British airline group easyJet has this week launched its new range of recycled uniforms, made from repurposed plastic bottles. The announcement follows the multinational group’s wider move to tackle its supply chain impacts, with the company removing 27 million pieces of plastic from its operations within the 2020 financial year.
The new uniforms are made from 45% plastic bottles and reportedly have a 75% lower carbon footprint than traditional polyester. The new clothes are to be rolled out this month for both pilots and cabin crew. It is estimated the renewable garms will save around 500,000 plastic bottles from going to landfill every year, with this figure anticipated to rise to 2,700,000 bottles over the span of the five year contract between easyJet and clothing manufacturer Tailored Image.
“We are excited to be debuting this new pilot and cabin crew uniform made from recycled plastic bottles and to introduce it for our pilots and cabin crew colleagues,” wrote easyJet’s Director of Cabin Services Tina Milton in a statement. “We know that sustainability is an important issue for them and also for our customers.”
As part of its wider efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the airline giant offers a reduction on drinks to passengers who bring their own cup, and has also introduced a biobased teabag holder. The company was also the first major airline to introduce carbon neutral flights in 2019, and it has been a vocal supporter of electrifying the industry where possible, with word that the firm is already collaborating with Wright Electric and Airbus to develop zero-emission aircraft for commercial flights.
“It is a priority for us to continue work on reducing our carbon footprint in the short term, coupled with long-term work to support the development of new technology, including zero-emission planes which aspire to reduce the carbon footprint of aviation radically,” Milton writes. “People have a choice in how they travel, and if people choose to fly with us, we want to be one of the best choices they can make.”
Read more:
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4035657/easyjet-preps-green-uniforms
https://waste-management-world.com/a/easyjet-to-produce-plastic-uniforms
