Aeroplane travel is an inevitable part of modern life, one tricky to avoid and damaging to the environment. Marina Testino, founder of Point Off View, a collaborative fashion/ art clothing brand, decided to set herself a challenge: to go on a trip with only a small carry-on suitcase. Not taking three trunks was a little action that she thought could go a long way in minimising the impact of flying. Marina wasn’t going on some weekend away, either – it was a two-month trek, covering not only beaches in Spain but rural landscapes in France and inner-city streets in England. In other words, she couldn’t just fill a bag with bikinis and get away with it. “I found it challenging when my key pieces were being washed; I had to be creative. I once used a denim skirt as a top.” It made her value what she had with her, though there were missteps: “I went to Saint-Tropez in my first week and lost a shirt at a beach party.” It’s the small things that matter when traversing the globe with carry- on alone. “You can fit in public transport instead of taking a taxi, which is quicker and more eco-friendly,” Marina explains. “People should stop caring whether or not they can wear the same thing twice, too, and consume with care,” she adds. “I was tired of having to pick a different outfit every day. With fewer options, everything was a lot easier.” And that’s the whole point of a holiday, is it not?
Marina’s top 5 packing essentials
1. Red striped bathing suit from Natasha Tonic,
handmade using sustainable hemp fabric.
2. White shirt borrowed from Marina’s dad: “When I asked to borrow it, he didn’t know that I would be away for the next two months.”
3. Refillable Que water bottle to avoid having to buy single-use plastic ones.
4. Pair of Ecoalf trainers, made from recycled plastic bottles.
5. Long green jumpsuit: “I wore it on a couple of dates with…
you know who you are ;)”
