Sustainable Everyday Carry Essentials
Having a solid pack of gear for whatever you need when you’re out means you aren’t caught off- guard by what ever happens. The list below is of quality and stylish items that are a sustainable alternatives to everyday carry essentials. If you already have some these that work great, then keep ’em. But if you’re in the market for some new EDCs, well here ya go…
VINTAGE WATCH
Watches are a stylish staple every man should have. The majority of compliments I get on my wardrobe have to do with the watch I’m wearing. You don’t have to spend a paycheck to get a nice watch. There are a number of good new watches under $200. But having one nice vintage watch that you can keep forever is worth it. I have this vintage Omega Seamaster. I love the minimalist design of the watch, if you are going to buy a vintage watch make sure to do your research on what you want, model type, and associated mfg. numbers to make sure what you are getting is original. I would start your search here.
PHONE CASE
Don’t need much explanation for this. With phones being over $1000 now you need to protect your phone. Check out this case from Pela Case. These are 100% compostable, meaning when you are done with the case it won’t sit in a landfill for 500 years. Also the company is apart of 1% for the planet, which contributes 1% of profits to environmental organizations.
WALLET
Not your fathers bifold wallet. Most wallets today are thinner to fit in our seamling tighter jeans. You can go for this metal wallet below that also functions as a bottle opener.
Or if you do decide to get a leather route, buy something from a local leather shop in the USA. I’ve had my wallet from the company below for over 6 years and it’s still in great shape.
CHAPSTICK
Not much explanation needed here. Just make sure if your putting something on your lips, or face for that matter, make sure they are made with natural ingredients and not harsh chemicals which can be damaging to the body or skin.
SUNGLASSES
These glasses from Sunski are great. I’ve had multiple from them. They hold up well, are stylish, and are much more reasonably priced than other brands. They use recycled materials, have a lifetime warranty, and offset carbon emissions. I personally have a pair of their Foothill and Olema shades.
BOTTLE OPENER ON KEY CHAIN
I can’t count the number of times a keychain bottle opener comes in handy. Okay well that sounds like I go out way more than I actually do. But for real, it comes in handy not only for you, but your friends too. Check out Etsy for some great hand crafted designs from local artists.
REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE
Ditch the bottled water which is likely not cleaner than most tab water.Having a water bottle around as you’re on the go helps you hit your daily water intake and saves plastic.
UTENSIL PACK
Plastic cutlery is flimsy and a big single-use item we should be removing from our routine. Even if the fork says its compostable, it will still not deteriorate properly if you put it in the landfill bin.
BATTERY CHARGER
If you’re traveling or out on the hiking trail all day you’ll need some sort of charger. These Anker chargers have worked well for me and have accidentally survived a drop test on some rocks in Zion and only had a few knicks. Speaking of reusable batteries. Make sure to pick up reusable batteries for all your gear. Batteries aren’t cheap and you can save a lot by going to rechargeable ones.
If you want something even more rugged with an integrated location finder if you lose it, then check out this battery from Nomad. It’s designed for the outdoors.
BACKPACK
Lastly you’ll need some sort of bag to carry all this gear. Whether you’re traveling abroad, fly domestically, or commuting around town. A good bag that looks good no matter what you’re doing is critical. I personally look for something minimal and monotone. That way it will look good regardless on the outfit.
Solgaard
Is an ethically made luggage and bag company that works to reduce ocean plastic by contributing to ocean plastic removal projects and upcycles ocean bound plastics into gear. Photo of Solgaard backpack above
Paravel
Here is a stylish simple fold up backpack made of recycled water bottles.
Sandqvist
Sandqvist makes high quality products that have sustainable materials and transparent supply chains. They have a very good 4 out of 5 stars rating from Good On You.
Qwiston
The Swiss brand Qwiston makes bags with organic cotton and also has some backpack options made out of banana fibers.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you go out any buy all this. If you have this stuff already then great. No need to go out and buy it if you have it. But if you don’t or need to upgrade than these are good options.
Note: Now there are some EDCs I left out like a multi-tool or knife, so this isn’t a complete guide. Hoping to do a part two later.
