Meg and I have both been living with a mostly capsule wardrobe (defined here if you are new to the idea) for a couple years now but I wanted to try out a more extreme version during our travels abroad this Summer. Enter the Travel Capsule Project - 30 days of travel in which I'll only be wearing 15 different items (socks not included) while our family moves through Italy, Croatia, France and the U.S.
I also wanted to use this project to try out and spread the word about Cotopaxi - a newish outdoor apparel company focused on design, sustainable working practices, support of non-profits and innovation. We love their motto: GEAR FOR GOOD. They agreed to team up with me on the project and sent out a Teca windbreaker, DO GOOD tshirt, llama knit hat (awesome) and Luzon 18l daypack for me to use on the trip. (We already had a Chumpi travel duffel that we love.)
I'll be posting shots from the trip to our Instagram account throughout our travels so follow along here . I'll also b e posting more about the specific products here on the blog.
For now, here's what made it into the capsule collection:
(I wanted everything to be ethically produced but ended up using some items that I already own that were purchased before we started our commitment to only buying ethically sourced or used items.)
WINDBREAKER
Teca Windbreaker - Cotopaxi
(ethically produced,
2 POLO SHIRTS
Dark grey - American Apparel
(sweatshop free but based on what I've read recently I probably won't be purchasing anything from them again)
Light Grey - Hurley
(Probably not ethically produced - bought 4 years ago before we went ethical/thrift only)
3 T-SHIRTS
DO GOOD. Light grey - Cotopaxi
(ethically produced)
Dark Grey + Blue - American Apparel
(sweatshop free but based on what I've read recently I probably won't be purchasing anything from them again)
2 SURF TRUNKS
Blue - Patagonia Stretch Planing Board Short
(ethically produced)
Black - Hurley Phantom
(Probably not ethically produced - bought 4 years ago before we went ethical/thrift only)
4 PACT UNDERWEAR
2 Blue + 2 Grey - PACT
(sweatshop free, organic)
LONG PANTS
Olive Green - Lululemon Commission Pant
(seemed to be ethically produced when purchased but it's hard to tell with Lululemon. They are a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition but they don't own their factories so it's hard to trace its entire supply chain.)
2 SHORTS
Dark grey - Patagonia
(ethically produced)
Light Grey - O'Neil
(Probably not ethically produced - bought 4 years ago before we went ethical/thrift only)
KNIT HAT
Quito Pom Beanie - Cotopaxi
(ethically produced)
DAYPACK
Luzon 18L - Cotopaxi
(ethically produced)