After complaints and even a lawsuit about “toxic uniforms,” Delta Air Lines has launched a new line called Distinctly Delta. The question now is simple: what do they look like, and are the 2025 Delta Air Lines uniforms finally safe?
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Toxic uniforms
The issue started in 2018. Delta introduced the Passport Plum collection, designed by Zac Posen. The uniforms were supposed to last ten years. They didn’t.
A year later, The Guardian revealed that the uniforms were making employees sick. A flight attendant said she and several colleagues developed severe symptoms (migraines, nosebleeds, and hair loss) after wearing them.
At first, it was said to involve a few dozen employees, but later it turned out to be 525 people. Around 90% of the complaints came from flight staff. By the end of 2019, the group filed a Class Action (collective lawsuit) in the state of Wisconsin. The employees claimed that chemicals in the uniforms were making the wearers sick. They believed they could prove this with research results, but studies carried out by their employer and manufacturer Land’s End showed the opposite.
Meanwhile, staff were allowed to wear their own clothes on board, provided these met the dress code. Delta Air Lines started working on a temporary uniform, which was launched in 2022. The design by Posen remained the same, but the company used different materials. Since staff refused to wear this new uniform, it ultimately ended up in the bin.
In 2024, the airline unveiled a new prototype uniform. To prevent further complaints, they collected feedback from all 70,000 employees who wear a uniform. This clothing package was developed in collaboration with GPS Apparel by Gap Inc.
Delta Air Lines uniforms 2025
Delta Air Lines finally unveiled the new Distinctly Delta collection on November 3. The line covers uniforms for both flight and ground staff. Alongside the signature Delta colors (Navigator Navy, Boarding Burgundy and Runway Red) the company added a new shade: Powerful Pink. The color draws inspiration from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a cause Delta Air Lines has supported for many years.
The new uniforms closely follow the 2024 prototype. The dark blue and burgundy colors remain dominant in the design. Most updates appear in the finer details. The wrap dress, for instance, no longer has a draped front. And, as far as I can tell, the checked men’s sweater has disappeared entirely.
The collection feels more inclusive than before. It now features a headscarf for Muslim women and maternity wear for pregnant employees. Delta has also added leggings, and male ground staff can wear shorts for the first time.
Delta Air Lines claims the new designs focus on “comfort and performance.” Yet, the women are still wearing heels. A surprising choice, especially since most airlines with new uniforms have switched to sneakers.
New uniforms : safe at last?
Delta Air Lines plans to test the new uniforms in the summer of 2026 and start the full rollout in 2027. That approach makes sense. The 2018 uniform problems are still fresh in many people’s minds, so the company is taking no chances. Before launching the collection, Delta intends to run extensive testing and safety checks.
Even after the controversy with Land’s End, Delta Air Lines decided to partner with the same supplier again, a bold move. In its press release, the airline stresses that every garment now meets the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, ensuring that the fabrics are free from harmful substances.
Back in the 2018 lawsuit, Delta also claimed compliance with the OEKO-TEX standard. Later, however, it became clear that while most pieces were certified, a few were not. Still, the judge ruled in favor of Land’s End. Mainly because of how the company handled the case, not because of the uniforms themselves.
In my next article, I’ll take a closer look at that ruling and share what other companies can learn from it.
Stay tuned!
Best,
Aileen