Allbirds Creates Eye Mask for Air New Zealand

Shoes from Allbirds, the Leonardo DiCaprio-backed sustainable brand co-founded by New Zealander Tim Brown, have quickly morphed into a consumer favourite. Now via a partnership with Air New Zealand, the buzzy brand has ventured into a different kind of accessory, producing an in-flight eye mask for the first time.

Dubbed ‘the Bird Mask’ the travel accessory is made out of ZQ-certified New Zealand merino wool and castor bean oil-based foam. It includes molded eye indentations, which allow for natural eye movement during sleep, and a birdlike beak to act as a seal against the face to block out light.

Air New Zealand, known for its quirky celebrity-filled flight safety videos, has made the mask available on board the business premier cabin on selected North American routes throughout October, including the airline’s service between Los Angeles and London.

“By putting our heads together we’ve created a product our customers will truly value and re-use again and again, while also benefitting New Zealand’s international brand awareness,” Air New Zealand chief marketing and customer officer Mike Tod said.

“We jumped at the chance to work with Air New Zealand, a brand that similarly prioritises thoughtful design and customer experience,” Brown said. “By bringing our comfort expertise to the Bird Mask, we’ve been able to create a product that’s perfectly aligned with Air New Zealand’s empathy for the consumer.”

Original article by Tiffany Ap, Women’s Wear Daily, September 20, 2018.