Our time at the World-Leading Airline Exhibition
Last week, our Founder & MD Natalie Wilson attended the APEX Global EXPO at the Long Beach Convention Centre in California, USA as an exhibitor & speaker.
The week brought together airlines, technology providers, cabin interior & uniform specialists, connectivity innovators, amenity manufacturers, and more. With all this under one roof, the overarching message for 2025 was clear: passenger in-flight experience is key for all airlines.
It is no wonder then, that so many airline buyers were present; exhibiting in the convention centre, participating in key-note speaker sessions, thought-leadership panels & roundtables, and cheering on cabin crew members modelling in the fabulous fashion show.
Innovative Industry Solutions
As a first-time attendee at APEX this year, the range of products and services displayed was immediately impressive and the range of innovation within the industry is clear and ground-breaking. From WIFI access, in-flight entertainment and the mouthwatering range of food & drinks available on board, to amenity kits & ergonomic seating. Even the label printers for luggage tags were considered!
For Natalie, the major highlight was of course the top-to-toe uniforms & managed services for crew, pilots, and ground staff, showcased brilliantly in the fashion show on Day 1.
đ¨đŚ Air Canada took us on a journey through the decades with their cabin crew uniform from 1938, through the swinging sixties, and up to the modern day.
đşđ¸ Alaska Airlines showcased their cabin crew uniform designs, with focussed colour accents to bring their brand identity to life.
âď¸ WestJet displayed their current cabin crew & ground crew uniforms, highlighting the importance of uniforms for all wearers.
đş Fiji Airways treated us to a display from Fiji warriors as a guard of honour for the cabin crew uniforms, reminding us of the importance of tradition & history in the design of airline uniforms.
It is incredible to think that this is only the second year of the Airline Clothing Show collocating at the APEX / IFSA exhibition, and the PCIAWâs leading role in the Show has been a major factor in its success. The entire supply chain was covered â from fibres & fabrics to the buyers & wearers, with services including body scanning, contract management and secure end-of-life recycling solutions.
A Security Blindspot in the Circular Economy
On Day 2 of the EXPO (Wednesday the 10th of September), Natalie hosted a panel discussion at the IFSA Thought Leadership Stage. Key takeaways from the challenges discussed across the stage included uniform branding & security, pricing models, and end-of-life product solutions.
With the current & ever-evolving marketing landscape, branding for airlines has never been more important. From food & beverage collaborations to fashion-and-function driven uniform programmes, the idea of airlines joining forces with lifestyle brands, chefs & designers was explored â with the possibility of airlines even becoming life-style brands themselves.Â
Wearer evaluation & feedback data was described as critical for airline uniform programmes and gathering this data ahead of new design processes, as well as during the tender process is key. Evaluation & feedback needs to be captured clearly and equally, and needs to focus on analytical aspects such as functionality, comfort & performance. Selecting a representative group of wearers and ensuring each trial participant evaluates all tenderersâ samples is essential for fair, consistent feedback.
The issue of compromised uniform security was explored when an example of a passenger arriving on their flight in cabin crew uniform was described (thankfully as a joke & without serious agenda). The issue was highlighted as needing enhanced collaboration between suppliers & airlines, from point of manufacture to point of delivery.Â
Sustainability was a focus throughout the discussions, and was highlighted as needing careful consideration throughout a uniform programme â from the design & development stages through to allocations, forecasting tools, and end-of-life product management.
There are many uniforms around the world in secure storage waiting for end-of-life processes to become available.  And thanks to PCIAW member Greenful, we now have a solution for this. Greenfulâs innovative textile-to-textile sorting process segregates high value fibres from textile waste to create sustainable composite materials for construction. The textile waste used includes low value fibres, unable to be recycled back into textiles â but critically, it also includes buttons, zips and all otherwise non-recyclable components. For more information about Greenful, please visit: https://greenful.com
End-of-life solutions should be addressed early in the tender process, with pricing models that reflect available data. It was made evident that without clear quantities, suppliers canât provide fixed recycling quotes, so procurement teams must rethink how costs are structured – ensuring products, services, and flexible MOQs are included. Transparency, clear communication, and outside the box thinking among all stakeholders is essential.
For further information on any of the points discussed, please contact our Founder & MD Natalie Wilson directly: natalie@wsiltd.co.uk
With such excellent networking opportunities, great discussions with new & existing contacts, and introductions to prospective new clients from across the globe, you can be sure Workwear Solutions will be back for APEX / IFSA & The Airline Clothing Show in 2026!