Take Culture with You. Show it Off. Be Proud

In a world where many have reduced themselves to not seeing color as a way of announcing their unbiased stance on race relations, I say BUMP THAT. 

Right out of the door I'll say it. As travel lovers and passport stamp collectors, you get to see color every where you go unless you are color blind. So why on earth would you choose to Not See Color? 

Its a privilege to see colors that occur naturally in nature, intentionally in designs and biologically on various levels of melanated skin tones.  Color inspires me and informs the rich experiences I enjoy as I travel the world. Is that not true for you? Yes is my best guess. Again, unless you are color blind.  

See me and my color

See the hues of chocolate within my family, friends and neighbors. From those deeper cocoa hues that cannot be mistaken for anything other than black to the hues resembling white chocolate where you might even see a vein or two. See the beauty and intricate differences in each of us. Take a deep breath. Swallow the richness and exhale the rest. Seeing our colors is the tip of the iceberg.

Now that you see our multitude of colors you can begin to explore our cultures and our humanity!  And that is why we started The Passport Hustle. 

Black Influence

As a traveler I realized that the influence of black cultures can be found all over the place, but far fewer things were being produced to celebrate us and for us to celebrate ourselves with joy and vibrancy. 

Similar to the natural hair and the beard gang movement, travel accessories can be an opportunity for self expression. So, we picked up the torch!

Our Designs are Inspired by

All of our design are inspired by creativity from the African Diaspora that has reached into the corners of the world. Our designs have been added to many travel accessories that will inspire you as well as your family and friends to ask you questions when they see it. And yes new friends count. Don't listen to Champaign Poppy.

Design A

Can you guess the location that these organizing pouches and mask depicts? Yes, yes y'all, that is Oia. Oia is a small village in the South Aegean on the islands of Thira (or more commonly known as the island of Santorini). Luxury travelers stay in the heart of Oia and you will see beautifully melanated women taking pictures in flying dresses all over social media.  Keep in mind, Santorini has beautiful beaches of various colored sand and textures all around the island. So if you are on a more frugal budget, pick another town on the island and head to Oia by bus or car for a day trip. 

Design B

This Travel Neck Pillow depicts an African fabric know as Ankara. Ankara as it is called in West Africa, and 'Kitenge’ in East Africa is often referred to as African wax fabric, Holland wax, or Dutch wax. The fabric is known for its colorful and vibrant patterns, and it has been said that each design shares the culture, traditions, and stories of tribes throughout the African continent. 

These elaborately designed fabrics are used to make clothing for men, women  and children which are quite modest. But lately the designs have found their way into high fashion magazines, on runways, as swim suits and and accessories including bags and household items. We've chosen to add a few select designs to Travel Accessories like the neck pillow shown above.

The mandala (circular packs of symbolism) patterns are very popular. You'll find plenty color combination with intricate details We've chosen this vibrant orange and refer to it as our Orange Circle of Life. 

Design C

The blue and yellow hues on this phone case are a depiction of Kente cloth. Kente cloth is almost always handwoven so we gave this case the look of real cloth. [Phone cases have been discontinued until we can provide a better balance of design and protection. This design can be found on other products as well] 

Because Kente cloth is all hand woven, it is not a cheap fabric. It is reserved for special events and celebrations of life and often passed down from generation to generation. As of lately you can find depictions of Kente cloth in various colors being used to make bathing suits, as shown by Kardi B during her visit to Ghana in 2019. 

We hope this gave you some insight into the inspiration for our designs. And we hope this helps you out when they ask you questions about your new Travel Accessories!