How you can watch premium TV geo-blocked from airing in the UK through a designer BLANKET

One of this season's most unique collaborations has been unveiled: the VPN blanket.

The world–first design fuses digital freedom with physical comfort, embedding NFC technology directly into the blanket's woven tag. 

A simple tap on the tag with your phone will instantly open a URL via bluetooth, giving you a free month of Proton VPN. 

This will allow you to access content from more than 120 countries.

If you're a movie buff, you'll be happy to hear this means you can get around geographical restrictions and censorship – for example, accessing the US version of Netflix from the UK, or vice versa. 

The collaboration saw leading privacy-focuesd VPN service, Proton VPN, join forces with cult streetwear label, Aries.  

The blanket's striking design was led by Aries Founder and Creative Director, Sofia Prantera.

'The design is patchworked together like a quilt, with quotations, images and references echoing this feeling of otherness that accompanies even the most hopeful moves abroad, but also nodding quietly to multiculturalism, and how beautiful it is when cultures coexist, overlap and learn from one another,' she explained.

'The VPN Blanket isn't just about tech; it's about feeling close to the places and people you miss.' 

A VPN (virtual private network) refers to a suite of technologies designed to protect your privacy when using the internet.

It hides your real IP address and encrypts your internet traffic so you can browse privately, avoid being tracked across the internet, and stop your browsing data from being sold to advertisers.

You can also bypass censorship and access websites that might be blocked in your country.

Created with university students and expats in mind, the collaboration comes as research from Proton VPN found that 82 per cent of foreign students living in the UK report feeling homesick. 

What's more, 88 per cent of expats say that accessing content from their home country reduces feelings of isolation.

Ms Prantera, originally hailing from Italy, drew inspiration from wanting to reconnect with her birth culture.

'As someone who's lived away from home for years, I wanted to design something that captures the feeling of connection, that mix of longing and warmth you get when you find small reminders of where you're from,' she said. 

Morgane Leonardi, VPN Expert at Proton, added: 'Teaming up with Aries lets us bring together two seemingly opposite worlds, cutting‑edge security and everyday comfort. 

'The Proton VPN Blanket turns a simple, cozy moment into instant and unrestricted access to TV shows, movies and sports that keep people feeling at home. 

'Proton VPN isn't just a piece of technology; it's a comforting bridge that protects your connection, erases borders, and lets you stay close to the moments and places that matter most, even when you are miles away.'

The Aries x Proton VPN blanket is on sale now for £195.