Traveler's Edition
The company, Iconspeak, have designed a T-shirt to help travelers communicate with locals in the country they are visiting.
The co-founder of the company, George Horn, spoke of the inspiration behind the T shirt. He said that a breakdown on the road inspired the idea to create the communications Tshirt. Whilst in Vietnam his motorbike broke down in a tiny village, he needed help to fix his bike but no one could understand his English or French.
In order to communicate with the villagers he and his fellow traveler used symbols written on paper to communicate what they needed. This strategy worked so well, they continued to use it throughout their travels and in other situations.
They decided to transform their symbols into a wearable translation tool. They tested many prototypes and finally, after a long process, decided on 40 icons. They stayed away from religious symbols or anything that could be considered offensive. Some of the icons that made the final design are: toilet, WiFi, plane, medical care, and bus.
On your next flight to Japan or any non-English speaking city be sure to pick up this t-shirt to prevent any communication barriers.
