When aircraft are retired from service, their future can range from being left in storage to being dismantled for parts. A growing trend in recent years has seen companies upcycling these planes into new products. Aviationtag, based in Cologne, Germany, is one such company that has been repurposing aircraft materials for ten years.
Led by Tobias Richter, Aviationtag acquires sections of aircraft fuselage after negotiating with owners or dismantlers. Sometimes the team travels to sites in France and Spain to collect the material themselves. The selection process favors aircraft with unique histories or appeal, as demand is higher for tags made from notable models like the Etihad Airbus A380 or Iron Maiden Boeing 747.
Once the fuselage sections arrive at Aviationtag’s workshop, they are cut down and prepared for production. The first step involves removing rectangular pieces of skin from between supports on the frame. These are then further shaped into individual baggage tags. Each tag is laser-engraved with an outline of the original aircraft, airline details, and a limited edition number.
Richter described one challenge in this process: “Laser engraving is probably the most difficult part, as we need to find the perfect combination of power, speed and DPI so the engraving looks good on all Aviationtags.”
Some materials pose particular difficulties; for example, sections from Airbus A380s made with glass fiber reinforced aluminum laminate (GLARE) vary in thickness and require careful adjustment during engraving. Engraving an A380 tag typically takes two three-hour runs per batch of 80 tags. For large editions—such as Lufthansa’s 22,000-tag run—the total engraving time can reach nearly 69 days without multiple machines running simultaneously.
After engraving, tags are sanded and polished before being attached to their packaging. Orders come from around the world and are shipped within one working day; in 2025 alone, shipments reached customers in 111 countries.
Aviationtag will mark its tenth anniversary this April. Since launching its first product—a Piper PA-28 tag—in 2016, it has created items from 140 different aircraft types and produced editions ranging from just 500 up to over 35,000 tags each. Each series reserves serial number 0001 for display at company headquarters.
Reflecting on a decade of work, Richter said: “Over the past ten years, we have grown from a one-man show into a strong and passionate team. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and am deeply grateful for the dedication, talent, and commitment that made this journey possible. My sincere thanks also go to our B2B partners, as well as to the loyal fans and collectors who have supported us over the years.” He added: “Looking ahead to the next decade, we remain committed to upcycling aircraft with remarkable stories and preserving them for future generations. Our driving force is to make aviation tangible, accessible, and truly alive.”
Simple Flying provides news coverage about developments like those at Aviationtag through contributions from aviation journalists and experts on its official website. The platform serves a global audience interested in aviation matters by offering daily updates and features aimed at both enthusiasts and professionals worldwide (source). Simple Flying operates under Valnet Publishing Group (source).
