How one trip turned an idea into a company reimagining sustainable travel products.
A JOURNEY INTO SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL products
Mary’s journey to founding Lava Linens- a company dedicated to providing environmentally responsible travelers with high quality sustainable travel towels- came from a deep desire to follow her heart. This lead her on a journey across Latin America in which an idea soon turned into a reality.
Written by guest writer, Mary Swanson, CEO and co-founder of Lava Linens.
HOW IT BEGAN
It was 2014. Daily life was becoming very, very difficult. I realized I needed something to look forward to in order to get me through the days, weeks and months ahead and it needed to be big. Life had begun to throw some curveballs starting around 2005 and was snowballing from there. I was feeling stuck, bored and still a deep regret for passing up the Peace Corp years ago.
Like many who relish in the unknown, travel was the answer. I let my partner know that I was going to travel for a while because I needed a break from life and that he was welcome to join or just as welcome to stay home.
sustainable, ethical adventure
Once he decided he was coming along, we began discussing the usual questions around budget, length of travel and where to travel. We gave ourselves about 15 months to plan and save which meant we also had plenty of time to start exploring how we were going to travel. With a background in public health and global health, sustainable and ethical travel had been a focus of mine on shorter, previous travels and it needed to be incorporated into this adventure too.
Mary at La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina
beyond the destination
Something often not acknowledged is that ethical and sustainable travel goes beyond the actual trip. We’re a global society with complex interconnectedness. How we prepare for travel and what we do upon our return also impacts communities around the world. Yes, this means even the gear we purchase for our trips matter!
Our plan was to backpack for nine months participating in a variety of outdoor activities in various climates, across two continents. Because we also chose backpacks that were on the smaller side, we clearly needed to pack very smartly.
As we thoughtfully curated our gear for our various needs, we paid close attention to what the values and priorities were of the companies we purchased from, how the gear was made and what materials were used.
the sustainable travel towel
One product, in particular, proved to be exceptionally difficult to find – a durable, ethically made, environmentally responsible travel towel. We had just disposed of our microfiber towels and had vowed to never buy another. They are petroleum-based, they pollute our water and soil by shedding microplastics, they get stinky and they don’t last. After recruiting my mom who has a degree in textile design, she and I began researching what types of natural fiber materials may be ideal for travel towels. The answer became very clear very quickly - LINEN.
First, linen is grown from flax. When grown responsibly in its natural climate, flax is an extremely earth-friendly plant requiring zero irrigation, zero pesticides and it traps more carbon in the soil than it emits (aka a carbon-sink plant).
Second, flax fibers used to weave linen are very strong and hollow. Therefore, linen is exceptionally durable and very good at wicking and absorbing moisture while also drying quickly.
Lastly, linen is naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial so bacteria and microbes are not able to multiply and create that awful and inevitable towel smell that develops in cotton and microfiber towels over time.
While we found a couple of linen towels on the market, none were designed for adventurers. Premium level quality and durability are key to creating a towel that will perform and last in the more rugged of environments. Nor could we find a company producing linen towels that could guarantee that both the raw materials and the final products were produced ethically and sustainably.
from product idea to reality
Therefore, my mom, who has a degree in textile design, and I sourced our own linen and made a couple for the trip. Only a few weeks into traveling, I called my mom and sister from Argentina and said “The towels are fantastic! We need to make them for our fellow adventurers who are also desperately looking for a premium and environmentally responsible alternative to microfiber towels. They will love them.”
Thus Lava Linens was born.
a key opportunity
From the start, my mom, sister and I recognized that we have an opportunity and responsibility to play a key role within the realm of sustainable travel. Linen towels are where we got our start almost three years ago. As we move forward, we’re excited to be exploring additional natural fiber alternatives to many of the plastic heavy gear that consumes the outdoor and travel space.
What travel products do you wish a natural fiber alternative existed to help you fulfill your sustainable travel goals? Let us know and we’ll explore the creation of them!
Torres del Paine NP