Thursday 11 August 2016

Pack Less This Holiday Season With Unbound Apparel

We're now in peak holiday season. For most of us that means figuring out how much of our lives we can cram into suitcases, hopefully avoiding the weight restrictions.

Now, I could get all preachy and talk about how ethically unsound the whole process of going on holiday is. We buy a load of new clothes, towels and lotions, much of which will be used a couple of times before going back into landfill. We jam onto overloaded planes that use millions of gallons of precious fuel a year, descending on previously unspoilt resorts that are now polluted hellholes of nasty bars and cheap hotels.

I could do that, but it would be uncouth.

Instead, let's talk about a new initiative taking off on IndieGoGo that might just lessen the environmental load a little bit. Unbound Apparel takes the idea of holiday packing, and applies the 'less is more' principle to it in a really innovative way.

Think about how you pack for a fortnight away. Half the weight in your suitcases is down to the two weeks worth of clothes that has to go in there. 14 days-worth of pants, socks and base layers. Reducing that load would go a long way towards dropping the amount you take away with you.

Unbound Apparel has created a simple kit that could shrink that two-week load down to a single set of pants, socks and t-shirt. The garments are made from merino wool, which is naturally moisture-wicking and odour-repellent. In simple terms, clothes made from merino stay fresh, wrinkle-free and wearable for weeks. Unless you accidentally spill moussaka down your top, there's no need to wash them. Even then, merino rinses easily and dries in a flash.

Normally, merino is hideously expensive. Not surprising, really–it's a highly prized fibre, normally used for high-performance active wear. But the team behind Unbound Apparel have done that crowd-fundy thing of cutting out the middleman. This means they can offer a set of undies, socks and t-shirt for $110. That's fifty percent saved on the normal retail price of this sort of item. The t-shirt is simply styled to go with pretty much any outfit. The pants and socks are the best you'll ever wear.

Imagine cutting the usual two-suitcase load for a holiday trip down to a backpack. Imagine being able to blow past the luggage carousel and get straight on with your break. Imagine the savings on fuel if we all did that.

Well-known thinkers and leaders like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are famous for cutting down on their wardrobe choices, for devising a costume and sticking to it. It's one less thing to think about in the morning. On holiday, we will often buy a ton of new clothes that we'll never wear again. Sometimes, we don't even wear them on the break they were specifically bought for. This summer, why not spend a little more on gear that could be part of your travel wardrobe for years to come?

Pack less. Holiday more. Makes sense, right?

For more, check out Unbound Apparel's IndieGoGo page: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/unbound-apparel-the-ultimate-travel-hack--2#/?ref=10.go2.fund&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=10.go2.fund

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