Emirates Airlines can recover from each of its planes, about 270 kilograms of leather to make accessories. The airline presented a limited collection of suitcases, backpacks, handbags, belts, shoes, and other items. The material is then worked by artisans in Dubai ans the collection will become available in 2024 inside Emirates’ official stores. All revenue generated by the stream will be given to children living in difficult conditions.
Circular project
The material comes from A380 and A777 planes. All useful materials were recovered, from aluminum, to leather, to safety belts and even the fur present on the captain’s chair. There is an opportunity to recover up to 270 kilograms of leather and 627 kilograms of textiles from seats for each plane, says the airline. The process includes the disinfection of all recovered materials and, if necessary, the reconditioning of leather. Handbags are then given new inner layers and zippers.
The team and artisans
Emirates has a team of 14 artisans, charged with the tasks of repairing, sowing and fix the materials present on the airline’s planes. Now, 4 of them are fully focused on the upcycling initiative. They make products and collaborate with suppliers on functional ideas to reuse the materials. Given that every item is made only when an order is received, clients can request a laser incision to be made on the product, so as to customize handbags, suitcases, and other items.
The comment
“We knew these materials could be given a second life, because they were originally of high quality. We have challenged our team to be as creative and innovative as possible”, said Ahmed Safa, vice-president of the Engineering division of Emirates to Times Aerospace. Safa confirmed all income from the sale will benefit worthy causes through the Emirates Airline Foundation.
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