Wearbnb: Tourists to Japan can ditch luggage by borrowing clothes on arrival

Carbon-conscious travellers to Japan can do their bit for the environment by renting clothing for their trip, under a new scheme by the country's national airline.

Japan Airlines kicked off the year-long pilot project on Wednesday, saying all clothes used for rental will be second hand or sourced from excess retail stock.

Passengers need to book their clothing rental through the Any Wear, Anywhere service at least a month in advance, using their flight reservation number. They can select clothing by season, colour and size.

After that, they can collect their clothing from the hotel or Airbnb they are staying in, and leave it there for washing on their return to the airport.

Items can be rented for a maximum of two weeks and prices start at 4,000 yen ($28) for three casual tops and two pairs of bottoms. The most expensive option for men and women is 7,000 yen – that provides five tops, three bottoms and a coat.

Japan Airlines say the option is sustainable because it reduces the cargo load on its planes, thereby using less fuel.

For example, holidaymakers or businesspeople arriving from New York could save up to 7.5 kilograms in Co2 emissions by reducing their luggage load by 10kg, the equivalent of running a hairdryer for 78 days, the company said.

The company will track uptake on the scheme and its effects on cargo loads to determine whether to make it a permanent option for travellers.

Airlines, hotels and restaurants in Japan are gearing up to receive more travellers now that Covid-19 entry restrictions have been fully lifted and the summer holiday season is beginning.

The number of visitors to the country reached 1.9 million in May, almost 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels compared with the same month in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation.