Andrea Kuvszun travelled to Mentawais with The Summer Chaser towels.

As long-time fans of Andy's feel-good tropical content created on her blog and Instagram page No Shoes No Worries, we were thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of her recent surfing trip to the Indonesian Mentawai Islands. Andrea is a surfing enthusiast and a yoga instructor based in Sydney, and we couldn't ask for a better-suited person to test out our towels.

Check out No Shoes No Worries' article written by Andrea below:

This eco-friendly towel is every surfing yogi's dream. (Andrea Kuvszun | Published April 22, 2020)

First things first, Happy Earth Day! 2020 has been a bit of a kick in the arse, but a lot of us have managed to see both good and bad in these times. Not to take away from the severity of this existential crisis and unprecedented global emergency, but there is one undeniable positive that’s shining a light on our current situation: The Environment. You may have heard by now about the dolphins in the canals of Venice, or pollution rates and air quality dramatically improving in major cities across the globe.

All Photography by Lia Turiano @lturiano

2019 Word of the Year: Climate Emergency.

Not to say that we were asking for it, but Oxford Languages described 2019’s word of the year as “Climate Emergency” last year. We can only take a guess at what this year will be. In the last few years especially there’s been a strong shift in millennial mindset, and the importance of our climate and the earth’s wellbeing has been at the forefront of minds. One Swedish school girl even inspired hundreds of environmental protests around the world — remember her?

“International travel is an essential part of our lives. It’s an aspirational experience that provides an escape from the mundane and gives us a deeper understanding of who we are. Yet, this desire for connection has a downside, resulting in carbon emissions, a staggering amount of solid waste generation, loss of biodiversity and often comes at an immense cost to host communities.”

— ANARA, FOUNDER OF THE SUMMER CHASER

Small steps still count, so let’s choose wisely.

Truth be told, as the article in BBC I linked above states, a global pandemic claiming people’s lives, jobs and wellbeing shouldn’t be the way to go about climate change. As small as our efforts were before, they were still a significant step in the right direction. Keep cups, reusable bottles, bamboo toothbrushes and BYO metal straws. It shouldn’t go unnoticed or unaccounted for. As that funny but poignant meme goes, “It’s only one straw, said 7 billion people”. Let’s make that 7 billion reusable or biodegradable straws then, shall we?

So in the spirit of making small but significant changes, allow me to take you back, pre-self-isolation days, for a momentary lapse of escapism. I have yet another item to add to your sustainable arsenal, and it’s one you’ll find extra versatile and useful.

Introducing: The Summer Chaser Towels.

Lightweight, Compact And Clean.

All Photography by Lia Turiano @lturiano

I discovered the true magic of these lightweight, eco-friendly travel towels when I took them with me on my last surf trip to the Mentawais. Particularly when you’re travelling, keeping things simple, practical and multipurpose is a time and space saver in your luggage. I loved taking this towel on my surf & yoga retreat because the possibilities truly become endless.

Not only was it a perfect accessory to securely wrap my boards with, in my — already ridiculously heavy — board bag, but the towels themselves proved to be super useful on a daily basis. From yoga to surfing or lazing around in the Indonesian sun, they were lightweight, quick-dry and, my favourite, sand resistant (As much as I love the beach, I just like to leave the sand there and not bring it into my bed).

The best part? 85% of the fibre content of Summer Chaser towels is made from PET recycled waste, such as those infamous plastic bottles we’re desperately trying to reduce. It’s good to know we can not only reduce but also reUSE and reCYCLE what we’ve already got.

If you’re curious about their production process, they explain it in a really cool and simple way on their website. Because if you’re on this website, I know you already love the ocean as much as I do. Being a sea lover goes way beyond wanting to dive in it every day. It’s wanting to protect it, too.

All Photography by Lia Turiano @lturiano

“My aspiration for The Summer Chaser is to become a go-to brand for conscious travel. Our mission is to enable sustainable habits whilst on tour through fun, easy to carry and multifunctional products that aim to reduce traveller’s individual impact. After all, we should care about the planet as much as we love exploring it”

- ANARA, FOUNDER OF THE SUMMER CHASER

 

Stylish And Versatile

The micro-fibre material is soft, almost suede-like, meaning the quality of the towel is this luxurious blend of practical and stylish. Since coming home to Aus, I’ve even had Scott, my boyfriend, fold one into his backpack for work so he can sneak in a surf or a swim on his lunch breaks. The fact that it doesn’t have the bulkiness of a normal beach towel is a really important factor when you’re on the go for the day. It fits and folds into practically any carrier bag. Better yet, I love the added detail of the corner pocket where I can safely zip up my sunscreen, phone and keys.

Use It At Home

While we can’t lay on our favourite beaches just yet, it’s good to know we’ve got sustainable options when the time comes. Until then, I’ve been using them on my yoga mats during my at-home stretches, or taking them down with me for my morning dips (We’re very fortunate to be able to go outside for exercise here in Australia, as long as we keep moving and don’t stand in groups).

“Consider this today for a better tomorrow”

The world is changing, has changed, and will continue to evolve with the decisions we make as a catalyst. More then ever, what we do now, most certainly impacts how it affects those around us later. We come to realise it’s the bare necessities of life that truly count. Like good friends and fam, your health, and maybe even some waves, a board and an eco-friendly beach towel somewhere on a secluded island ;).

More importantly, coming to terms with the fact that we really only do have one mama earth. There is no escaping her in times of stress or pandemics. There is no Planet B. So better start reducing that plastic pronto.

SHOP TRAVEL TOWELS 

 

About the author:

Andrea Kuvszun is a writer, yoga instructor and model based in Sydney, Australia. Her blog No Shoes No Worries is a salty destination for all things surf, yoga, travel and the beach lifestyle. It is a platform where she tells and shares stories of her own and others'. The purpose of her blog is "to inspire women to be strong, brave, adventurous and elegant in everything they do".

Check out No Shoe No Worries