Unclothed

I just ran across a bizarre news item. Japan Air Lines (JAL) wants travelers to fly without their clothes. They will, however, let passengers have the clothes on their backs. This scheme is called “Any Wear, Anywhere” and is about packing only your socks and undies. It’s the ultimate way to travel light.

So why is the airline asking customers to leave their clothes at home? The answer is weight. They claim the plan will save jet fuel and make the flight greener.

JAL is not asking their passengers to wear the same clothes they traveled in for two weeks straight. For a not-so-modest price of $28 to $49, they will rent travelers five outfits and deliver the clothes to their hotel or other destination.

I care about the environment, but find this scheme seriously flawed. For starters, clothes are a personal expression, and their selections are emphatically not my style. I’ve traveled in Japan and know that it is culturally correct to make yourself blend in with everyone else. Red dresses, flashy prints and unique styles are frowned upon. The outfits they have picked out for women travelers resemble uniforms for a girls’ boarding school.

Another problem is the source of their rental clothes. All outfits come from “excess stock of apparel or pre-owned clothing”. In other words, the traveler is renting leftovers or thrift store items. And the items must be returned after two weeks.

The benefits claimed about weight saving are also dubious. One critic notes that if nine people per flight sign up for the plan, that would result in a weight reduction of 90 pounds on a plane with a weight of 500,000 pounds.

It appears that JAL is really starting a clothing rental business. This silly greenwashing plan needs to take flight.

3