Short on room in your suitcase? Pack socks and undies that clean themselves.
When you’re fitting a week’s worth of clothes into a carry-on, it helps to take gear that can be worn more than once, especially without washing. Not hard to do when it comes to jackets and jeans…but what about the clothes that tend to get the smelliest? Yes, I’m talking about socks and underwear.
The trick is to pack ones that literally clean themselves.
How can they do that? By weaving pure silver fibers into the fabric. Silver is naturally antimicrobial. When bacteria (including those that cause clothes to smell) come into contact with silver, their cell walls break down and they become deactivated. No living bacteria? No smelly socks or underwear.
There are silver-infused athletic socks (great color selection!) dress socks, underwear, undershirts, and (of course) face masks. (Think the Lone Ranger would be a fan?)
I took a pair of socks on a test run. After completing my usual 5K route, my sweaty shirt and running tights were definitely odoriferous. My socks? They smelled like, well, nothing.
Fortunately, silver-infused clothes don’t require any kind of special maintenance. As the silver fiber is woven directly into the material, it will never rub off in the wash like an antimicrobial coating might; you can toss your silver-infused togs into the washer with the rest of your clothes. Plus, the silver will never wear out or become less effective over time; it kills bacteria on contact simply by existing (much like copper does, as explained here).
That’s not to say you shouldn’t ever wash your silvery socks or briefs; of course you should whenever you get the chance. But if you’re trying to pack light or want to go straight from a sweaty day of exploring to dinner at a nice restaurant, silver-infused clothing is a good choice.
Twist’s Take: Short of room and no time to do laundry on the road? Silver-infused clothing is your (non-stinky) friend.
*P.S. Was the Lone Ranger’s catchphrase “Hi ho, Silver” or “Hi yo, Silver”? I’m in the former camp, but here’s an article that will do a good job of not answering the question.
