Hi, I'm Janta, a culture & arts student from Riga, Latvia. I'm currently spending the summer in Berlin interning at WAYKS. I consider myself a climate advocate and believe that there are many easy steps we all can take to be more environmentally conscious. We only have one shot at this planet, and while it's important to have fun, let's do it in a mindful way.

I had my first festival experience when I was 17 years old. My mother had gifted me tickets to a popular Latvian festival called LABA DABA (Good Nature), which has a real hippie feel to it. After a fun weekend, I couldn't trust my eyes, when I woke up. What had been a lovely field of grass just two days before was now covered in empty bottles, cigarette buds, half-eaten food, and strangely, a lot of lonely shoes. You'd think that people who attend a festival called "Good Nature" would clean up after themselves, right? 

For this year's festival trip, I challenged myself to pack light and choose more sustainable, reusable options. In this post you'll find minimalist, eco-minded camping products, which I came across while doing my research. Some may be better suited to a "glamping budget", but they could also be a great gift idea. Also, remember that every item we replace with a greener alternative is a step in the right direction, so don't worry about being a perfectionist.

1. The Toiletries

A cold shower can be an excellent hangover cure, so I strongly advise you to plan your festival cleaning routines carefully. If the festival offers outdoor showers, bring a pair of rubber sandals, and a light, quick-drying microfibre towel.

• Towel
• Sunscreen
• Hand Sanitiser
• Toilet paper 
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Herbal Mouth Wash 
• Hairbrush
• Nail Clippers + Tweezers
• Mirror
• (Light Foundation with SPF)
• Solid Hand Soap
• Shampoo Bar
• Aluminum Soap Tin
• Solid Body Butter
• Deodorant Cream
• Nail Brush

KLAR Seifen - Solid Soap & Shampoo Bars 

I recently discovered solid, plastic-free toiletries and love how compact and travel-friendly they are. KLAR Seifen, Germany's oldest soap manufacturer, has since become my favourite soap brand. They have been producing natural, solid soaps, shampoo bars, and shaving soap for over 180 years. All of the products are vegan, free of micro plastic, and are wrapped in paper. In most products, palm oil is replaced with high-quality olive oil, and the majority are COSMOS certified natural cosmetics.

Get 15% discount on all KLAR Seifen products

The lovely team behind KLAR Seifen offered WAYKS followers a very special deal on all KLAR Seifen products. Simply use the code WAYKS+KLAR at checkout for 15% discount on all products. Yay!

I store hand soap + shampoo bar in aluminum tins, which come with an integrated drainage grid. The body butter with Argan oil and fig not only moisturises the skin, but also makes it an ideal travel companion thanks to its compact, leak-proof design. The alcohol / aluminium free deodorant cream protects with natural sodium bicarbonate and the wooden nail brush will clean even the dirtiest festival hands.

2. Camping gear

Before heading to the festival, apply an eco-friendly, UV & water-repellent spray to your tent and rain gear to improve weatherproofness, fabric durability, and color fastness. Spotted a tear or hole in the tent? Use this transparent tape to easily fix your gear and avoid bad surprises. 

• 2-Second, Fresh & Black Tent
• Nikwax Solar Wash Spray
• Tear Aid Repair Kit
• Yoga or sleeping mat
• Compact Air Pump (if the mat is inflatable)
• WAYKS Mat Strap (to attach the mat to your backpack)
• Pillow Case (use clothes as filler)
• WAYKS Packing Cube (to compress blanket + pillowcase)
• Foldable compact chair
• Insulated cup ( keeps your morning drink hot)
• Collapsible water bottle (for daily refills on the festival ground)
• Camping Stove + Pan
• Reusable Camping Cutlery & Plates
• Solar-powered Head Torch 
• Solar-powered lamp
• Portable Phone Charger
• Reusable lunch box
• Rope & wire (as clothesline for wet towels)
• Bin Bags 
• Apple Air Tag (to find your tent at night if you don't have a camp flag ;)
• Emergency blanket

3. First Aid Kit

If you want to still feel fresh on the last day of the festival, you might need these items to help you sleep better.

• Ear Plugs
• Sleeping Mask
• Mosquito Repellent
• Bandaids against blisters
• Mosquito Bite Treatment (uses heat to kill the itch by connecting to iPhone!)
• Hot Patch (for sore necks or cold feet)
• Water Mist Bottle (For hot summer days: Empty a glass spray bottle, e.g. small deodorant, and fill it with water. Spray your body with the fine mist to help it cool down)

4. Festivals & Nature's Eco System

Smaller, more intimate festivals set in natural reserves are growing in popularity. Mother Nature may enjoy throwing a good party, but she does not deserve to pay the price for someone else's negligence.

