Singapore Airlines, Bynd Artisan give retired aircraft materials a second life

Singapore Airlines and Bynd Artisan are giving retired aircraft materials a new lease of life, returning with the latest edition of "The Upcycling Project" featuring four lifestyle pieces made from materials once used in SIA aircraft cabins.

The collection, dubbed "A second journey begins", uses leather from Business Class seats and fabric from Economy Class seats, alongside Singapore Airlines’ signature Batik Motif print. The materials have been repurposed into a luggage tag, passport sleeve, travel document pouch, and watch and valet tray stand.

Each piece comes in a reusable velvet drawstring bag, extending the upcycling concept beyond the products themselves.

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The collection will be available from 16 October at Bynd Artisan Raffles City, Bynd Artisan’s website and KrisShop.

The latest collection builds on an existing relationship between the two brands, which have collaborated on several projects over the years. These include a soft leather laptop case made from retired Business Class seat leather and First Class blankets, as well as leather tags incorporating retired seat leather and authentic sarong kebaya fabric for guests at the Formula 1 Paddock Club from 2024 to 2026.

The collaboration is the latest edition of SIA’s "The Upcycling Project", which launched in 2021. The initiative has also involved Singapore-based organisations, artists, educational institutions and global retail brands, including projects supporting persons with disabilities.

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, James Quan, co-founder of Bynd Artisan said the latest collection offered an opportunity to give retired materials a new purpose. The brand worked with SIA aircraft engineers to select materials based on their properties and suitability for the designs.

Beyond the products, Bynd Artisan plans to use its newsletter and social media channels to share more about the materials and crafting process. Customers will also be able to experience the collection and materials in person, giving them a closer look at how the retired cabin components have been transformed.

Quan said success would extend beyond sales to raising awareness of upcycling and encouraging consumers to reconsider the potential of existing materials. This focus also informs reBynd, Bynd Artisan’s eco-conscious lifestyle brand working with recycled, upcycled and renewable materials.

The brand has also found that the provenance of a product can help create a more personal connection with consumers, particularly when they recognise the materials from their own travel experiences.

“When people learn that a piece was made from retired Singapore Airlines Business Class seat leather or other materials from the airline, there is an immediate sense of connection, especially for those who have travelled with Singapore Airlines before,” said Quan. 

“We have also learned that the story is more compelling when the products feel relevant to the people they are made for. This was something we considered when developing the collection, choosing pieces that would be useful in everyday life and relevant to Singapore Airlines’ customers,” he added.

Since its launch, the project has involved collaborations with Singapore-based organisations, artists, educational institutions and global retail brands, with projects also aimed at supporting persons with disabilities and giving back to the communities SIA serves.

The SIA collaboration is part of Bynd Artisan’s wider work with local cultural and lifestyle brands. In 2025, the brand partnered with National Gallery Singapore for its 10th anniversary on a two-piece collection inspired by the Gallery’s architecture and Southeast Asian art, including a leather book jacket featuring the former Supreme Court’s dome and a pouch inspired by Choy Weng Yang’s Horizontals I.

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