Whether you are a seasoned outdoor veteran or a first-time camper, choosing the best camping gear can be the difference between a remarkable or a miserable trip. With the best gear, you can have hassle-free camping with a memorable experience.

From tents and backpacks to clothing, there is plenty of essential camping gear to enhance your camping expedition. The trick is to source your camping gear from sustainable brands that aim to preserve the natural world we all love. Sustainable brands provide products that strive to have no hard impact on the environment. Other brands incorporate ethical production practices while others participate in eco-friendly initiatives.

If you want to dive deep and be fully absorbed by the outdoors, it’s best to do so with eco-friendly outdoor gear. With so many products and brands available to you, it’s great to know how to differentiate the eco-friendly ones from the rest.

What Makes a Brand Sustainable?

Sustainable brands focus on selling products that have minimal to no harm on the environment. These brands have a purpose that goes beyond making money; to improve the well-being of the planet. A brand that has integrated environmental protection in its operations can be considered eco-friendly. The company style, business standards, and products and services must be aligned to improve the planet’s well-being. Sustainable brands aim to shape a positive future for outdoor life.

Here are some eco-friendly brands with the best camping gear and other essentials. Read on!

 Best Overall Sustainable Brands for Camping Gear

Choosing your camping gear from authority brands can be satisfactory. Here are some of the top all-around brands to consider for the best camping gear:

REI

REI is the ultimate brand for any camping enthusiast. It has everything you need to enjoy a camping adventure, from clothing and shoes to tents and water bottles.  REI stocks products made from eco-friendly materials that have no hard impact on the environment.

REI’s jackets, for instance, are made from RDS certified recycled nylon. Other products such as backpacks and sleeping pads are made from sustainable fabrics and recycled plastics.

Through the REI Product Sustainability Standards, the brand ensures products meet the Fair Trade Certified standards. These standards cover aspects such as animal welfare, environmental management, land stewardship, and chemical management.

Outdoor Gear Exchange

Outdoor Gear Exchange provides a collection of camping gear from numerous sustainable brands. You can get all the camping gear you need, from backpacks and sleeping pads to tents and hammocks.

Outdoor Gear Exchange sells handy camping shelters that meet the camper’s needs, including tarps and full-value tents, sleeping bags and tents, and cooking equipment that meet the camper’s needs. This brand is strongly committed to protecting the environment.

Sustainable Travel and Living

Sustainable Travel and Living ensures you can acquire eco-friendly gear for camping. The best camping gear from this brand include:

• Camping chair
• Backpacks
• Mat ground covers
• Solar-powered lights
• Reusable water bottles

Products from Sustainable Travel and Living are made from natural ingredients and recycled materials. Everything is plastic-free, from the material to the packaging. The brand’s gear is carefully vetted to ensure you are able to choose products that do not negatively impact the environment.

By partnering with other companies that utilize eco-friendly materials, Sustainable Travel and Living ensures you can sustainably enjoy the outdoor world.

Sustainable Brands with the Best Camping Tent

Regardless of your camping destination, your tent is always a home away from home. So, choose one that will give you a comfortable, secure, and enjoyable experience.

Vaude

Vaude is an innovative and sustainable outdoor brand. It’s a pioneer in promoting sustainability and offers environmentally-friendly tents made from chemical-free materials. With this brand’s tents, you can sleep comfortably without breathing in any hard chemicals or leaching them to the soil.

Vaude tents feature layers of cloth appended to shaft frames and fastened with ropes. These tents are PVC-free and feature an eco-friendly finish that protects you from the rain while keeping nature clean. In all its products, the brand finds alternative materials that have no negative impact on the environment and all materials are tested for their processing properties, durability, and overall quality.

Big Agnes

Big Agnes makes easy-to-use and highly intuitive tents from solution-dyed fabrics that are much cleaner and safer. With these tents, you can sleep comfortably and breathe fresh air.

Additionally, Big Agnes also provides other essential camping gear such as sleeping pads and bags, camping chairs and tables, and much more. The brand supports other organizations such as the National Forest Foundation and the Outdoor Afro that engage in sustainable, social impact initiatives such as conservation and recycling.

