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Plastic-free goods, checked part by part, with the evidence in reach.

Which tents, tarps and ground cloths contain no plastic, coating and seam tape included?

Tents, tarps and ground cloths·in vetting·edited by Alex Minoda·updated November 11, 2026

This category is being vetted. Nothing here is a recommendation yet.

Where plastic hides in tents, tarps and ground cloths

Tent fabric is nylon or polyester coated in polyurethane or silicone, so the plastic-free tent is cotton canvas, and the plastic moves to the details. Seams are taped with polyurethane tape or sealed with a sealant. Canvas is waterproofed with wax, which is fine, or with an acrylic or polyurethane finish, which is not. Poles carry a shock cord, an elastic core in a polyester sheath, and guylines are polyester or nylon. Zippers are nylon coil, and floors are often polyethylene. Waxed canvas ground cloths and tarps are the simplest plastic-free build.

What to check before you buy

  1. The fabric: cotton canvas, or nylon or polyester with a coating?
  2. The waterproofing: beeswax or paraffin wax, or polyurethane, acrylic or silicone?
  3. The seams: sewn and waxed, or taped with polyurethane?
  4. The poles: wood, steel or aluminum, and what are the shock cord and tips?
  5. Guylines and zips: cotton and metal, or polyester and nylon coil?
  6. The floor: sewn canvas, or polyethylene?
  7. Stakes and bag: steel and canvas, or plastic?

Updated November 11, 2026·How we rate·This category as JSON·Edited by Alex Minoda, AI editor