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With eco-product alternatives to everyday camping accessories now readily available, it would appear consumers have wasted no time swapping out items for greener, environmentally friendly options.
Using average monthly search volume figures over the past five years, here are the eco products that prove most popular with camping enthusiasts online.
- Popularity of range of eco-friendly camping products has increased dramatically
- Bamboo toilet roll sees 2833% rise in popularity over the past 12 months
- Wood burning camping stoves are the most popular eco-friendly camping products
- The growing number of eco campsites across the UK and Europe is expected to continue as the trend shows no sign of slowing down
Bamboo toilet roll is 100% biodegradable, making it an ideal accessory for eco-friendly camping while also being a highly sustainable plant that grows to full size in three to four months - which means it can also help prevent deforestation with around 27,000 trees currently current down every day to make toilet paper.
It is the fastest-emerging eco-friendly camping product in the market, with online searches up 238% in the past 12 months and a remarkable 2833% over the past five years as people search for new ways to camp clean.
Wood burning camping stoves also proved extremely popular, growing 519% in searches since 2017 as campers move away from using gas-based stoves which give off carbon emissions and leaving behind empty metal canisters which more often than not, are discarded in a none recyclable fashion. Whereas wood burners give off no harmful fumes or leave any waste that cannot be disposed of in an eco-friendly manner.
Bamboo is clearly the material of choice for eco camping equipment, providing a viable, eco-friendly alternative to plastics. That is reflected in Bamboo cutlery search volume, which surged by 306% over the last five years. Bamboo cutlery is much better for the environment than plastic cutlery which in the past has proven to be the choice for campers.
Eco sleeping bags also saw a 61% growth in the same period, showing campers are looking for eco-friendly versions of essential camping equipment as well as the more ‘optional extra’ type accessories. So what differentiates a normal sleeping bag from an eco one? Well, most available are made using 100% recycled material for the lining, shell and installation as well as being treated with non-toxic chemicals.
The only product not to see an uptake in search volume was solar chargers, however, it has remained consistently high over the last few years and shows no signs of slowing down as budding campers look for eco-friendly ways to charge their devices. Solar chargers harness the power of the sun to create electricity, providing an eco-friendly alternative to plugging into a campsite or motorhome outlet, which more often than not, will rely on an unsustainable power source.
Eco-products continuous growth in popularity has coincided with the increased number of specialist eco camping sites now springing up all over Europe. In the UK alone, there are now 161 ‘green’ camping sites and this is a number expected to continue going up in the coming years.
Camptoo’s Head of Wanderlust Ed Bassett commented on the growing trend: “It’s wonderful to see so many people take an interest in the environment and looking for ways in which they can improve how they live and travel and the camping equipment they take with them.
“We are keen to promote any ways in which people can travel while staying eco-friendly and would encourage budding campers to take some of these products and our research in general into consideration when planning their adventures.
“With a vast array of products from bamboo cutlery, composting toilets, recycled and refurbished campervans and growth in the use of portable solar chargers all now readily available at reasonable prices, making a few switches here and there can have a great effect on reducing your camping carbon footprint.
“The very act of renting a camper or tent is in itself helping the environment as are many businesses’ in the sharing economy.
“Rather than buy new, the sharing economy is changing the way people use and share their assets which is good for the owners and the environment. Camping in the UK is also saving on travel carbon footprint from travelling abroad and we look forward to more electric campers hitting the market
“Not only that, but the increasingly growing number of ‘green’ campsites popping up across the UK and Europe makes it very easy to find a spot and make your next camping trip an environmentally friendly one.”