Travels with a Wrap
Filmmaker and yoga instructor Jodi Smith shares her adventures with what is probably our most travelled travel wrap. I am rarely in one place. If I'm not making a film I'm teaching yoga or travelling to experience the unusual and inspiring. After my NZ passport and APEC travel card, my Khunu Travel Wrap is THE best travel item I own. From the deep interior of South American jungles to the busy streets of London - it travels with me everywhere. Ironically, my love affair with the wrap began miles from the Tibetan plateau, in the jungles of Guyana. Two years ago I was filming a documentary there, living in simple conditions for nearly a month with little to no creature comforts. In the intense humidity of the jungle I discarded my sleeping bag, which I found too hot and not breathable for the 30 degree + nights sleeping in my hammock, and replaced it with the wrap, which did an excellent job protecting me from the humidity and provided great ventilation. Although by the end of the month I had developed a strong attachment to the wrap, true love doesn't come easy to me, and it took a bus journey...
Climbing for a Cause
Khunu ambassador Stefen Chow climbing Mount Everest. In 2005 when Khunu ambassador Stefen Chow summited Mount Everest, he relied on the help of Sherpas from remote Himalayan villages to ferry heavy loads of equipment during his ascent. Sherpas (and yaks) form the backbone of many Himalayan expeditions, with the Sherpas taking huge risks to help climbers reach the summit. In recognition of the valuable contribution Sherpas make, and in response to the limited education facilities available in their local villages, a team of climbers from Singapore, including Stefen Chow, established The Singapore Mountaineers’ Education Fund in 2005. The Fund currently supports six Sherpa children studying in Kathmandu, and hopes to raise enough money to help pay some of these students' university tuition. Mingma Dorjee was the fund's first recipient. Please help Khunu support this cause that is very dear to our hearts. As a company that works with yak herders on the Tibetan plateau, we know first-hand how poor educational standards can restrain the development of young talent in remote areas and prevent people from achieving a better life. From 21 March, 2013, Khunu will donate 25¢ per new Facebook “like” to the Singapore Mountaineers’ Education Fund. One “like” represents...
The Yak Challenge
Khunu World quizzes Khunu co-founder Julian Wilson on the challenges of building a yak wool brand You were formerly in the British army and the financial communications industry. How did you come to run a yak wool clothing brand? I first came to China in 2005 on sabbatical from Hong Kong to learn Chinese. Following that my former boss asked if I would start the office of a financial communications firm in Beijing. After a couple of years running the office I realised that I was more interested in creating a business that produced a physical product and gave opportunity to people who needed it. Perhaps I'm naive and idealistic but I do believe that making money and doing good can be intrinsic and non-contradictory elements of a sustainable business. Why did you choose the name “Khunu”? We were in Mongolia looking at wool sourcing and manufacturing opportunities and came across the name. The Khunu name dates back some 1,000 years pre-Genghis Khan and was the term given to the collective of Mongol tribes when they first became one entity. It seemed to fit with the ethos and idea behind the business – an adventurous spirit combined with an inclusive approach...
Photography Tour Lhasa, Tibet October 23-31, 2013
Tibet....even in the 21st century the word “Tibet” conjures up thoughts of mystery, seclusion and adventure. Lhasa is