At the Lakeside

It's tempting to swim in the lake after a good dance, but remember that washing yourself in it with soap and shampoo is a no-no. Applying sunscreen before swimming in a natural reserve is also harmful to the water's ecosystem.

Konfetti & Glitter

Konfetti and festivals may seem like a match made in heaven, but I'm sorry to say that it essentially means dispersing tiny bits of microplastic into nature. If you can't get rid of your glitter addiction, opt for compostable alternatives.

• Compostable Konfetti with flower seeds
• Biodegradable Glitter

Smoking & Cigarette Butts 

Smoking is not only bad for our health, but it's also harmful for the environment, especially when cigarette butts end up on the ground. Needless to say, they are also a significant fire hazard. If you smoke, keep an ashtray with you.

• Portable ashtray

Wet Wipes

They are so convenient and refreshing but are typically made of plastic, clog toilets, and create a lot of trash. Replace disposable wipes with a flannel and water. You can even make your own reusable wipes by soaking squares of fabric ( e.g. old t-shirt) in boiling water with aloe vera, witch hazel, Castille soap, and essential oil, according to this article. Simply seal them in a lunchbox or zip lock bag. If you can't live without your disposable wipe try these:

• Decomposable Wet Wet Wipes

Even biodegradable Wet Wipes don't belong in the toilet. Always dispose of it in the trash to avoid clogging pipes.

Use the toilets, not nature

Visiting the loo may be the least enjoyable aspect of a festival, and waiting in line for it may rank second. However, doing your business in the bushes or water is not good for Mother Nature.

If you can't use a urinal to relieve yourself, you might want to try this:

• EasyPee (Why does it always have to come in pink, tho?!)

Have to deal with your period during a festival weekend? Replace tampons and liners with a Menstrual Cup for longer peace of mind and less waste. No water or sink in sight? For the weekend, cleaning your cup with biodegradable wipes is sufficient. For extra protection, choose leakproof panties and store them in a sealable bag.

• Silicon Menstrual Cup
• Cup Wipes
• Period Panties
• Wet Bag

5. The Festival Bags

The Travel Backpack

Now that you've gathered all of your equipment, you'll need to find the perfect bag to house it all. The WAYKS Travel Backpack has a detachable bottom compartment that helps organise your toiletries. "The Cube" also functions as a cooler bag, keeping your drinks chilled, while camping. The Backpack opens like a suitcase, which makes packing easy-peasy and gives you quick access to all your stuff.

Tip: use the Cube Inlay for added insulation.

• WAYKS Travel Backpack
• WAYS Cube Inlay

The Sling & Hip Bag

The Sling Combo is a transformable, sustainably made Crossbody Bag that converts into a Tote Bag, Backpack + detachable, smaller Hip Bag. 

The Sling protects your sunglasses in a padded pocket. It can be extended to store a water bottle and some warmer clothes for the evening dance. The Sling Mini is ideal for storing your essentials like phone, lip balm, and sun screen. Now available in a coated, waterproof material, you can easily wipe off any festival dirt, and the bags look brand new again.

• WAYKS Sling Combo
• WAYKS Sling
• WAYKS Sling Mini

Packing Cubes 

Packing Cubes are made for festivals. They not only help you to save space in the bag but also keep the tent looking clean and organised. I usually pack one outfit per packing cube, so even with a slow head, I can remember what to wear.

WAYKS Compression Packing Cubes

 

 

6. Clothes & Footwear

Because festivals have a bad habit of falling on either the hottest days of the year or a rainy, cold weekend, checking the weather forecast is a crucial part of the planning. Choose light fabrics made of natural materials such as cotton or linen in earthy colours to keep you cool in hot weather. Layering helps you stay warm on chillier days and allows you to mix and match items while packing less.

• Basic Tops & T-Shirts
• Loose Blouse or Hoodie
• Socks & Underwear
• Shorts / Skirt
• Loose Pants
• Rain Coat / Poncho
• Sun Hat
• Mud and waterproof Boots / Sneakers
• Spare pair of COMFORTABLE shoes (Day 2 will be way less fun if all you can think about are the blisters on your heels)

7. Snacks & Drinks 

A cup of coffee a day keeps the doctor away. Or something like that... If you can't live without your specialty brew, try a Specialty Instant Coffee on your next festival.

• Bio Specialty Instant Coffee to Go 
• Prosecco with a social cause 

8. Share Your Hacks

Are we missing something? Do you have festival tips or hacks you would like to share with us? We'd love to read from you in the comments section below.

Happy dancing!

Janta & Leonie