INFLIGHT AMENITIES
Wessco’s view
“Creating a sustainable industry has
been a top priority recently, and airlines
have been making significant efforts
to implement environmentally friendly
business practices,” states Ronald Loh,
EMEA business development manager
at Wessco International.
“We have been exploring a wide range
of plant-derived solutions to replace
conventional materials, and design
amenities to suit passengers’ lifestyles
to enhance reusability.”
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES’
NATURAL APPROACH
Hawaiian Airlines has teamed
up with Wessco and Moloka‘ibased
brand Kealopiko to
launch a line of amenities
carrying a message of
sustainability, all adorned with
patterns that pay homage
to Hawaii’s delicate natural
resources. Named ‘Ekaha (the
Hawaiian name for black coral)
representing a thriving coral
reef, as well as the bird’s nest
fern, an indicator of a healthy
rainforest, the amenities
allude to the relationship
between land and sea.
Kealopiko was founded
by three women passionate
about sharing the rich culture
of Hawaii, protecting the
environment and operating
as an eco-conscious brand.
The products are made in
a small shop on Moloka‘i,
where organic materials are
sustainably dyed, cut and
sewn by hand before being
sold online or in its downtown
Honolulu store. Each of their
designs honours indigenous
wildlife, language, practices,
ali’i (royalty), kupuna (elders
and ancestors), and mo’olelo
(stories and history).
International business
class and JFK/BOS first
class guests will be given a
Hawaiian Airlines-branded
canvas clutch, available in two
different colourways, with the
coral print and a coconut shell
button. International guests
seated in Extra Comfort will
receive a natural felt pouch
with a wooden tag engraved
with the ‘Ekaha story.
Both kits contain a bamboo
comb, a dental kit including
a bamboo toothbrush
with charcoal bristles and
toothpaste, a sample packet of
Raw Elements USA reef-safe
sunscreen, hand and body
balm, lip balm and hydrating
mist from the airline’s private
skincare line Loli‘I, as well as
the expected socks, earplugs,
sleep mask and tissues.
Guests seated in the main
cabin on international flights,
first class on North America
red-eye flights, and first class
on Papeete and Pago Pago
routes will receive a coral
print kraft paper pouch with
earplugs, earbuds and a sleep
mask in one of three Hawaiiinspired
designs..
As plant-based
meals become
more popular, plantderived
amenities
should also be
offered
ICELANDAIR’S
WILD SIDE
Icelandair has launched the Dýralíf (wildife) amenity kit
collection for Saga Premium passengers on flights between
Iceland and North America, with four purse designs that
celebrate Iceland’s unique natural inhabitants. The airline
collaborated with design company, Wessco International,
and skincare company, Hannes Dóttir, to produce a collection
that draws inspiration from animals woven into the nation’s
folklore, namely the puffin, arctic fox, Icelandic horse and raven.
Wessco sent a design team to Iceland to experience
the ethos of Icelandair and to study different facets of the
country’s flora and fauna. This resulted in the team proposing
a collection based on each animal’s unique qualities,
showcased through shapes and colours reflecting their
power and grace.
Each kit comes in an animal-inspired purse made from
a combination of eco-friendly and sustainable materials
including recycled canvas, vegan leather, and felt made
from recycled plastic bottles. The toothbrush is made from
cornstarch-based biodegradable material and the socks from
recycled material. Plastic use is minimal, with all wrappings
made from paper.
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
136 MARCH 2020
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com