Emirates tours the sky with rPET vision

United Arab Emirates – What could you do with 28 discarded plastic bottles? Transform them into a blanket to keep people warm at 40 000 feet in the sky, airline company Emirates says.

By the end of 2019, the 100% recycled content blankets will have rescued 88 million plastic bottles from landfills– equivalent to the weight of 44 A380 aircraft, according to Emirates. All polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were processed using the patented ecoTHREAD technology.

First, the bottles are shredded into plastic chips before being turned into yarn, creating a polar fleece material. The fine thread is then woven into soft blankets. Compared to virgin plastics, this novel process reduces energy emissions by 70%.

The eco-plastic blankets were designed in partnership with in-flight product specialist Buzz. Emirates adds that the blankets have been certified as 100% recycled content products (Intertek Green Leaf Mark) by independent testing and certification body Intertek.