Sustainable Brands for the Best Camping Backpacks

Every great camping trip starts with a backpack to carry your gear. Here are some sustainable backpack brands to choose from:

Hamilton Perkins

This brand fulfills all your backpacking needs. Hamilton Perkins makes unique backpacks from sustainable materials. Most Hamilton Perkins backpacks are made from incredibly interesting materials such as:

• Repurposed billboard vinyl
• Pineapple leaf fiber
• Recycled plastic water bottles

Hamilton Perkins Collection was awarded among the “Best for the World Overall B Corporations” in 2017 by the non-profit organization B Lab. The brand is fully sustainable, and you can be sure you’ll find some great camping backpacks.

Eagle Creek

Eagle Creek has been practicing responsible manufacturing and sustainable design. This company makes camping bags of all sizes, among other accessories such as wallets, travel pillows, masks, bag straps, and much more.

Every product made by this brand is highly eco-friendly. It uses bluesign® approved fabrics and recycled materials that are not known to have adverse environmental impacts.

Besides using eco-friendly material, Eagle Creek participates in volunteerism. It invests in local communities through several volunteer efforts. The company also participates actively in community service through various activities such as community gardening, beach clean-ups, and trail maintenance.

 Sustainable Brands for the Best Winter Camping Gear

Don’t take chances when camping during winter. Bring the right gear that can help combat cold temperatures. Some of the best brands for cold weather and winter camping gear include:

Noize

Noize is a 100% sustainable outerwear brand for cold weather camping. It’s ethical and cruelty-free and is committed to doing no harm to the environment.

Noize specializes in a variety of winter camping gear, including animal-free leather jackets, parkas, faux furs, and puffers (down jackets). Other winter accessories include hats, gloves, and insulated mittens. Also, Noize provides some incredible boots, windbreakers, and raincoats all intended to keep winter campers insulated and dry. This brand is PETA-approved, and all its products are made from recycled, animal-free fabrics.

Save the Duck

Save the Duck has a transparent business model that ensures it manages resources responsibly. This brand is famous for its cold weather puffers and parkas, hooded jackets, and trench coats, intended to keep you dry and warm during winter camping.

This brand has a B Corp certification, meaning all its products are eco-friendly. Most of its products are made from recycled plastics. Save the Duck is committed to achieving carbon neutrality, and you can be assured of some high-quality, ethical camping gear.

Sustainable Brands with the Best Camping Clothing

The clothing industry can significantly harm the environment. Finding the best sustainable camping clothes is a powerful step towards protecting the planet. Ethical clothing brands are the ones that emphasize human, animal, and environmental welfare. These brands produce cruelty-free, ethical clothing:

Toad & Co

Sustainable outdoor brand Toad & Co has a collection of eco-friendly camping clothing such as coats and jackets, vests, hoodies, and jumpsuits. This camping apparel is made from reclaimed wood, recycled nylon, hemp, and organic cotton.

Toad & Co makes jackets and coats using the Insect Shield Technology that gives maximum coverage while also repelling bugs. As if that’s not enough, the fabric is made from recycled coffee grounds. It moves away moisture so you can keep warm.

Patagonia

Patagonia is a top sustainable brand with a wide array of camping gear. It’s a pioneer among sustainable outdoor brands, offering eco-friendly clothing made from recycled fabrics. This brand deals with outdoor clothing for men, women, and kids. Some of the best products you can find with Patagonia include:

• Sweaters
• T-shirts
• Jackets
• Pants
• Vests
• Hats

You can also get clothing for outdoor activities such as snowboarding, skiing, fly fishing, and climbing from Patagonia.

Patagonia participates in green activities such as the 1% for the Planet. It contributes at least 1% of its annual sales to initiatives tackling environmental issues. The brand is also B-Corp certified, meaning it meets high standards in the environment and social accountability. 

United by Blue

United by Blue is a sustainable, ethical brand with some great camping clothing. It creates camping clothing using sustainable products that do not negatively impact the environment. From recycled rain jackets to puffer bison vests, United by Blue focuses on providing ethical camping clothing.

This brand focuses its sustainability efforts on ocean conservation. For every product sold, it removes a pound of trash from waterways and oceans. Other quality camping gear from this brand include:

• Hats
• Camping backpacks
• Straw kits

United by Blue uses materials such as hemp, organic cotton, corozo, micro modal, wool, and Tencel.

Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is a Certified B Corp outdoor affordable clothing brand you can consider for camping clothing! It partners with other companies such as Polartec® that practice sustainable engineering to produce eco-friendly fabrics. 

