Formia, a specialist in inflight amenities, has launched the first stage of its enhanced sustainability strategy, created in partnership with GlobeScan, a sustainability consultancy.
The first initiative will see Formia commit to manufacturing all inflight socks and eye masks from 100% recycled PET fabric instead of virgin polyester. This initiative will take-off onboard from Spring 2021 with the first customer introduction, with other airline customers planning to follow subsequently, according to the company.
The socks and eye masks will carry the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification, and Formia is absorbing the additional cost of the material, rendering the move a cost-neutral sustainability benefit for airlines.
Formia says that transitioning from virgin polyester to recycled PET will save 1,500 tons of plastic waste from going into landfill each year (based on its 2019 volumes of those products), which is the equivalent of 79 million plastic bottles. In addition, according to a 2018 report by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, using recycled plastic reduces energy consumption by 79% and greenhouse gas emissions by 67%, compared to using new PET.
Further areas identified where improvements to sustainability can be made include the development of CSR (corporate social responsibility) programmes, as part of its wider sustainability strategy, with charity partners in both local and international communities.
Roland Grohmann, vice chairman and managing partner at Formia said, “We have been working hard to put the health and safety of travellers front and foremost, whilst also acknowledging that there is a huge effort needed to respond to the global climate crisis.
“It is important for us to support our airline partners as they navigate their sustainability efforts during what is an exceedingly difficult time. Today’s announcement is the first step on our path to sustainability and we look forward to sharing further plans very soon.”
