Southwest Airlines’ seven-year partnership with Jacksonville nonprofit Rethreaded to support human trafficking survivors will be celebrated in three displays at Jacksonville International Airport.
The displays show how Rethreaded, which employs women escaping human trafficking and prostitution, recycles aircraft leather donated by the Southwest into suede jewelry, key cases, magazines and handmade home goods. Sales of these products have generated approximately $1 million in revenue, according to the nonprofit.
“This partnership has allowed us to bring more life-changing work to more survivors of human trafficking, and we are so proud to be part of this program,” said Founder and CEO Kristin Keen.
Rethreaded is one of twelve partners in Southwest’s national Repurpose with Purpose campaign, which recycles aircraft seat covers removed from aircraft during ongoing aircraft renovations and retirement processes.
“Our aircraft seat leather is turned into new products while providing skills training, employment and many benefits to communities throughout the United States and Central America,” Southwest said.
The program was created in 2014 after Southwest updated its seat design using lighter leather that reduced the plane’s weight by as much as 600 pounds, increasing fuel efficiency, the airline said. But Southwest then had a 43-acre surplus of airplane seat leather.
Southwest has since donated about $2 million and 1.4 million pounds of leather to nonprofits like Rethreaded, according to the airline.
As part of its “Nonstop to Net Zero” carbon emissions plan, Southwest is “working to improve the sustainability of our operations through sourcing, recycling and upcycling. Repurpose with Purpose is an important part of our efforts to improve the sustainability of our aircraft seats,” the airline said.
“It is an honor to work with a company like Southwest that lives its values at all levels,” said Keen. “The Repurpose with Purpose program has been an absolute game changer for Rethreaded. We now have access to an abundance of leather for recycling and a national advocate for our organization.”
The resulting income provided nearly 30,000 hours of employment and survivor services at Rethreaded, which has employed approximately 100 human trafficking survivors since its founding in 2011.
Southwest has installed 10 exhibits across the United States and Costa Rica in honor of the 10th anniversary of Repurpose with Purpose. The displays at the Jacksonville airport will remain up until January, which is Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109
This article originally appeared in the Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville nonprofit turns airline-donated leather into $1 million
