, perfect for throwing in a bag or in your pocket as you carefully and steadily make your way to the nearest coffee stand.

4. Leakproof Tiffin - Elephant Box - £26.50

Ditch the throw away food containers this year and take your own stainless steel tiffin lunchbox instead. Responsibly made in India and featuring a removable silicone seal to prevent leaks and spillages, this lunchbox will be your go-to for every meal. 

BONUS - Elephant box are offering 15% off everything in their plastic-free July collection!

5. Plastic-free Sunscreen SPF30 - Sol De Ibiza - £21

Hopefully there'll be plenty of sunshine during the weekend so it's important to keep your skin protected from those UV rays. Sol De Ibiza offer a range of plastic-free Face & Body sunscreens from SPF15 - SPF50, both in their aluminium tins and 100% biodegradable cardboard tubes. Even the name makes you wanna dance!

6. Biodegradable Glitter - EcoStardust - from £6

A festival wouldn't be complete without glitter! Unfortunately glitter is very bad for the environment, contributing to microplastics and harming organisms, marine and aquatic animals. But don't worry you can still get your shine on with EcoStardust's biodegradable glitter, which is a plant-based, vegan and cruelty-free alternative to the plastic stuff. 

7. Bamboo Cutlery Set - Life Unplastic - £7.99

You should never be without your reusable cutlery at a festival especially given the astonishing fact that over 50,000,000, 000 pieces of single-use cutlery gets thrown into landfill every year!! This bamboo cutlery set from Life Unplastic is the perfect sustainable alternative and comes in a handy travel pouch. They also donate 2% of sales to Whale & Dolphin Conservation.

8. Dry Shampoo - Primal Suds - from £6

Keep your hair feeling fresh and voluminous with some dry shampoo by Primal Suds. Dab some on your roots with your fingers, make up brush or use one of their shakers and you'll be ready to dance the night away. 

9. Reusable Snack Bag - Lauren Holloway - £15

Having snacks on hand throughout the day is essential for keeping energy levels up whilst you're running on minimal sleep! My Reusable Snack Bags are perfect for snacking on the go and can easily be popped into a backpack or bumbag. These handprinted natural linen bags come in 4 lovely colours and feature a food safe lining.

10. Eco Toothbrush, Toothpaste & Floss Set - Earth Bits - £18.90

Don't let the dental hygiene go out the window during the weekend. This Eco Dental Care Set from UK based family business Earth Bits includes a bamboo toothbrush, Georganics mineral-rich toothpaste and a charcoal fibre floss, all beautifully presented in plastic-free packaging. Your mouth will feel fresh as a daisy, even if the rest of you doesn't!

11. Steel Half Pint Cup - Green Pear Eco - £6

Keep the drinks flowing with a stainless steel cup from Green Pear Eco. Made from 85% recycled stainless steel and made in the UK, this cup also comes in a full pint size for the extra thirsty!

12. Reusable Straw -The Last Company- £12

I just love these portable telescopic straws by London based business The Last Company. Each one comes in it's own keychain holder so you can easily attach it to a belt, bag or your keys. Made from food grade stainless steel and includes a brush for easy cleaning. They are also a 1% for the Planet company which means part of your money will go directly to Ocean Preservation Charities.

I hope I've inspired you to make some easy plastic-free swaps to your festival essentials. If you have any other useful tips please drop me a comment!

Happy festivalling!!