Items for Perfect Wandering — Gear That Makes Roaming a Joy
From Allbirds sneakers and Sony LinkBuds to a sustainable shopping bag by Design Studio Im Seongmuk, here are three lightweight, eco-minded items to make your wandering days more enjoyable.
With Allbirds sneakers, Sony LinkBuds and a shopping bag from Design Studio Im Seongmuk, life on the road gets a whole lot more enjoyable. They are wonderfully light, liberating and sustainable, too.
Words Parc Jinmyoung
Allbirds Sneakers
The surest way to turn a resolution to exercise into action is to buy new gear. A shiny new pair of sneakers will tempt you off the couch, after all. The shoe I’m introducing here is made of merino wool, a material well suited to regulating body temperature: the Allbirds Wool Dasher Mizzle. First, a word about the brand. Yes, that Allbirds, the one favored by former U.S. President Obama and backed by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Its materials come from responsibly managed land, and its fabrics meet high animal welfare standards. Every step of production is carried out in an ethical, sustainable way. Even the choice of merino wool for the upper reflects Allbirds’ effort to reduce its carbon footprint. When sheep graze, plants regrow, which draws down carbon from the atmosphere and increases the amount of carbon stored in the soil. With that in mind, the brand actively supports sheep farms and uses their wool as fabric. The midsole is made from sugarcane extract, the outsole is finished with natural rubber, and the ergonomically designed footbed is made from castor bean oil, all of which further reduce the carbon footprint. By paying attention to regenerative agriculture that produces natural materials, the brand cuts carbon emissions while also contributing to local communities, biodiversity and ecosystems.
The Wool Dasher Mizzle wraps merino wool in a water-repellent shield for waterproofing, and its natural rubber outsole grips firmly, keeping you safe on slippery surfaces. On winter days when the weather stays foul, it will clearly carry you anywhere, safely and warmly. As the reviews will tell you, if you have wide feet, it’s best to go up one or two sizes.
Wool Dasher Mizzle: 195,000 won
Sony LinkBuds
The age of wireless earphones arrived so long ago that wired ones are now called “nostalgia items.” Freedom of movement is just the start: wireless models have brought improved fit, simple controls, high-performance batteries for long listening times, and sound options you can tailor to your environment and taste. Bluetooth earphones are still evolving, and Sony’s recently released LinkBuds are proof.
Launched by Sony with the ambitious slogan “comfort you never have to take off,” LinkBuds stand out from the very first glance. These truly wireless, open-style earphones feature a ring design completely unlike earlier models nicknamed “bean sprouts” and “kidney beans.” Sony introduced the world’s first in-ear earphones in 1982, and true to that heritage, it drew on the wealth of ear-shape data it has collected to design earphones that stay comfortable even after hours of wear. Now for the features. The first to catch the eye is the upscaling technology of the digital sound enhancement engine, which restores sound lost when music files are compressed. It delivers a more three-dimensional, richer sound and deepens immersion when you listen to music or watch films. You can also craft a sound to your liking with equalizer settings, and support for 360 Reality Audio, which uses spatial audio technology, focuses on vivid, full-bodied sound. Another appealing feature is a noise-reduction algorithm developed by analyzing more than 500 million voice samples through AI machine learning. Even when it’s noisy around you on a hands-free call, it picks out the words you speak clearly. You can also check where the earphones were last used, which lowers the risk of losing them.
There’s more: adaptive volume control that adjusts the music level to your surroundings, tap controls, and Fast Pair for quick, easy pairing. The earbuds run up to 5.5 hours on a single charge, the charging case extends that to as much as 17.5 hours, and a 10-minute charge gives up to 90 minutes of playback. With everyday water resistance, you needn’t worry about sweat or splashes. Best of all, you can see the brand’s effort to consider not only performance but also sustainability. It limits the use of coatings and adhesives, makes the product with recycled plastic, and even uses recycled paper and sugarcane in the packaging.
LinkBuds: 229,000 won
Design Studio Im Seongmuk’s Shopping Bag
When I lived briefly in New Zealand, my greatest joy was a run in the park in front of my house before work. On the way home, I would often stop with my running buddy at a sandwich shop or supermarket to pick up breakfast. Climbing the hill to my door with groceries piled into plastic bags, I would sigh, ‘I should have brought a tote.’ For the smart, creative traveler, a tote or reusable shopping bag is a must when you shop. So here is a sustainable shopping bag you can pull out with cool confidence.
Made of Tyvek, which is resistant to water and moisture, this bag is thin and light yet can hold up to 7 kilograms. Tyvek can be sorted and recycled as plastic, so it is 100 percent recyclable. When burned, it breaks down into water and carbon dioxide, and in landfills it leaches no chemicals, making it an environmentally safe material. It comes in two sizes, small and medium, and in colors including white, gray and colorful patterns. Design Studio Im Seongmuk, the maker, also shares various ways to use the bag on its website. It’s great for wrapping gifts such as fruit, wine, drinks or small potted plants, and it can even be used for hanging plant displays.
I’d love to take this bag to Paris. I’d take a short walk in a park near my lodging early in the morning, buy a freshly baked baguette and finish half of it for breakfast. I’d slip the other half, uncut, into the bag and, on my way to the Centre Pompidou, pick up a bottle of wine, too. After taking in the exhibitions at dusk, I’d sit on the Centre Pompidou plaza with the baguette and a glass of wine. I want time like that, undisturbed and entirely my own (though the plaza is full of pigeons eyeing your food, so perfect peace might be a stretch). Special thanks to the sustainable shopping bag!
Net Bag: 18,000 won (set of 10 small bags)
