So fresh and so clean clean!
In March, coronavirus came through and canceled all of our travel plans due to quarantine. Since then, air travel has taken a steep dive. April saw a 73.7 percent reduction in commercial flights, which pales in comparison to the number of flyers in 2019. As travel restrictions are loosened, people are ready to catch flights, but without the scare of Covid-19.
Enter Scumbag, a Black-owned sanitizing travel kit created by Robbie Stanfield, founder of New Luggage travel firm. When the girl’s trips she’d been planning across the globe for Black women were unceremoniously canceled due to the pandemic she knew she had to switch gears to continue to support her clientele.
“I had no choice but to pivot, but still wanted to produce something with the same level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail with which we plan our travel experiences,” she told Because of Them We Can. “That’s why I created Scumbag. I wanted to offer peace of mind for travelers who wanted to take proper precautions to protect themselves and others.”
Although the number of travelers may be lower, The Points Guy explained that flyers shouldn’t expect fewer people due to some airlines removing middle seats and drastically cutting down service. Scumbag is a travel cleaning kit in a bag, the company promises the perfect “in-flight routine for the first-class germaphobe.”
Aye y’all! I found this Travel Cleaning Kit for when you get on the plane. And it’s made by a BLACK WOMEN! It’s called Scumbag! This is genuis man, I love our people. I copped 5 https://t.co/bQ8XnNbO9F
— SC/IG: Hail_Zel (@Hail_Zel) July 24, 2020
“I thought about all of the steps of the travel experience that we often encounter germs without thinking: Self-check-in, TSA security, our tray table while enjoying the mid-flight cocktail. You’d be surprised how many viruses live in these areas,” Robbie said. “I wanted Scumbag to include something for each of these moments. The kit includes antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, bin covers, and a travel cheat sheet to help folks navigate germy areas.”
As the United States begins to reopen, Robbie said that the biggest challenge has been increased interest in Scumbag, which has been steadily increasing.
“We are a small Black-owned business but the demand for a product like Scumbag is huge, she said. “Especially for companies that want to go the extra mile and care and buy in bulk for business travelers that have to continue traveling despite COVID.”
We stan a travel innovator, keep up the good work Robbie! To learn more, visit shopscumbag.com.