If you’re like us, you want to be free. Free to travel, free to explore, free to pack light, free to share life’s adventures as a family.
But that sense of freedom doesn’t come easy for parents. If you’ve ever packed up your family for a vacation, you’ve probably felt a burdening weight trying to decide what your kids will need — car seat, stroller, a favorite stuffed animal or two, beloved nighttime books, and enough clothes to account for the inevitable mid-day outfit changes.
The good news? We can help you pack a little lighter. We recently traveled to Italy with our three-year-old twins to celebrate the wedding of a close friend.
And we were able to pack a little lighter, thanks to our merino tees, shorts, and hoodies. Our kids pretty much lived in their Chasing Windmills apparel for the week, and it made our lives as parents a bit easier…a bit freer.
We didn’t stress out when gelato smeared the front of our kids’ merino hoodies. We just washed them in the sink at nighttime with travel detergent, hung up to dry, and the hoodies were dry and ready for the next day’s adventures by morning.
We settled into a nice little routine — hand-wash our kids shorts and tees before bed and throw them back on in the morning. The best part about it? Their Chasing Windmills’ clothes looked, smelled, and felt fresh and soft after each hand-washing.
We can thank Mother Nature for merino wool’s natural super powers. Let’s start with its anti-microbial qualities. Unlike cotton and synthetics, merino wool doesn’t cling to stinky odors. Merino wool is also quick-drying, so you can wash it in the evening and wear it in the morning — a prerequisite for any travel-approved gear.
In contrast, I tried hand-washing a pair of synthetic pants on vacation, but unfortunately they dried slowly and smelled of mildew. I wadded them up, put them in the back of my duffel bag, and forget about them for the rest of our trip.
But not our kids’ merino wool offerings. No stink, wash after wash, day after day.
And as impressionable kids, our kids picked up on our admiration for all things merino. If they got wet splashing in a puddle after a sudden downpour, they’d smile at us: “It’s ok. It’s merino. It'll dry quickly.”
And that makes us a little more free when exploring the big beautiful world with our kids.
Our little girl, clad in merino and exploring an Italian plaza.