The clothing line includes joggers and hoodies made from recycled plastics and spent coffee grounds. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified; it takes part in carbon offsetting.  

Sustainable Brands With the Best Sleeping Gear for Camping

After a long day of exploring the world, all you need is a comfortable sleep. Regardless of where you are camping, it’s always good to find the best sleeping gear for camping.

The North Face

With The North Face, you can comfortably hit the trails with confidence, knowing you’ll sleep in warm, eco-friendly camping bags. This brand has some of the most comfortable sleeping bags you can find. Whether you want an ultra-light sleeping bag for summer or a thick one for winter camping, you will find it.

The North Face is committed to achieving full sustainability. This is made possible by the use of chemical-free materials and responsibly sourced regenerative fabrics. The brand leverages innovation and technology to make its sleeping bags highly durable. Other sustainable camping gear from this brand include:

• Gloves
• Insulated jackets
• Beanies
• Boots

Through the TNF Renewed program, this brand shifts from the traditional production method to a circular one that embraces repair, recycling, and reusing to reduce landfills.

Nemo Equipment

Nemo Equipment packs eco-friendly sleeping bags and pads that provide not only comfort but also warmth. Most of Nemo’s sleeping gear is ultra-lightweight and super compact. They are thermally efficient and absorb cold faster, so you don’t need a mattress. The sleeping bags have been carefully tailored to provide perfect body fit.

Sustainable Brands with the Best Camping Gear for Dogs

Camping with your dog can be super fun. But beforehand, you need to ensure you have the right camping gear that makes the adventure hassle-free. Here are some brands to consider when looking for the best camping gear for dogs:

Ruffwear

Ruffwear ensures you can access all dog camping gear effortlessly. This brand makes products that can last many years. Ideally, it aims to build dog gear that inspires and enhances the outdoor adventure. Some of the popular dog gear by Ruffwear include:

• Insulated dog coats
• Collars
• Leashes
• Dog boots
• Dog beds
• Collapsible bowls
• Harnesses
• Windproof dog jackets

Ruffwear is dedicated to making the best dog gear, ethically. The brand sources bluesign® approved materials that meet high environmental standards and is committed to reducing waste at every point in the supply chain. 

West Paw

Since 1996, West Paw has been making a variety of eco-friendly dog products, from toys and beds to leashes and collars. The company aims to make the best dog products possible. Therefore, it chooses eco-friendly materials and ethical production processes.

West Paw’s proprietary Zogoflex® material helps make non-toxic toys as indestructible as possible. The company uses the IntelliLoft® stuffing for its beds and plush toys. This material, manufactured entirely from recycled plastic bottles, makes fluffy and cozy items. Through the more-recycling, less-waste approach, West Paw makes durable products with great designs and patterns.

Sustainable Brands with the Best Camping Cooking Gear

To try and match the convenience of your home kitchen as much as possible in your camping cooking gear. Here are some sustainable brands to get you cooking!

GSI Outdoors

With GSI Outdoors, cooking at the campsite doesn’t have to be problematic. This sustainable brand provides all the kitchen gear you need for your outdoorsy camping, from cookware and stoves to tableware and partyware.

Featuring thermal and speed efficiency, GSI Outdoors has made significant strides in practicing sustainability and fostering environmental stewardship. It works closely with various organizations in nature-friendly projects such as tree planting and the provision of clean drinking water.

Bambu® Home

With Bambu®, eating on the go doesn’t have to be a hassle. This brand makes a variety of eco-friendly dinnerware for camping. It emphasizes the use of organic products such as hemp, cork, and bamboo.

Bambu® Home is committed to eliminating plastic utensils entirely through embracing non-toxic materials made from nature. Some of the best camping gear for cooking include:

• Cutting boards
• Reusable bamboo straws
• Bamboo chopsticks
• Compostable plates
• Bamboo napkins
• Cooking and prep utensils

All cooking, serving, and feeding utensils have been certified by the National Organic Products and carry its seals. And, the brand is audited by LETIS to ensure it stays in line with its organic protocols.

The Bottom Line

Camping with the right gear helps you have an enjoyable experience. These brands give you access to some great equipment and clothing but they also take part in various sustainability initiatives that make a positive impact on the planet. With the best camping gear, you’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Disclaimer: Hey reader! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase using any of these links, we’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hidden Lemur is committed to promoting sustainable travel, and we only partner with brands that we believe contribute positively to that cause.