What would you do with 34,000 square metres of material

Shropshire-based Virgin Balloon Flights is calling on the public to pitch ideas for re-purposing retired balloon envelopes.

The business, well know for its bright red balloon, is already working with refugee entrepreneurs from TERN the The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network who have produced,‘Up, up-cycled and away’ products available to purchase on Virgin Red to mark World Refugee Day.

Products creations from the 34,000 square feed balloon envelopes include aprons, picnic blankets, bags, bikinis, picnic blankets, and aprons

The the launch on Monday on Virgin Red – Virgin’s Group-wide rewards programme – sees all proceeds returning to TERN, enabling refugee entrepreneurs to thrive through the power of their own ideas

With lots of material to go around, Virgin Balloon Flights is calling on the British public to pitch ideas for re-purposing retired balloon envelopes, each enough to cover 16 football pitches.

The balloon company plans to give away as much of the material as it can to craft makers, entrepreneurs and community groups

Based in Telford, Virgin Balloon Flights flies from more than 100 locations across the UK.

Each Virgin balloon hosts 10,000 passengers with 600 hours of flying before being retired. One balloon consists of 34,000 square feet of nylon material, which is enough to cover 16 football pitches.

In the past, Virgin Balloon Flights has been finding other ways to use its retired balloons – the durable, lightweight, and tear-resistant fabric makes for great covers for the balloon baskets and extra insulation for the walls of its large barn workshops. Wiltshire artisan, Lisa Crick, has also used the material to create large bags.

More recently, Maria Callisto and Teem Khan, whose enterprises are part of TERN, have used the material to create upcycled products including picnic blankets, aprons, hair bows, tote bags, capes and bikinis. Powered by TERN, Maria and Teem both currently sell their upcycled products via the ANQA Collective, Europe’s first online marketplace selling products from refugee-led businesses.

Founder of TERN, Charlie Fraser, commented, “We believe that recognising and supporting the entrepreneurial talent of refugees is essential to building more inclusive societies, and we’re really proud to partner with Virgin Balloon Flights and Virgin Red to launch this special Anqa Collective range. Teem and Maria are both creative, resourceful and determined entrepreneurs and we’re so excited to share their creations!”

Inspired by the creative ways in which these Balloons can be repurposed, inidividuals across the UK can pitch ideas how to use the material via Virgin Balloon Flight’s website at virginballoonflights.co.uk/up-upcycled-and-away.

Virgin Balloon Flights plans to distribute as much of the material as it can.

Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson, famous also for completing the first trans-atlantic and Pacific hot air balloon flights with Shropshire balloonist, Per Lindstrand, said: “This is a wonderful initiative by Virgin Balloon Flights. These balloon envelopes have been part of so many people’s adventures, and thanks to the creative talent of TERN’s refugee entrepreneurs, they are now given a second, meaningful life. I applaud the entrepreneurial spirit and skill of TERN’s Maria and Teem – and I urge anyone with an idea big or small to come forward!”