Alaska Airlines Recycles Aircraft Seat Leather Into Fashion Products

Collaborating on a fashion-forward waste-reduction effort with Portland, Oregon-based Looptworks, Alaska Airlines is recycling its 4,000 leather seats into a collection of bags crafted from repurposed seat leather.  

The “Carry-On Collection” features a wallet, laptop sleeve, and tote, crossbody and messenger bags. All are made with repurposed seat leather from Alaska Airline’s sister carrier, Horizon Air. Horizon Air is replacing its seat covers periodically as part of maintenance procedures. 

Looptworks partners with a nonprofit to prepare the leather for consumer goods. Once the leather is cleaned and prepped, the rehabilitated leather is worked on by locally skilled craftsmen in Washington and Oregon. The entire product collection will be available for preorder on Dec. 8, 2015.