Circularity in Action: How British Airways & Bags of Ethics Transformed Textile Waste into Purpose

At the core of this initiative was a meticulous, multi-phase transformation carried out at Bags of Ethics’ women-led facility in Pondicherry, India.

Over 16,000 legacy British Airways uniforms were manually sorted and disassembled, each zipper, button, lining, and embroidered badge carefully removed to preserve as much usable fabric as possible.

Once disassembled, fabric pieces were assessed and grouped by size, type, and colour. Larger panels from items like ladies’ trousers, skirts, and blazers were reserved for products such as picnic blankets, while smaller off-cuts were used for accessories including luggage tags and document holders.

With sustainability and functionality in mind, the team designed and produced a line of beautifully crafted, practical items:

• Picnic blankets stitched from larger garment panels
• Luggage tags created from ties and scarves with added padding
• Document holders finished with waterproof lining and premium details

Each item was thoughtfully developed to maximise material usage while celebrating British Airways’ identity and commitment to sustainability.