Glastonbury festival-goers have been hit with a surprise rule change this year after organisers quietly updated the official packing guide, which bans a long-standing fan favourite in a bid to protect the environment.
The update, which was published on the event’s website ahead of the five-day celebration at Worthy Farm, has caught some attendees off guard.
The now-forbidden item has long been considered part of the unofficial festival dress code, with many fans relying on it to complete their “Glasto look”.
But this year, the item has been moved to the "what not to bring" list, joining the likes of disposable vapes, single-use wipes, knives, glass containers and gazebos.
The decision, organisers say, is part of a wider effort to minimise waste and reduce the environmental impact of the festival, which welcomes more than 200,000 people to Somerset each summer.
The banned item in question is glitter — including the biodegradable kind.
While past editions of the guide discouraged the use of non-biodegradable body glitter, the 2025 rules go even further. “Do not bring body glitter,” the site now reads. “Even biodegradable body glitter will not properly break down without being heat-treated.”
The move has left some fans scrambling for alternatives, while others are skeptical that the rule will be upheld. “Some people will take heed of this but they search maybe 10 per cent of people on entry so I reckon there'll still be glitter everywhere,” one attendee posted on Reddit.
For years, glitter has been a go-to for Glastonbury outfits, synonymous with sparkly makeup, sequinned capes, and anything that catches the sun across the hills of Pilton.
But in recent years, concern has grown over its environmental impact, with even “eco” glitter now linked to microplastic pollution in soil and water.
Glastonbury has long been at the forefront of green festival policy. Its “Love Worthy Farm, Leave No Trace” initiative encourages revellers to reduce waste, ditch plastic and leave the site as they found it.
The glitter ban is the latest in a series of changes aimed at limiting the footprint left by the crowds.
As the festival kicked off this week, attendees faced the usual mix of weather, with rain showers and muddy tracks making for a classic Glastonbury arrival.
While some queued for hours to access the showers, others took part in morning litter picks, collecting hundreds of empty nitrous oxide canisters littered across the site.
The use of “hippy crack” has also come under scrutiny, following its criminalisation in November 2023. Possession with intent to inhale is now illegal in the UK, with repeat offenders facing up to two years in prison.
The Pyramid Stage’s opening ceremony on Wednesday night drew mixed reviews, with many in the crowd complaining of sound issues. Festival organisers later clarified that the show — The Dreamweaver’s Journey — was intentionally unamplified due to licensing restrictions before Friday.
