Japan Airlines to trial rental capsule wardrobe for thrifty passengers

Would you pre-order and outfit if it allowed you to travel more lightly. Photo / Screengrab, Anywear; JAL

A new programme will see some international travellers donning fresh threads on their arrival to Japan, as a thrifty model is trialled for certain passengers.

A clothing rental service called ‘Any Wear, Anywhere’ is now open in a trial for Japan Airlines (JAL) passengers who are set to travel to Japan by August 2024.

Through Any Wear, Anywhere passengers will be able to reserve a set of clothes appropriate for a particular season, size and style (choosing from casual, smart casual or a mix of both). After arriving at their chosen accommodation, their chosen capsule wardrobe will be available for pickup. Once the trip comes to an end, the travellers will return the rental clothes to the hotel.

JAL has partnered with Sumitomo Corporation to provide the service. In a press release, the two companies state that the programme aims to give travellers the option to minimise their luggage when travelling to Japan, producing a “more sustainable” experience within a “circular economy”.

The service offered by JAL aims to reduce waste, luggage and benefit the environment by allowing passengers preorder outfits for arrival. Photo / Supplied, JAL

The clothing itself is said to come from an “excess stock of apparel and pre-owned clothing”. The packages generally include a few pairs of pants, loose-fitting tops and a jacket (for the colder months).

Currently, a set of clothing will set travellers back ¥4000 to ¥7,000 (about NZ$45 to NZ$78), depending on the number of pieces included in the collection. That reservation price will include up to two weeks of wear and the cleaning fee. Those delivering and laundry services will be provided by Sumitomo.

JAL and Sumitomo suggest that the service will allow passengers to pack fewer items, meaning they travel with lighter suitcases and reduce the overall weight of the flights coming into Japan — theoretically cutting emissions from air travel.

JAL has said it will monitor the changes in the weight of checked-in baggage and verify the carbon emission reductions of reduced plane weight. It is unclear whether emissions from other aspects of the programme will be monitored (such as the postage for clothing and laundry emissions).