• by Tanya Gazdik , April 22, 2015

Just in time for Earth Day, JetBlue Airways is partnering with Manhattan Portage to launch a recycled bag collection using unworn airline uniforms.

The limited edition unisex collection will be available starting April 22 online and at Manhattan Portage stores.

The airline introduced new uniforms last year for the first time in its history. The airline strived to save old pieces that were never worn from the landfill and to put them to good use, says Sophia Mendelsohn, head of sustainability, JetBlue.

"Our new bag collection will give stylish New Yorkers, and those who simply want a piece of JetBlue history, an eco-friendly fashionable option," Mendelsohn says in a release. “JetBlue and Manhattan Portage are based in New York, so we both wanted to have a little fun and showcase our love for our hometown."

This recycled bag collection was designed and produced by Manhattan Portage. Uniforms from various JetBlue functions were broken down and repurposed into a fully functional limited edition bag collection for men and women.

Each bag not only saves valuable textiles from landfills, it holds unique value and has its own character, as its design elements were once worn by some of the most unique crewmembers in the airline industry, according to the airline.

"By incorporating the technical aspects including high visibility reflective prints of the JetBlue ground operations crewmember uniform pieces and the aesthetics of the inflight crew uniform pieces such as the signature pilot wings, we were able to come up with a series of durable bags that are as fun and unique as JetBlue," says Lauren Hoffman, Manhattan Portage's sales and marketing department, in a release.

JetBlue also devised a way to divert worn uniforms from the landfill. The airline donated more than 18.5 tons of worn used uniforms, clothing and fabric to several non-profit partners including Planet Aid, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that collects and recycles worn clothing and shoes and, Loomstate, an end-to-end sustainable fashion house.

Planet Aid is selling the clothing with the proceeds supporting health, agricultural, educational, and environmental programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America.