As we all know leather is expensive and eliminating as much waste as possible is the key to reducing unwanted offcuts and scraps. Are there other things we can do with these offcuts besides throwing them away. How can we reduce leather waste?
Leather waste can range from leather offcuts, scraps or unwanted or damaged items of clothing or furniture. These items are often discarded or thrown away which results in them ending up in landfills. By recycling, re-using and repurposing these offcuts we can help reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills.
The leather industry or the manufacturing of leather items such as bags, shoes, gloves, furniture results in a lot of waste and spare leather being discarded or thrown away. Let’s have a look at the some of the ways that this waste can be reduced.
Recyling leather.
Firstly, we can recycle leather by taking the scraps and offcuts from our project to a recycling depo. First check that the depo does in fact take leather for recycling. These scraps of leather will be collected or shipped to various manufacturers who can re-use the leather for other items.
Upcycling Leather offcuts and scraps.
Upcycling is another way of preventing leather scraps from ending up in landfills. The offcuts can be collected and re-used by turning them into other items such as shoes, earrings, gloves, bags etc. I have seen a few videos of old discarded work boots and shoes which are taken apart and the leather re-used. Don’t be so quick to discard old leather items. By re-using them or turning them into other items you are giving them a second lease of life. If you can’t think of a way to re-use them rather donate them to someone who can use the leather again.
Recycled leather.
Leather can also be recycled by shredding up all the offcuts and scraps. After this is done a binder agent is added to the shredded scraps and this is formed into a pulp which can then be made into sheets of recycled leather. This is basically what bonded leather is and is an excellent way to reduce the amount of leather ending up in landfills.
Check out my previous post on recycled leather to see what it’s all about. Or if you would like to find out more about a company that is doing this then check out Recyc Leather. They have been around for a while and have a great deal of experience in recycling leather.
Donating old leather items to a charity or welfare organization.
If you are tired of your old leather jacket or sofa rather donate it to a charity or welfare organization instead of throwing it away. Someone may be able to salvage or rescue it by fixing or repairing it.
Conclusion
By using some of the methods discussed above you can greatly reduce the amount of leather waste that is generated. This helps reduce the amount of waste in landfills but also benefits the environment. Think twice next time you discard your offcuts. Thanks for reading.