Easy care travel wear without synthetics

Banish plastic fibers by opting instead for versatile hemp and tencel travel skirts, pants, and tops.

"I get ideas about what’s essential when packing my suitcase."

Diane von Furstenburg

Is it possible to travel with an all-natural, sustainably-made wardrobe? The answer to that question is, of course, it depends on where you’re going and what you’ll be doing. Sometimes those realities impose solutions that may involve so-called technical fibers. Given airline weight limits, bringing along that woolen overcoat may not be feasible. Doing things like backpacking also impose their own weight and bulk limits.

Clockwise from upper left: Anna is ready for a jaunt round town in a Tuxedo Top, Stovepipe Pants, and walk-worthy shoes. Stovepipe Pants paired with a Swallowtail Top make a fine fair-weather outfit. The same Swallowtail with an Angled Skirt offers a slightly dressier variation. The Princess Top and Flip Skirt pair nicely, and the Princess Top works well with the Stovepipe Pants and Angled Skirt too.

But well-chosen natural-fiber travel wear makes sense most of the time, even if you plan to bring along, for example, a down-filled synthetic coat or vest for top layer in a chilly climate. Travel friendly fibers such as the Sympatico  hemp/Tencel blend are easy to care for on the go, yet help keep you looking and feeling your best. In settling on the travel wear that makes the most sense for your journey, here are a few considerations for the natural-fiber fan.

• A travel wardrobe chosen for versatility can easily dress up or down according to the occasion with a little mix-and-match magic.
• For versatility, choose comfortable favorites that coordinate and mix and match well.
• Lay out your “short list” of contenders and weed out any with special needs like dry cleaning.
• Is what’s left easy to wash and dry on route? Culture- and climate-appropriate?
• Give new items a trial run before your trip to make sure they’ll work well—especially footwear! 

I designed the Sympatico skirt collection to be both comfortable and culturally appropriate while offering stylish, classic lines. They range from the Flip Skirt in both 20-inch and 24-inch lengths to the Angled Skirt, which many devout travelers love for its easy-striding cut and look. 

One of the brilliant things about the hemp/Tencel blended fabrics I use is their packability. I find that rolling items up for my suitcase works well. Upon arriving, I let the garments relax on hangers overnight. If I’m not at a humid destination, a little spritzing with water and hand-shaping is all that’s usually needed to get my travel wardrobe into a presentable condition. The hygroscopic action of the hemp coupled with Tencel’s softening, relaxing qualities work beautifully together. That frees you up to focus on what you came for rather than what to wear.

You can dig deeper with more  smart packing tips and download my packing check list here.

Where are you headed this year? I love traveling vicariously with Sympatico fans!

And if I use your  Travel Tale in a future newsletter, I’ll send you a $100 Sympatico store credit.