Summary

  • Hawaiian Airlines donates life vests to become waterproof surf bags, helping surfers keep essentials safe.
  • New Think Blue Surf Bags from expired life vests are roomy, tested to IPX7 standards for waterproofing.
  • Hawaiian Airlines’ sustainability mission partners with Think Blue to launch eco-friendly waterproof bags.

Hawaiian Airlines is donating hundreds of airplane life vests to help two entrepreneurs develop waterproof surf bags. Rather than throw away life vests that have reached their expiry date, the initiative will ensure the materials are put to good use.

Hawaiian life vests become waterproof bags

As part of the carrier’s ongoing sustainability mission, Hawaiian Airlines has partnered with local startup Think Blue to provide expired life vests that will turn into 100% waterproof pouches, or surf bags. The Think Blue Surf Bag is spacious enough to fit essential items, such as snacks, surf wax, electronic car keys or credit cards/ID, giving surfers and outdoorsy types a handy bag to protect their belongings from the elements.

think blue waterproof bag

Photo: Think Blue

After donating an initial tranche of 300 expired life vests in July 2023, the Hawaiian carrier has now provided around 600 life vests that will have extended usefulness rather than disappearing in a landfill. The waterproof bags have been independently tested in a laboratory to IPX7 standards, which means they can keep water out when continually submerged at a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

The idea behind it

The founders of Think Blue, O’ahu residents and surfers Cathy Chin and Marlene Renee Smith, had the idea after searching for a way to bring snacks out onto the waves so they wouldn’t have to make the long paddle back when hungry. Chin said,

“I had been trying to bring out protein cookies by attaching them to the back of my surfboard in a Ziplock baggie, but that did not work. All we wanted was to surf for longer, but we kept getting hungry and would have to paddle back in.”

hawaiian life vest surfboard

Photo: Hawaiian Airlines

The two launched Think Blue in January 2023 and explored various designs before it was suggested to them by professional surfer Keone Downing to look into sustainable materials. Smith, who is also a certified pilot, said,

“My husband works in aircraft maintenance, and we had a facility in the Netherlands doing maintenance work for private jets. I’d seen them take the expired life vests out of them and toss them in the trash.”

Chin and Smith met with fellow surfer Brad Otani, who happened to be a mechanic at Hawaiian Airlines, and set things in motion. Before long, Hawaiian’s Brand and Technical Operations divisions signed off on donating hundreds of vests, allowing Think Blue to launch its new product.

think blue surf bag

Photo: Think Blue

The Think Blue Surf Bag can be attached to surfboards or other accessories, like hiking bags, or is small enough to fit into jacket or shorts pockets. Surfers typically use lock boxes to store their belongings, but even these can be broken into – with a portable surf bag, essentials like keys and credit cards can be stored safely on your person without worrying about theft.

What are life vests made from?

The typical aviation life vest, or personal flotation device (PFD), consists of an outer layer of nylon and polyurethane, materials that are both durable and watertight. Life vests have a product life of 10 years onboard aircraft, after which they need to be replaced. However, some parts of the vest can last much longer than this.

hawaiian life vest under seat

Photo: Hawaiian Airlines

Related

Hawaiian Airlines Unveils Sustainability-Focused Amenity Kits

The carrier has collaborated with a local company to develop the new amenities.

Hawaiian Airlines is one of the industry’s leading lights in sustainability, incorporating various initiatives to reduce company waste and known for its collaboration with local companies. Its most recent sustainability report – or Corporate Kuleana (Responsibility) Report – was released in May. Among the airline’s near-term goals include eliminating all single-use plastics by 2029 and replacing 10% of its fuel consumption with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

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