Delta Debuts Sustainability-Focused Inflight Products, From Amenity Kits to Wine

After two years of bare-bones service during the pandemic, Delta Air Lines is finally bringing back full-service flights, including plated meals in its first class and Delta One cabins. But as it returns to its pre-pandemic standard, the airline is making some significant sustainability-focused changes to its inflight products, from bedding to amenity kits.

Reducing plastic waste is a significant focus for Delta in 2022. To that end, it's booted its Westin Heavenly bedding in favor of a pillow-comforter set made from recycled plastic bottles—100 per set, to be precise. The new bedding also comes packaged without plastic, allowing the airline to eliminate up to 260,000 pounds of single-use plastic each year.

Delta is also switching over its service ware—plates and cutlery—to sustainable materials like bamboo, reducing its plastic use by up to 4.3 million pounds per year. And it's introducing premium canned wine from Sonoma's Imagery Estate Winery, which is led by female winemaker Jamie Benziger and is certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. That switch will reduce Delta's plastic use by up to 250,000 pounds.

And finally, Delta is also debuting a new amenity kit for passengers flying in the Delta One cabin, working with Mexican brand Someone Somewhere, a certified B Corporation (a designation for companies meeting strict sustainability and humanitarian standards). Someone Somewhere employs a team of local artisans—98 percent women—to produce products using traditional crafting techniques and styles.

Delta's new amenity kit will include a Someone Somewhere eye mask, a Humble Co. bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste, and Grown Alchemist lip balm and lotion. And, of course, it'll use as little plastic as possible, eliminating up to up to 90,000 pounds a year.

"Many of these artisans have been honing their skill for years without recognition," Antonio Nuño, CEO and co-founder of Someone Somewhere, said in a statement. "Through this project, they have seen the impact and the value of their work—and are being paid fairly for it. It is our privilege to do everything we can to make sure Delta customers know the story behind the kits in their hands."

Some of these new Delta products can already be found onboard—the new bedding, for instance, began rollouts in December—while the rest will follow throughout the year.