Japan Airlines (JAL) has kicked off trials for a new service called “Any Wear, Anywhere” that could take a huge load off travellers heading to the land of the rising sun. If you hate packing, lugging heavy baggage and dealing with a huge load of laundry after your trip, this clothing rental service could be something you might want to consider.
The “Any Wear, Anywhere” service is aimed at making air travel more sustainable by allowing travellers to travel light. Instead of packing your clothes, the service lets you rent your required clothing and you can return it on your final day. With 10kg less baggage, it is said that you can reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 7.5kg (Flying between Tokyo and New York), which is equivalent to not using a hair dryer for 78 days (10 minutes per day).
The clothing rental service is available for online booking on the official “Any Wear, Anywhere” website. The trial is running from 5th July 2023 until 31st August 2024, and it is open to JAL passengers travelling to Japan. A JAL Reference number will be required to make a reservation.
Once you’ve booked your flight on JAL, you can make a clothing rental reservation online one month prior to the rental date. Once booked, you can rent the items for up to two weeks. Your booked clothing will be shipped to your hotel or Airbnb accommodation. Since this is a rental service, the clothing isn’t new but all items are washed and ironed before shipping.
According to JAL, all items available for rent are obtained from excess stock of apparel and pre-owned clothing, which helps to promote the concept of a circular economy. By expanding the use of the service, the airline hopes to create an environment where travellers can use local options for all options of their clothing, food and accommodation, to transform travel and business trips into more sustainable experiences.
The service has a variety of clothing options for both men and women, and the rates appear to range between JPY 5,000 (about RM164) to JPY 7,000 (about RM230). You can choose from different sizes, combinations of tops and bottoms, and also for different occasions and seasons. If the size you want is not available, you can contact them directly.
At the moment, the service is only available for adults as there are no options for children yet. Obviously, undergarments are not included so you’ll still need to pack your underwear along with your toiletries.
To return the clothing, just pack up your items in the provided bag, ensure that it is zipped up with the delivery label attached, and hand it to your hotel reception. If the items are not returned within 2 weeks, additional charges may apply. In case you change your mind, the FAQ states that there’s no cancellation fee if you cancel at least 7 days in advance.
What do you think of this clothing rental concept for Japan? Would you consider this to travel light and save on checked baggage fees? Let us know in the comments below.
[ SOURCE, VIA, IMAGE SOURCE ]
