Who among us actually pays attention to the safety demonstration on flights, especially if you regularly fly on a plane? Most of us would probably just browse the in-flight magazine or do something else rather than listen to it for the nth time (even though of course we know how important this is). One thing I do wonder when looking at the flight attendants showing us how to use the vests and oxygen masks is where can I actually get one as a souvenir or a keepsake (don’t try taking one home though as it’s against regulations).
Designer: Tocco Toscano / Singapore Airlines
While you still won’t be able to get an exact replica of the actual airline life vests and seatbelts, you can now actually get some part of it through upcycled fashion items. Singapore Airlines partnered with local women’s handbag manufacturer Tocco Toscano to come up with a whole accessory line using the “expired” or decommissioned airline life vests. Instead of them just adding to this planet’s unrecycled trash, we will now see these life vests recycled into fashion and functional accessories.
Each life vest is turned into six things that are pretty useful and functional. You’ll get a mobile phone bag, a coaster, a bifold wallet, an everyday pouch, a long wallet, and even a wristlet clutch. The seatbelts that are also now unused are also turned into bag straps that you can use not necessarily with these life vest accessories but for your other bags and pouches that may be in need of straps. We won’t be surprised if we’ll eventually see masks or even airplane seats eventually upcycled into something else.
Each of these accessories is reinforced with apple weather and even that leather substitute is made from recycled materials from, you guessed it, apple waste. Interestingly enough, the vests are cut in a way that you still see the graphics, illustrations, and even instructions that you would see on the actual vest. It carries the usual Tocco Toscano branding elements and features alongside the Singapore Airlines logo. So if you’re a fan of either or both, this may be a collectible item for you.
There are different bundles available if you’d like to get all or some of these accessories but they’re also available individually. It would also be nice if you could buy some items in-flight. I’m not really a fan of the color yellow so this may not be in my to-buy list but since some of them are already sold out, there is a market for this. Looking forward to more upcycled and recycled airline materials.
