Ultimate Holiday Packing List

It’s that time of year when we start to get the swimming trunks out from the back of the draw and the old bat and ball we’ve had for years because this only means one thing… Holiday! Although, with the weather in England at the moment, we don’t blame you if you just want a staycation instead. But what do you actually need for your holiday? We have accumulated the top items that we think you can’t fly without… 

1. Sunscreen

Before you even think about packing your pants and socks, don’t forget about sunscreen. The sun is the leading cause of premature ageing, plus it has some pretty horrible health problems associated with it too. But what SPF should you be using? While there are many different brands and factors on the market, we would always suggest a minimum of SPF 30, ideally going for factor 50. 

Consumers are often thought to believe that the higher the factor, the less likely you are to tan - this is simply not the case, all this means is that for an SPF 50 you will have to apply it less frequently than you would for an SPF 20. It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you tan or burn, both are forms of sun damage, the guidance from Cancer Research UK suggests that you should avoid the sun when it's at its hottest, between the hours of 11:00-14:00.

2. Hat 

It may seem like an obvious one for your holiday checklist but hats are a real saviour in summer, from caps to bucket hats and not forgetting a classic wide-brimmed hat - they all protect your face and scalp from the sun. You need the widest brim possible, ideally no less than 4 inches. These aren’t often easy to find, check out Solbari. An Aussie brand that specialises in factor 50 clothing and hats.

3. Deodorant 

One thing you always need in the hot weather (or all year round) is a good deodorant that will keep you smelling fresh all day. In the name of sustainability, we have to recommend trying the Proverb Refillable Natural Deodorant which uses only natural, organic and vegan ingredients. The summer stink-proof deodorant is refillable to help eliminate single-use plastic, plus available in three different strength levels as no armpit is the same. 

4. Totebag

Nowadays flimsy plastic bags you would find in supermarkets are a distant memory, but that doesn't make the new stronger plastic bags any better for the environment. The ultimate summer accessory is a tote bag, preferably made from GOTS organic cotton - there are lots to choose from on Etsy, where you can add your own customisation. Throw in everything from your shopping to your beach towel and know that you are not carrying the weight of fast fashion on your shoulders.

5. Reusable Bottle

It's important to stay hydrated during the summer months as you will naturally sweat more to regulate your body temperature, which leads to losing more water from the body. You should be drinking between 2-3 litres of water every day with the consumption of more water on hotter days. We love the Ocean Bottle as purchasing a reusable bottle will prevent 1000 water bottles from entering our oceans. As a brand, they fund plastic collection centres in Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, with 372 communities benefiting from a formalised waste management infrastructure.

6. Beach Towel

Nothing says a beach holiday quite like an outlandish, bright and colourful beach towel, then add environmentally friendly material into the mix and you have the perfect summer set-up. Dock and Bay have some awesome quick-drying, reversible beach towels made from 100% recycled materials. Not to mention they have a range of different patterns and colours to suit everyone! The Proverb favourite has to be the leafy beach towel, for every tropical towel sold, they will donate 20% to the Rainforest Alliance.

7. Swimwear

Any holiday packing list would not be complete without all of the swimming gear, so when we came across Two Thirds, a true eco-friendly brand - with all collections pre-order only so there is no wastage in materials. Not to mention, the company is B-Corp certified, Climate Neutral as well as using recycled fishing nets and other waste materials from the environment. Now you can look good, while also doing good.