AD – GIFTED PRODUCT
The lovely people at Paper Bag Co contacted me to ask if I wanted to try their ‘Leave No Trace’ Eco Festival Backpack which you can find here, and after researching what it was, I said sure! I was interested to see whether it lived up to my expectations.
– Small interlude here – I actually get asked to review things like this all the time: “Festival In A Bag” or similar, and I almost always turn them down. Some festival survival bags are full of cheap plastic tat, some claiming to be eco simply aren’t, and some are so expensive they are just not something I would promote.
This bag arrived in just two days, and I took it to Stowaway Festival to test it out.
The bag itself is made entirely of paper and paper derivatives (including the straps). It’s really sturdy, and even has a sneaky back pocket in it so you can put your wallet or phone in a separate not visible pocket. I was really impressed with the quality of the bag itself, I reckon I will get many festival uses out of it before it goes to compost.
The bag contains the following treats according to the Paper Bag Co website:
- Printed T-shirt: Stay funky with 100% GOTS organic cotton t-shirt printed with water based inks.
- Foldable Wheat Cup: Keep hydrated with the portable and biodegradable cup, it is perfect for sipping your favourite tipple from. Just rinse and reuse!
- Pocket for Valuables: A reusable bag isn’t complete without a safe place to store your phone and other valuables.
- Wash Bag: Filled with everything you could need to keep your hygiene tip top whilst you are away, the leave no trace wash bag contains everything from bamboo face wipes, body wash and beeswax ear plugs, to toothpaste tablets and a bamboo toothbrush.
- Cornstarch Poncho: As you can never guarantee the weather, these compostable ponchos made from cornstarch will keep you dry whilst also preventing the use of plastic alternatives.
- Biodegradable Glitter: Use our glitter made from plants to give your trip that extra sparkle.
- Loo roll: Well because… you can never have too much.
At Stowaway festival I used the bag to carry around extra layers, a water bottle, and a few cans of booze too. It was comfy and brilliant! It seems pretty waterproof too (from rain showers I mean) but we didn’t have the rain to test it.
As for the contents, my review of this festival essential purchase is as follows:
- The cup was a cute addition but was tiny, not the best if you’re using it for water from the taps. Good to pour a bit of wine into! Or ask to steal a bit of your friend’s drink. Still useful!
- The T-shirt is not something I would wear AT the festival, but came in really handy on the Monday when I needed something clean and comfy to wear home. The fabric really does feel lovely. Great homeward bound apparel.
- The poncho looks excellent and I have diligently brought it to the final festivals of 2022, only for it to not rain at all and render itself unnecessary. However it will be coming with me to any festival until I need to use it! Having a eco version of this is a godsend for those unexpected showers without having to carry a big coat.
- The biodegradable glitter was super cute and a lovely blue/pink/silver mix. I’ve used this a couple of times and got many compliments!
- The wash bag was a great idea. Lovely bamboo toothbrush that I’ve used, the ‘towels’ were amazing – a tiny bit of water and they expand to be about 40cm x 40cm and great for a face wash. I also used the ‘eco ear plugs’ that were made of cotton, I wore them in the campervan and got a great night’s sleep.
- The loo roll was yes just necessary! Great to keep in the bag for emergency moments. The number of times I’ve forgotten to pack a roll for a festival…
I can definitely recommend this sustainable bag to make sure you have the essentials for your next festival. My main joy was the quality of the bag itself, the eco versions of a poncho and the wash bag, and the comfy t-shirt to travel home in.