Clothing optional. You may not need to pack clothes if you fly Japan Airlines.
Japan Airlines is offering to check a big item off your packing list – clothing.
The airline is helping pilot a new service called Any Wear, Anywhere, which lets passengers rent all the clothes they need for their trip, so they don’t have to lug any around. The clothes get delivered straight to their hotel or vacation rental, then are picked up for laundering when travelers leave.
And it’s not just people who can travel lighter. Planes can also cut their carbon emissions by carrying less passenger baggage. A key goal of the service is improving sustainability.
Here’s what travelers should know.
Who can use this service?
Any Wear, Anywhere is only available to travelers flying to Japan on Japan Airlines through Aug. 2024.
How does it work?
Travelers can reserve their clothing up to two weeks before their trips on Any Wear, Anywhere’s website. It will be delivered straight to their hotel.
At the end of their stay, they can simply put the clothing back in the garment bag it came in and leave it at the hotel’s reception desk.
Travelers who stay at vacation rentals may need to set up arrangements with property owners.
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How much does it cost?
Rentals start at $28 for a selection of 3 tops and 2 bottoms. Sets vary by pieces of clothing and season.
Shipping is included in the rental fee, and cancellations are free when done at least 7 days in advance.
Is everything cleaned?
The company says all items are washed and ironed before delivery.
How does it help the environment?
Japan Airlines allows economy passengers to check up to two pieces of checked luggage, weighing up to 50 pounds each.
According to Any Wear, Anywhere, reducing baggage by roughly 22 pounds (10 kg), can cut carbon emissions by about 16.5 pounds (7.5 kg) on flights between Tokyo and New York. That’s equivalent to running a hair dry for 10 minutes a day for 78 straight days, according to the company.
Any Wear, Anywhere says its rentals also help improve sustainability within the fashion industry by extending the life of apparel sourced from overstock and clothing that would be otherwise discarded.
Any Wear, Anywhere is operated by Sumitomo Corporation, a Japanese company which, according to its website, aims to “achieve sustainable growth for itself as well as for society by providing solutions to social issues, effectively anticipating future changes and utilizing its strengths.”
Japan Airlines’ parent company JAL Group has also committed to contributing “to the realization of a sustainable society by working to solve social issues through our business activities," according to its website.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Japan Airlines lets travelers leave their (packed) clothes at home