Gen Phoenix Essence seat covers on Wizz Air’s A321XLR
Wizz Air welcomed its first A321XLR, outfitted with Gen Phoenix’s Essence seat cover material in May, marking a major milestone for both brands. The partnership reinforces Wizz Air’s commitment to sustainability through fully recyclable interiors.
“By partnering with Wizz Air to launch Essence on their flagship A321XLR, we are proving that airlines can deliver durability, comfort and sustainability without compromise, keeping valuable resources in use and out of landfill for good,” John Kennedy, CEO, Gen Phoenix, tells PAX Tech.
John Kennedy, CEO, Gen Phoenix
Gen Phoenix’s partnership with Wizz Air began back in 2013, when the supplier started looking for a seat cover material to withstand the demands of the airline’s high-utilization fleet while aligning with its environmental goals. A year later, Wizz Air introduced Gen Phoenix’s recycled leather material across its A320 aircraft, quickly expanding to the entire fleet of 200+ aircraft, serving 50,000 passengers daily.
“Our products were initially chosen for the superior durability and appearance, outperforming traditional materials in rigorous performance testing,” explains Kennedy. “Over the years, our collaboration [with Wizz Air] has grown to include multiple projects, including a full interior rebrand. Now, the introduction of Essence on the A321XLR marks the next chapter in our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability.”
Circularity is of the essence
Gen Phoenix’s Essence material, launched in 2022, was specifically engineered for circularity. At the end of its in-service life, the material can be fully recycled through Gen Phoenix’s closed-loop process to eliminate a major waste stream for airlines, furthering the supplier’s ability to keep aircraft seating materials in circulation and out of landfill. Essence is designed to meet the needs of the transportation industry based on three primary benefits: hygiene, softness and sustainability.
Pairing Essence with the A321XLR aircraft represents a major step in Wizz Air’s Flying Towards Net-Zero roadmap, enabling extended-range intercontinental routes with reduced emissions per passenger, says Kennedy. The partnership demonstrates how Wizz Air is embedding sustainability into every aspect of its fleet renewal.
Essence’s lightweight, durable and recyclable design complements the A321XLR’s operational efficiency, supporting Wizz Air’s strategy to decarbonize aviation while maintaining comfort and affordability for passengers. Essence can maintain a like-new appearance for more than seven years in service, demonstrating excellent durability while being lightweight. Its production process also generates up to 80 percent fewer carbon emissions and uses 87 percent less water than traditional leather manufacturing.
But as Kennedy explains, the reduced environmental impact of Essence begins in its manufacturing process, which transforms leather offcuts that would otherwise go to landfill into durable, circular materials, with an LCA-certified carbon footprint of 4.86 kg CO₂e per square meter.
Gen Phoenix’s partnership with Wizz Air began in 2013
“Since 2014, Wizz Air has used more than 100,000 square meters of our materials, saving 16 tonnes of waste from landfill and reducing lifecycle emissions by 7,300 tonnes annually,” shares Kennedy.
The supplier has invested heavily to make circularity possible at industrial scale, including a €100 million (US$117 million at time of writing) recycling-focused HQ and achieving zero waste to landfill since 2016. The company’s manufacturing operations are also entirely powered with 100 percent renewable wind energy.
“We are uniquely positioned to deliver premium circular materials like Essence at scale. Our ability to combine durability, lightweight performance and closed-loop recyclability makes us the go-to innovator for the next generation of aircraft interiors,” concludes Kennedy.