IDEAS: Korean Air Upcycles Crew Uniforms to Create First Aid Kits 

Korean Air has donated 500 first aid pouches made from recycled crew uniforms to local causes.

The airline usually discards of crew uniforms when they reach the end of their life cycle, but under this new initiative, old pilot and cabin crew uniforms have been given a second lease of life having been upcycled into first aid pouches.

The Seoul Gangseo Senior Welfare Center and Incheon Yongyu Elementary School were the recipients of the kits, which included essential medications that were funded by donations of around KRW 5 million from the airline’s employees.

Korean Air has a history of embracing upcycling opportunities, having previously created name tags and golf ball markers from the materials of a retired Boeing 777, and reimagining retired cabin life vests into cosmetic pouches.

Korean Air is not the only airline exploring methods of repurposing old crew uniforms, with Finnair launching a new initiative earlier this month to upcycle old uniforms into composite furniture.