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Emirates Launches Limited Edition Upcycled Luggage
The “Aircrafted by Emirates” bags, suitcases, and accessories are made from retrofitted airline interiors.
In August 2022, Emirates began to retrofit the interior cabins of all 120 of its Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The ongoing multi-billion-dollar project is the largest of its kind and expected to take 2 years to complete.
Now, to show off its commitment to the environment and showcase its spirit of innovation, Emirates has revealed a unique capsule collection of luggage, bags, and accessories made from upcycled materials from retrofitted airliners.
The limited-edition range features suitcases, backpacks, handbags, cardholders, toiletry bags, belts, and shoes. All the items are handmade by four of the fourteen Emirates tailors working in the company’s dedicated cabin workshop. The items will be displayed at the Dubai Airshow in DWC from 13-17 November and are also available to order. All proceeds from their sale will be donated to Children in Need via the Emirates Airline Foundation.
Many materials have been repurposed for the new collection, including aluminum from headrests, leather from A380 onboard lounges, and even fur from a captain’s seat. The environmental credentials of the retrofit project are impressive: From the 16 aircraft retrofitted so far, over 14,000kg of materials have been recovered. When completed, Emirates aims to have collected 270 kg of leather and 627kg of seat fabric from each airliner.
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Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President for Engineering, Ahmed Safa, said: “At Emirates, we are committed to constantly evolving our sustainability efforts and looking at every aspect of our products and supply chain. We knew these materials could be given a second life because they were originally of very high quality. We challenged our team to be as creative and innovative as possible, and here we are, with our own accessories workshop in Emirates Engineering Center”.
Each piece from the collection will be handmade to order, so customers can also request personalized laser engravings. Fashion-conscious Emirates fans can register their interest soon, but the special items will be available in strictly limited quantities.
News
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.
Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.
The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.

Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.
“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
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Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).
Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.
