10 Years of Aviationtag
Taking off with you without taking off
In 2016, we held the first Aviationtags in our hands. Their material came from a retired Piper. We first had to find out whether others would also be excited about owning a small piece of an aircraft.
Ten years, more than 150 editions and over a million tags produced later, we know the answer. Our Aviationtags have reached people in 127 countries. They hang from keys and travel bags, sit in collectors’ display cases and serve as reminders of aircraft some of you have traveled on yourselves.
As pioneers in aircraft upcycling , we’ve tried many things and learned a lot along the way. This was made possible by partners who believed in our idea, and by you. We’d like to thank you for that—and celebrate together. We’ve prepared a few surprises for the next ten days. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss a thing.
Our first aircraft arrived in Cologne on a car trailer in 2015. We had bought the retired Piper PA28 D-EBRI to make lamps from its outer skin. At bordbar design GmbH, the company behind Aviationtag, we had been turning airline trolleys into furniture since 2006. Now we wanted to work with the aircraft material itself.
The lamps made from the original material never went into production. Instead, the first Aviationtags were made from the Piper’s aluminum in 2016. Small enough for a key ring, with an aircraft story behind them.
Since then, our work has taken us to all kinds of aircraft. Our curiosity has remained: about their history, the material, and what can be preserved from it.
The first edition remains something special. Others remind us of a new partnership, an unusual discovery, or a material that required more patience than expected. For this timeline, we have selected ten editions as examples that illustrate our development—from the Piper to the anniversary edition.
Some things simply can't be told on a small tag. That's why we put together a booklet for our anniversary: with reflections, in-depth insights into our work, and answers to questions no one has asked us before.
You'll find out how Aviationtag came about, what can sometimes make production difficult, and why even a white-painted aircraft can excite us.
You can get the booklet exclusively with our anniversary edition from the Airbus A318 YR-ASA. A special engraving on the back of the tag also commemorates ten years of Aviationtag.
Ten years in numbers:
✈️ More than 150 editions, including partner editions
✈️ Over 1 million Aviationtags produced
✈️ Shipped to 127 countries
✈️ 47 aircraft types featured in our editions
✈️ 97 airlines from 51 countries
✈️ 1 mission: preserving aviation history
At the beginning, one employee looked after Aviationtag. Today, all 16 members of our team contribute. Some work exclusively on Aviationtag, while others also look after bordbar’s other brands and lend a hand when things get particularly busy—as they did for the Hekla Aurora launch.
A lot happens before a tag reaches you: sourcing material, cutting, sanding, engraving, researching aircraft histories, answering messages and packing orders.
The tag carries the aircraft’s details. This photo shows the people who take care of everything behind it.
There are still plenty of aircraft we’d love to create an edition from. We’re also working on ideas for new products. What happens, and when, depends on many people and sometimes on being there at the right moment. After ten years, we know that patience is part of the job.
Having you alongside us means a great deal. You show us your collections, tell us about your flights and ask questions when you want to know more. Through you, we get to see what happens to the tags after they leave our workshop.
Thank you. Whether you’ve been with us since the first Piper or have just discovered your first Aviationtag, we’re looking forward to the years ahead with you.
The Aviationtag Crew
