Plastic Solution : EasyJet to produce plastic uniforms
EasyJet plans to create uniforms made from recycled plastic.
The airline will repurpose plastic from 45 recycled plastic bottles to make each individual uniform over a 5-year contract period.
The uniform for cabin crew members will also consist of an unspecified sustainably created material, with a 75% lower carbon footprint than conventional polyester.
In 2019, 52% of fibres produced were made from polyester, yet only 14% of that figure was sourced from recycled material.
Studies on the use of recycled plastic for fabric have been less than promising. As they are derived from plastic, these garments often shed microparticles of the substance every time they are washed or worn. Microplastics are known for having an adverse impact on ecosystem and wildlife health, often being found in the stomachs of fish who mistake the particles for food.
Yet the EasyJet uniform may have a distinct advantage over the recycled plastic output produced by the sustainable fashion industry in that it is designed to last, eliminating the need for extra, regular fabric based uniforms. (With even natural fibers such as cotton-often treated with chemicals and toxic dyes-shedding microfibers, there is essentially no silver bullet solution to this problem.)
The new uniform will incorporate cardboard strays and metal shirt clips-previously, these items were made from plastic.
By adopting this measure, the airline wants to prevent the dumping of 2,7 million plastic bottles in landfills or the oceans.
The new garments were tested in a cabin as well as flight deck environment last year.
They held up with regards to level of comfort, being both elastic, durable as well as abrasion resistant.
In a written statement, Tina Milton, EasyJet’s Director of Cabin Services, reiterated the airline’s existing commitment to achieving its zero carbon objectives.
“Climate change is an issue for all of us, and at easyJet, we are looking at all parts of our operation to see where we can reduce carbon emissions and reduce waste. 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. We know that sustainability is an important issue for them and also for our customers,” she wrote.
EasyJet has been demonstrative in its efforts to phase out flexible plastics. It offers customers who bring their own cup onboard a financial incentive in the form of a 50p reduction on hot drinks. In 2020, EasyJet also removed 27 million plastic items from its inflight retail business. The airline also introduced a biobased teabag holder.
1 million plastic bottles are bought across the world according to UNEP data.
More than 99% of disposable virgin plastics are carbon derived, and, as such, non-renewable. 79% of said plastic ends up on landfills or in the natural environment, with only 12% being recycled.