5 companies that give fashion waste a second life

Crediti: Unsplah

 

1,000 kg of raw hides processed generate an average of 250 kg of tanned leather and as much as 600 kg of waste. By-products such as hair, flesh, scraps, shavings and tanned trimmings: a mountain of waste that, if not managed properly, can have a huge environmental impact. How can we give them a second life? We start with management, then move on to recycling and creative upcycling.

 

SURPLUS MANAGEMENT

Second Life, a global leader in textile recycling, specialises in the selection and regeneration of footwear, leather goods and accessories that are recovered following careful certified processes. Second Life offers companies comprehensive support in the management of take-backs, processing waste and surplus stock, with a collection and sorting service for products, which are either reintroduced onto the second-hand market if in good condition or entered into the recycling chain.

 

BIO-FERTILISER PRODUCED FROM LEATHER WASTE

Nothing is wasted from BBL - BioBasedLeather® by Italconcia, which is 97% biobased and free from petroleum derivatives and substances harmful to the environment. Thanks to the partnership with Herambiente, all processing waste is recovered not only at Italconcia's plants, but also at customers' premises, to be delivered to selected producers who transform it into high-quality bio-fertiliser, nourishing the soil and helping to reduce CO2 emissions.

 

PAPER MADE FROM LEATHER

Remake is the name of Favini's eco-friendly, FSC™-certified paper made from 25% Italian leather waste, specifically shavings and scraps from vegetable tanning, and 40% recycled cellulose. ‘The leather residues are visible on the surface and give it a velvety, soft texture,’ says the company. Already used by some major brands for packaging and shopping bags, it is a perfect example of the circular economy applied to fashion.

 

SUEDE LEATHER THAT BECOMES COMPOST

Created using an innovative industrial process that makes leather from the footwear production process soft and shiny, suitable even for clothing, Washable by Conceria Stefania is the first washable suede. It can withstand domestic washing up to 40°C as well as industrial washing with pumice and laser washing, and is also recyclable: its chemical properties mean that it can be turned into compost and thus return to nature, nourishing the soil.

 

FROM FABRIC WASTE TO POLYMER

After creating Cōēo, a material composed of recycled plastic film applied to fabric and leather, making it waterproof, windproof and super durable, CDC_Studio launches Miktòs, a system that transforms a mixture of fabrics – even those composed of mixed fibres, a huge problem for traditional fabric recycling systems – into a polymer, certified by product LCA and equipped with a digital passport, which can be customised according to its intended use.