An Eye Mask Designed Like a Bird's Beak, Promising Deep Sleep Onboard

Air New Zealand has partnered with shoe manufacturer Allbirds to create a sustainable eye mask. The mask is meticulously designed with contours that allow natural eye movement and a nose bridge curved like a bird's beak, ensuring complete light blockage while maintaining comfort around the eyes.

Allbirds was founded by a former New Zealand footballer and is a shoe brand known for its comfortable sneakers made from materials like wool and eucalyptus. Their "Wool Runners," crafted from sheep's wool, were lauded by TIME magazine in March 2016 as "the most comfortable shoes in the world."

Like Allbirds' footwear, this eye mask features cushioning made from ZQ-certified New Zealand merino wool and castor oil, offering a soft feel. Air New Zealand contributed to the design by providing feedback to Allbirds based on in-flight wear tests during the development phase, resulting in a sustainable and reusable travel product.

The "Bird Mask" will be offered to passengers in the Business Premier class on select Air New Zealand North American routes, including the daily Los Angeles-London service (NZ1/NZ2), starting October 2018.