The SWISS Recraft Collection
Following an impressive 27 years of service, the SWISS Airbus A321 "HB-IOC" touched down in Zurich for the final time in 2022. The SWISS Recraft Collection was created as part of a pilot project for SWISS' first ever aircraft upcycling endeavour, bringing the history of the HB-IOC to life in a new form.
Unique and minimalist design
Past meets present: To honour the historic character of the iconic Airbus A321 with the upcycling project, SWISS has developed its first ever collection of accessories and furniture, the SWISS Recraft Collection. Designed in Switzerland and handcrafted in Germany, these limited edition pieces are not only timeless and minimalist, but also offer impressive aesthetics and functionality.
The design process
The collection comprises luggage tags and key rings, wall hooks, coat racks, bowls, mirrors, side tables and a specially designed aircraft window that can be hung on the wall as a bar or display case. In creating the unique pieces, the designers reinterpreted parts of the fuselage, its substructure, as well as the interior and exterior windows of the Airbus A321.
In order to preserve the original roughness of the large aircraft and evoke memories of its active days, the parts were not repainted. The materials and structures remain visible and reflect the complexity, sophistication and aura of an aircraft.
During the design process for the collection, SWISS was keen to ensure that the retired aircraft parts remained recognisable as such and that as little additional material as possible was used. The uniqueness of this handmade collection therefore lies in its conscious minimalism, as well as the functionality of the new accessories and furniture.
From aircraft part to furniture or accessory
The first aircraft upcycling project ever undertaken by SWISS
The first SWISS Recraft Collection emphasises SWISS' commitment to innovation and timeless aesthetics, as well as the desire to repurpose high-grade materials in an innovative way. The exceptional products are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional. They establish a unique link between the aircraft’s almost three decades of service and the emotions associated with travel.
Depending on the section from which they were taken, the objects are presented either in the colour of the classic white aircraft paintwork, with accents of the characteristic SWISS red livery or a light green protective coating.
Note: These products are unique items from a decommissioned aircraft. As such, they may display scratches or other signs of use. The individual piece may differ from the illustration shown.
Luggage tag
Aircraft part: Fuselage/aircraft skin
The luggage tag is used to label a piece of luggage and is attached with a cord made from recycled PET (rPET).
Key ring
Aircraft part: Fuselage/aircraft skin
The key ring consists of a strap with the actual ring and a hook made from the robust aircraft fuselage. The hook can easily be attached to items of clothing, luggage or a key rack. As a perfect counterpart to the SWISS Recraft Collection wardrobe, it represents a practical way to keep keys organised.
Wall hook
Aircraft part: Fuselage frame
The single hook comes from the cross-section of the fuselage structure and is ideal for hanging items of clothing. The light green protective coating is what lends the piece its characteristic colour. The hook can be mounted on the wall with just one screw. The dimensions have been chosen carefully to ensure that the SWISS Recraft Collection key ring hooks perfectly onto it.
Coat rack/key board
Aircraft part: Fuselage frame
The unique look of the coat rack is thanks to the cross-section of the aircraft fuselage structure. It is the perfect piece of wall furniture for hanging jackets, coats, hats and many other items of clothing. Five to eight hooks are integrated into the structure. The light green protective coating makes the piece a real eyecatcher. The coat rack is attached to the wall using just two screws.
The size of the hooks has been chosen carefully to ensure that the SWISS Recraft Collection key ring hangs perfectly on them.
Bowl
Aircraft part: Interior window
The interior window is based on a design that is discreet yet ingenious. The curvature of the window forms a perfect shell of elegant lightness and lends the piece an almost floating appearance. This transforms the window into a design object with a sculptural appearance.
Side table
Aircraft part: Exterior window
On the side table, an outer window is connected to the table leg by a woven belt. The tension of the belt flattens the original curvature of the window, creating a stable table surface. Thanks to its conceptual simplicity, the highly expressive design is reminiscent of the aesthetics of a "ready-made" table: An everyday object that becomes a work of art.
Wall-mounted bar
Aircraft part: Window section (fuselage)
The wall-mounted drinks bar / display case comprises a generous section of the fuselage, complete with window. The window opening itself remains empty. This is because there is a storage area behind it for placing or displaying objects. The wall-mounted drinks bar can be attached to the wall using simple, white-coated metal brackets.
Mirror
Aircraft part: Window frame (seal)
Seamlessly integrated into the seal, the mirror echoes the iconic shape of the window. It comes with two fixing points on the back, so it can be conveniently hung either horizontally or vertically.
Behind the SWISS Recraft Collection
SWISS is proud to operate one of the most modern fleets in Europe and is constantly investing in its modernisation. Alongside the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), modern aircraft are today the most effective way of reducing CO2 emissions. It is therefore crucial to remove old, more CO2-intensive aircraft from circulation and replace them with new, fuel-efficient models. This is also the reason why the Airbus A321 HB-IOC was replaced by a so-called "neo" model – where "neo" stands for "new engine option" and characterises aircraft types employing modern technology. Thanks to numerous technical improvements and new engines, the A32X "neo" consumes around 20 percent less fuel and therefore produces fewer CO2 emissions.
A pilot project that sets new standards
In addition to reducing emissions, holistic lifecycle management is a key component of SWISS' corporate responsibility. This is precisely where the recycling and upcycling of the HB-IOC come into play. However, the SWISS Technics team also went one step further with its ongoing sustainability efforts: The decommissioned A321 served as a pilot project to test new possibilities for more sustainable handling of disused aircraft components – from both an economic and an ecological perspective. The aims here are to set standards for the reuse and recycling of aircraft materials at the end of an aircraft’s life cycle, as well as to learn how we can reuse even more components responsibly in the future.
Reuse, upcycle, recycle
The entire decommissioning process was based on the "reuse, upcycle, recycle" pyramid, which describes a hierarchy for waste management and sustainability. With this approach, SWISS minimises waste and reduces its environmental impact.
Reuse
Reusing retired materials for their original purpose represents the best option. The experience gained from this decommissioning enables us to identify even more components than in previous projects that can be reused as spare parts for the active fleet. In fact, more than 200 aircraft parts from the HB-IOC are being reused, including engine and wing components, entertainment systems, cockpit displays and galley equipment such as coffee machines and ovens. Many cabin parts are also finding new uses within the Lufthansa Group, for example in the modernisation of crew simulators.
Upcycle
If parts cannot be reused, the next stage is upcycling. In this process, they are then repurposed – for example in the first ever SWISS Recraft Collection.
Recycling
If upcycling is not possible, the last option is then recycling: Parts are broken back down into their original components, including metals such as aluminium, steel or titanium. Indeed, it was possible to recycle around 20 tonnes of aluminium alloys, almost two tonnes of iron and other high-quality alloys from the HB-IOC. This resulted in over a tonne less waste compared to previous aircraft decommissioning processes.
If parts cannot be reused, upcycled or recycled, they are disposed of professionally by selected partners of the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA). SWISS became a member of AFRA as part of this project. The organisation is committed to environmentally-friendly recycling of decommissioned aircraft, as well as sustainable disposal practices.
