Norwegian announced that the airline is replacing its retiring long-haul cabin crew uniforms in 2020. The old uniforms will be made into textile-products and sold on selected flights.
What are the benefits of Norwegian’s phased-out uniforms being replaced and turned into products?
The goal is to help the fight against wasted textiles.
The sustainability project, in cooperation with Norwegian’s partner UNICEF, has been created to help children around the world. The project also reduces Norwegian’s environmental impact and will create jobs for immigrant women in Norway.
The entire profit from the sale of the products will go towards supporting UNICEF’s work for children.
Norwegian Air explaining its Uniforms into Products textile program (video)
Upcycling of used Norwegian crew uniforms
“Now that we are replacing some of our uniforms, it’s important that we look into sustainable ways to reuse the materials. We have partnered with a social enterprise based in Norway called Sisters in Business, which creates jobs for immigrant women through local textile production,”
said Cecilie Nybø Carlsen, Norwegian’s VP Product Manager.
What products are to be made from the Norwegian Air uniforms?
Two different unique hand-made products will be offered for sale during the initial phase:
- A classy, chequered toiletry bag, and
- A silk bag.
Norwegian’s fight against textile waste
“If the project is a success, we can save thousands of items from being wasted. We all have a responsibility to find solutions that minimize the environmental impact of our textile use,”
said Norwegian’s Head of Sustainability, Anders Fagernæs.
Helping several UN Sustainable Development Goals
Camilla Viken, Secretary-General of UNICEF Norway said,
“This project is really exciting. Yes, it will support UNICEF’s work around the world. And it will also support many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals; Fighting poverty, responsible consumption and production, gender equality, collaboration and climate change, of which all of them affect children.”
Norwegian Air Creating jobs, working with Sisters in Business
The founder of Sisters in Business Sandra Tollefsen pointed out that getting involved with projects like this would help immigrant women. Immigrant women can “feel invisible” without a job. This would help them play a positive role in society.
“It’s a transformation in these women’s lives – to have self-respect for themselves and for their families,”
said Tollefsen.
Featured Image: Norwegian.
What do you think about Norwegians’ idea behind using the old replaced uniforms to turn them into sustainable products? Let us know here.
