To promote a circular economy, HK Express launched the Cabin Crew Uniform Recycling and Upcycling Project in 2023. The project recycled and upcycled 80% of the approximately 3,000 old cabin crew uniform items and repurposing through innovative design and collaboration with NGOs.
We collaborated with Mountain Yam, Hong Kong’s leading sustainable fashion designer, to create 100% upcycled teddy bears from old cabin crew uniform items, bringing new life to fabrics.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, HK Express has collaborated with The Billie System, an award-winning technology that upcycles textile waste into recycled yarn through a waterless process, to create sustainable pouches. Each pouch carries a piece of our history and our commitment to sustainability.
We also teamed up with young local artist Charlotte Lui @Moving Drawing to add a touch of artistry to these limited-edition pouches. Charlotte’s sketches of our passengers and cabin crew in their new uniforms perfectly capture the essence of air travel.
Crafted with high-quality materials, these sustainable pouches are both stylish and functional, with ample space for customers’ travel essentials while on the go. By transforming retired uniforms into sustainable pouches, we’re not only saving them from landfills but also promoting a circular economy and conserving resources.
Furthermore, we have teamed up with NGO - RMHC Hong Kong (Ronald McDonald House Charities Hong Kong) to hold meaningful Christmas sock DIY workshop and charity sales for its sick children, upcycling the airline’s retired cabin crew uniforms into festive decorations to recapture value from textile waste.
In summary, this project not only reduced the amount of waste going to landfills, but also promoted a circular economy, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).