DALLAS, Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest
Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today a line of upcycled
fashion accessories as a result of a multi-year collaboration
with Mexican fashion label Carla Fernández
that will upcycle hundreds of pounds of leather from airplane seat
covers into goods in the coming months. The line of products
from LUV Seat: Mexico, which are created from
used leather seat covers and handcrafted by indigenous artisans in
seven Mexican communities, range from shoes and bags to ponchos and
key chains.
LUV Seat: Mexico is an
expansion of Southwest's Repurpose with Purpose global
sustainability initiative, which began in 2013 following the Evolve
retrofit program that replaced the aircraft leather seat covers. By
providing leather to Carla Fernández, Southwest® reduces the amount
of waste the airline sends to landfills while also generating
social and economic opportunities for communities.
"Southwest Airlines is proud to partner with Carla Fernández on
LUV Seat: Mexico as a part of our Repurpose
with Purpose program," said Bill
Tiffany, Southwest Airlines Vice President Supply Chain
Management. "Through this impactful program, indigenous
artisans have been able to incorporate their trades into the
designs to create some incredible pieces while learning essential
economic development skills through entrepreneurial training
programs."
Carla Fernández worked with artisans in seven different
communities throughout Mexico who
specialize in creating textile and embroidery designs and
handcrafts that preserve the country's rich cultural heritage. The
Carla Fernández brand's work, which combines centuries-old
techniques and long-standing traditions in the creation of their
designs, has achieved international recognition and acclaim.
Carla Fernández works closely with the artisans, who are
compensated, as they learn how to develop new products and
skills.
"Working with the Southwest team on this project, which seeks to
create social and economic impact, has been a great experience for
us," said Carla Fernández, who founded her eponymous label in 2000.
"We feel we have found friends and partners after a couple of years
of constant communication and hard work in delivering these great
products."
"We are confident that LUV Seat: Mexico will be a success and we know it
will be a benchmark for other similar endeavors," Fernández
added.
ABOUT CARLA
FERNÁNDEZ:
Carla Fernández is a
Mexico-City based fashion label
inspired by the geometrics and textile richness of
Mexico. The brand has gained
international acclaim for its approach to preserving the rich
cultural heritage of Mexico's
indigenous communities. A change agent and an innovator, bringing
new meaning to luxury fashion, the Carla Fernández team
travels throughout Mexico visiting
communities of artisans that specialize in handmade textiles,
utilizing centuries-old indigenous techniques. This labor-intensive
approach is helping to sustain long-standing traditions and
the people who collaborate with the brand.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 47th year of
service, Dallas-based Southwest
Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from
other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by
more than 55,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 115 million
passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's
largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking
based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent
reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak
travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday
departures among a network of 100 destinations in the United States and ten additional
countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in
2018 for service to Hawaii,
subject to requisite governmental approvals.
Southwest coined Transfarency® to describe its
purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and
low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S.
airline to offer bags fly free® to everyone (first
and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply,
some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in
qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare
differences might apply.
As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the
largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft, all of which are
equipped with satellite-based WiFi. Customers who connect to the
WiFi network may use their personal devices to view on-demand
movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free,
live TV.
With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is
progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase
the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior
design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an
updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of
Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in
their lives.
From its first flights on June 18,
1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented
affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of
Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and
increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 44
consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most
honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line
approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and
productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they
serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The
2016 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at
SouthwestOneReport.com.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online
at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.