At the German Design Awards ceremony in Frankfurt on February 3, Lufthansa Cargo and the Frankfurt Institute for Recycling, Ecology & Design (IRED) were named winners in the "Excellent Product Design Lifestyle and Fashion" category for their joint Upcycling Collection. As part of the collaboration, high-quality merchandising products such as luggage and key rings, trays, vases, wall coat racks or pen cups were designed locally and manufactured in Germany from discarded airfreight containers. Lufthansa Cargo sells these design objects, along with other items, through its Fanshop, which was launched last year. In the production of the products available in the Fanshop, Lufthansa Cargo also cooperates with the Workshops for the Disabled in Bensheim. Lufthansa Cargo donates the entire proceeds from the Fanshop to Cargo Human Care e.V. The non-profit organization has been supporting social aid projects in Kenya for more than 15 years.

Authenticity, durability and resource-saving utilization of recyclable materials – all these attributes apply to the innovative design objects of the Upcycling Collection, which also tell a story. This was also the verdict of the expert jury, which recognized the outstanding and exemplary design achievements within the "Lifestyle and Fashion" category: "The original merchandising products of the "Lufthansa Cargo Upcycling Edition" are made from the aluminum of discarded air freight containers. Scratch marks and patina are giving the objects a special aesthetic and uniqueness. An excellent example of upcycling design that emotionally unites beautiful products with striking storytelling." The German Design Award has been the premium prize of the German Design Council since 2012, making it one of the most prestigious awards in the design landscape.

"It was only in November that the first products from our new Upcycling Collection went on sale and the response from aviation and design enthusiasts has been overwhelmingly positive. We are extremely pleased to receive the German Design Award. It is a great recognition for our innovative idea to give recyclable materials, which have served us well in the freight business for a long time, a new use. The professional cooperation with the IRED Institute and the donation concept of the Fanshop round off our holistic sustainable approach according to a local and social partnership in this project. All products are 'Made in Germany' and 100 percent of the proceeds from sales go to Cargo Human Care," explains Christina Franz, project manager of the Fanshop at Lufthansa Cargo.