Did someone say Spring Break??
Any mention of spring break or beach trips in general gets everyone at Portside HQ hyped up 💪.
We want to help make your Spring Break 2023 full of cute bikinis, addicting books, and eco-friendly products. There are few things better than laying on the beach with your besties. With not a care in the world or a page in your smutty book unturned. So don’t harsh your own mellow by packing things in your beach bag that will produce a bunch of trash.
Because we are eco-friendly girlies and we don’t ride like that.
We built a list of 9 eco-friendly beach essentials that are amazing quality and will last for years to come.
Remember, if you can’t reduce, you can reuse.
A good eco-friendly product is made consciously with long term use in mind. So investing in these products are important and the benefits can be sweet.
If you spend the time researching the best eco-friendly products that money can buy, (like you’re doing right now; you rock) then you’ll be helping out the business owners of these products.
And you’ll be ensuring that you’re giving yourself only the best.
So without further ado:
Your 9 eco-friendly beach essentials
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Reusable Tote Bag 🛍️
This is where you’ll carry your eco-friendly treasures to the beach with you. There’s no shortage of cute reusable bags to choose from out there. But we’re going to toot our own horn and link our own reusable tote bags cause we’re confident like that.
At Portside, we have two different styles of eco-friendly reusable tote bags that double as an adorable beach accessory.
- 100% cotton cloth Endless Summer tote bag: simple, sturdy, summery. Can you really go wrong?
- Handmade crocheted tote bag: Handmade by one of Portside’s partners JacMakesThat: not to be dramatic, but this is probably the cutest beach tote you’ll ever see.
2. Reef-Safe Sunscreen ☀️
We L O V E to support other women-owned small businesses. And we also love keeping our oceans safe and healthy. So, reef-safe sunscreen is among the most essential on this eco-friendly beach essentials list. We want to highlight a specific product that we’re happy to support:
- MamaluSuncreen on Etsy: She makes her reef-safe sunscreen in Hawaii. It’s water resistant and includes some refreshingly natural ingredients like carrot seed oil, coconut oil, and macadamia nut oil. With an SPF of 30 (and no white cast 🙌), you’ll be protected from the sun’s rays. And the ocean will be protected from harsh chemicals.
3. Stasher Bag for Fruits and Veggies 🥕
We’re sure you’ve heard of Stasher bags by now. But in case you haven’t, they’re food grade silicone bags to store snacks. Take them with you on the go or keep them in your fridge or pantry.
- Stasher bags: They are a great go-to for eco-friendly food storage. Perfect for holding beach snacks like prepped fruits and veggies. Stasher is also a woman-founded and led company. A major pro to add to the list.
4. Sustainably-Made Beach Towel 🏖️
Want an ultra-absorbent, strong, soft, beautiful beach towel?
- Sand Cloud beach towels: These towels are seriously stunning and consciously made. Woven with Turkish cotton instead of the usual terry cloth material, they are sturdier and more absorbent. They’ll last you longer and be much more reliable at the beach than any ordinary towel. A superior eco-friendly beach towel, if we do say so ourselves.
5. Eco-Friendly Cooler 🧊
Ditch the styrofoam and grab one of these eco-friendly coolers.
- Igloo Recool cooler: Made from 100% biodegradable materials, it can fit all the drinks and snacks your heart desires. And it won’t lay in a landfill for a million years. Win-win.
6. Sustainable Swimwear 🩱
Searching for some cute bikinis? Look no further. You’ve already arrived at our next eco-friendly product suggestion. A Portside Swim Club swimsuit obvi.
Our mission is not only to provide a swimwear shopping experience that is inclusive and filled with intention. We are also massively passionate about giving you top notch quality products that are sustainably and ethically made.
Dip your toes in and click the links to some of our faves:
7. Plastic-Free Water Bottle 🫙
If you want an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic bottles, then this brand is the way to go.
- S’well Stainless Steel water bottle: This bottle is your perfect companion for a hot day. Even if it sits in a 100 degree car in direct sunlight, your drink will stay as cool as it was when you poured it in. It’s honestly a miracle. They come in tons of different colors and designs so you’ll be able to match your unique vibe. Your eco-friendly, beach chic, summer baddie vibe 😎.
- Stanley Tumbler: Another eco-friendly stainless steel option. This one is super trendy right now and has a different style than S'well. It will still keep your beverage cold as ice all day and even has a cute lil straw for easy sipping.
8. A “This is So Good I Can’t Put it Down” Kind of Book 📖
This is one of our favorites on the list because we are HUGE book nerds here at Portside.
I mean, do we have a million suggestions for this particular topic? Yes, yes we do. Can we list them all without you falling asleep scrolling through it? No, probably not.
Our favorite eco-friendly way to acquire our good reads is through a local library. It’s such a great way to support an important part of our society while also not contributing to overconsumption.
Reducing the books we buy by reusing books from the library. We love to see it.
We won’t give our full list of book recs, but here are a few:
- One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
- Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
In honor of Black History Month, here’s a list of 50 YA books written by black authors that are full of necessary and beautiful representation: Black History Month Reading List.
9. Cozy Sweatshirt for Chilly Evenings 🌅
When the sun goes down, you’re going to want an ultra-cozy sweatshirt to chill in by the water. Portside’s got your back again.
- Portside Swim Club Sweatshirt: Our lightweight sweatshirts come in 13 different color and design variations. So you’re basically guaranteed to find one you’ll never take off.
They are durable enough to wear every single day (trust us, we would know. We’re literally wearing ours right now) and soft enough to never give you that claustrophobic itchy feeling.
As far as eco-friendly attire goes, this sweatshirt will be your best friend this Spring Break and summer.
Other Ways to Stay Eco-Friendly this Spring Break
This list is the tip of the iceberg for how to live as eco-friendly as you can. Some other things to keep in mind while you are living your best life this Spring Break are to:
- Opt for reusable travel sized containers rather than small plastic single-use bottles. A great TSA-friendly option are these reusable container sets.
- Pick up litter off the beach anywhere you can. If you see a piece of trash on the beach, be a friend to the ocean and its critters and throw it away in the proper bin. Be sure to throw away your own trash properly to make sure it doesn’t end up with the fish.
- Always keep the “3 R’s” in mind when traveling. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce waste where you can by being mindful about souvenir shopping. Take advantage of your eco-friendly reusable products you’ve packed with you. And if you do end up with any recyclable waste, make sure it gets into the correct recycling bin.