Taking Off with Upcycling: Sustainable Uses of Retired Planes

Upcycling airplane parts and interiors, and uniforms, presents a planet-friendly and intriguing method to manage airline waste. Given the durability of aircraft materials, capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions, these components are ideal for leading a second life as various products. Similarly, upcycling cabin crew and pilot uniforms helps divert discarded textiles from landfills, contributing to environmental sustainability. This process preserves resources and also sparks creativity in aviation repurposing. Below, we list global airlines that have taken on the challenge of fully upcycling decommissioned aircraft and its interiors into a diverse range of products.

EMIRATES

Upcycled Backpacks

Dubai, UAE-based Emirates Airlines often engages in sustainable activities and continues to lead with innovative initiatives. On World Environment Day this year, they announced a generous donation of thousands of children's backpacks made from upcycled aircraft interiors to communities in Asia and Africa. These backpacks are crafted from a limited edition capsule collection, with each bag meticulously fashioned by Emirates Engineering Team's 14 skilled tailors. The team repurposed durable seat fabric from over 50,000 kilograms of scrap materials collected from 191 aircraft undergoing cabin refreshes.

(Image credit: Emirates Upcycled Backpack Collection)

LUFTHANSA

Upcycled Aircraft Furniture & Accessories

Lufthansa, a Germany-based airline, launched an upcycled collection back in 2019. This initiative focused on the creative reuse of retired airplane materials, transforming them into durable and long-lasting furniture and accessories for home decor. The collection includes uniquely designed furniture, such as coffee tables crafted from airplane parts and wall bars retaining the airline windows shape. The accessories range repurposed seat covers and blankets into robust bags, maximising the use of aircraft materials and diverting valuable resources from waste to produce one-of-a-kind, planet-friendly products.

(Image credit: Lufthansa Upcycled Collection - Furniture and Accessories)

KOREAN AIR

Upcycled Amenity Kits

In 2023, Korean Air introduced a unique initiative by upcycling retired cabin life vests into amenity kits, transforming them into makeup pouches. This sustainable project was a collaboration between the airline and a beauty brand named '107', resulting in the creation of upcycled makeup pouches designed for travel essentials. Korean Air continually explores ways to upcycle materials from its operations, to reduce massive amounts of waste. The life vests were given a second life as compact, high-quality, and durable organisers. Beyond these sustainable pouches, Korean Air committed to donating the proceeds from this project to an environmental organisation.

(Image credit: Korean Air x 107 Upcycled Amenity Kits)

Upcycled First Aid Kit

In the same year, Korean Air launched an upcycling initiative that repurposed cabin crew and pilot uniforms into first aid kits. Instead of discarding these uniforms, they were repurposed into 500 sturdy pouches, which were then donated to a senior welfare center and a school in Korea. This initiative served two noble causes: environmental conservation and community support. Korean Air's sustainable efforts continuously focus on minimising waste and maximising the use of existing resources, giving them a second life and upcycling them into valuable products that benefit both the environment and community well-being.

(Image credit: Korean Air Upcycled First Aid Kits)

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Upcycled Aircraft Life Vests and Seat Belts

Singapore Airlines, in partnership with a popular Singaporean fashion accessory label named Tocco Toscano, launched the Tos x Sia collection in 2021. This special edition collection includes bags, wallets, small mobile bags, and clutches, as well as coasters—all eco-friendly and specifically designed to be vegan-friendly. These products are upcycled from life vests and seat belt buckles sourced from Singapore Airlines' retired aircraft, showcasing the importance of upcycling and the potential to create high-quality, fashionable products by repurposing existing materials.

(Image credit: Singapore Airlines x Tocco Toscano Upcycled Collection)

AIR ASTANA

Donated Aircraft Furniture

Air Astana of Kazakhstan is contributing to sustainability through its "Upcycling for the Future" project, donating upcycled furniture made from used aircraft parts to Almaty Airport. Local artists repurposed parts from Airbus and Boeing interiors to create unique furniture pieces. These pieces, now placed in the airport terminals, serve as a reminder to passengers of the importance of sustainability and the innovative use of existing resources to extend their lifetime and promote environmental consciousness.

(Image credit: Air Astana and Almaty Airport Kazakhstan)

The initiative of upcycling by airlines represents a waste-reducing step towards sustainability and innovation in the aviation industry. By transforming retired aircraft parts and uniforms into new, useful products, airlines are setting a precedent for environmental responsibility and resourcefulness. This offers an inspiring example of how aviation industries can creatively repurpose materials. As more airlines join this movement, upcycling could become a standard practice, promoting a greener future and demonstrating the potential for industry-wide impact on environmental preservation.