On location: A tour of FORMIA’s Hong Kong office

FORMIA is a name known well when it comes to creating legendary amenity kits and passenger comfort products for the airline industry. The first-of-its-kind RIMOWA kit for Thai Airways, the iconic Qatar Airways x Diptyque partnership and the collaboration between Aeromexico and Generation Phoenix for the industry’s first amenity kit program featuring recycled leather are a few that come to mind.

But perhaps a part of FORMIA that is less seen is its headquarters in Kowloon, Hong Kong. PAX International recently received exclusive access to the office standing tall in the city’s energetic business district.

The first thing seen on the upper floor of the Kowloon office is a showcase of amenity kits from SKYTRAX’s World Best Airlines, of which FORMIA is proud to call eight out of 10 its customers. The display includes both kits by FORMIA and those of other suppliers, serving as inspiration and a proud reminder of industry-wide successes.

Championing success for all is something that has always been important to FORMIA, René Lux, Chief Operating Officer at FORMIA, told PAX International during the on-location interview. Lux joined FORMIA in June this year, bringing with him more than 15 years of industry expertise having served in key positions at RECARO Aircraft Seating.

The showcase of amenity kits from SKYTRAX, of which FORMIA is proud to call eight out of 10 its customers. The display serves as inspiration and a proud reminder of industry-wide successes
 

“At the heart of any successful amenity kit program is the collaboration with our partners behind it,” Lux explained. Describing FORMIA’s company culture, Lux says the entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering personality of the company runs through all aspects of the business—from executives to teams in the offices, meaningful brand partnerships and airline customers, and ultimately passengers. Always focused on curating meaningful moments that enhance the passenger experience, FORMIA and its products are memorable because of this commitment to environmental sustainability and socially responsibility.

Earlier this month, the company introduced a kit for Japan Airlines’ (JAL) Business Class, as part of the airline’s new A350-1000 aircraft and cabin interiors launch. The special collection features artwork of artists from the welfare experimental company Heralbony. The brand’s mission is to “Unleash your exceptionality,” empowering artists with intellectual disabilities to thrive through creating beautiful and meaningful art.

“It’s a really important story with a powerful social responsibility message,” Lux said.

On the other side of the inspiration wall is a series of offices for the brand, marketing and design teams. Across from this is the expansive FORMIA showroom. The space highlights amenity kits that are already onboard, bag designs in development, sleepwear, kids’ kits and the cosmetics and skincare partnerships facilitated by FORMIA.

In the showroom, FORMIA’s recently announced sustainability amenity kit program with Hawaiian Airlines is on display. Designed by Jalene Kanani Bell of Hawai’i lifestyle brand Noho Home, the kits use sustainable materials including a bag made with a recycled plastic canvas, a bamboo toothbrush in a recycled aluminum tube, FSC-certified kraft paper and a wheat straw pen. Other items in the amenity kit (socks, eye shades and cosmetic tubes) are made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. Hawaiian Airlines’ First Class passengers will also be able to choose from a variety of à la carte products to minimize waste and create a customized experience.

FORMIA has attained a carbon-neutral certification for the products. The company partnered with SCS Global Services, a third-party verification provider, to assess and certify the kits.

The carbon-neutral certification process involves three steps:

1. Verification: Verifying the carbon footprint of the product based on a full life-cycle analysis per ISO 14067 Standard.
2. Development of a carbon management plan: Developing a plan that includes continuous improvement steps to decarbonize the carbon footprint of the product across the value chain.
3. Commitment to purchase and retire high-quality carbon offsets: The company committing to these practices for the remaining emissions.

The FORMIA showroom at its Kowloon, Hong Kong office

It is partnerships like these that the industry “can expect to see more of in the future,” Lux explained from the office space a few floors below the showroom. Here, the operations teams spend their time diligently looking after vital accounts and fostering relationships with new and existing customers.

FORMIA has seen tremendous recovery, with revenue almost double the 2019 pre-COVID level. As business picks up, the FORMIA team, sometimes referred to as the “FORMIA Family,” is also growing. Currently, 70 work out of the Kowloon office, with another 30+ key sales, brand and operations team members working out of FORMIA’s offices worldwide, located in Bangkok, Shanghai, Dubai, New York City and Mexico City, as well as representatives based elsewhere.

In the year ahead, FORMIA will continue to focus on sustainability—both environmentally and socially. They have already begun working with their customers on new initiatives focused on the delivery methods of amenity kits and developments toward closed loop solutions which drive circularity, expected to be announced early next year.

Colleagues and friends can expect to catch up with the amenities expert at the usual industry conferences and gatherings in the calendar year ahead.