Leather Futures: How leather can be used as a sustainable material of choice for the future
type: CreativeWork
description: The purpose of this research by practice determines how leather can be used as a sustainable material of choice for the future. Using a design-led methodology, this research develops knowledge for guidelines for the sustainable practice in this traditional industry, in order to make leather a material of choice for sustainable future consumer experiences and manufacturing. This investigation updates and re-evaluates old practices of handling leather and presents modern practices using alternative tanning methods, digital manufacturing and upcycling leather wastes into bonded collagenic fibres which address the end-of-life directive in the automotive industry. Finding knowledge gaps through the literature review, this research proposes leather as an eco-informed material choice (Ashby 2009) and it introduces new practices to the catalogue of working with leather (Waterer 1946; Amberg 2018). Leather has a future; it is still a material of choice for high-end design applications including vehicle interiors, upholstery and luxury products. It has unique properties including particularly that of aging gracefully and longevity. It can be soft and luxurious, yet tough enough for self-supporting structures. There is a huge quantity of animal skins and leather produced every year across the world. A rational use of resources suggests that there are considerable environmental benefits by using this material efficiently. This study proposes new ways to use leather which otherwise goes to waste. This includes new systems that I have devised to use leather waste and offcuts, which currently are discarded into landfill or are being incinerated. My methods address the future of leather by undertaking detailed observations of practice through fieldwork in the UK, Italy and Japan. Also, by prototyping circular practices using leather through hands-on investigation in a design laboratory and tannery environment. My findings identified collaborative communities which were drawn out in…
abstract: The purpose of this research by practice determines how leather can be used as a sustainable material of choice for the future. Using a design-led methodology, this research develops knowledge for guidelines for the sustainable practice in this traditional industry, in order to make leather a material of choice for sustainable future consumer experiences and manufacturing. This investigation updates and re-evaluates old practices of handling leather and presents modern practices using alternative tanning methods, digital manufacturing and upcycling leather wastes into bonded collagenic fibres which address the end-of-life directive in the automotive industry. Finding knowledge gaps through the literature review, this research proposes leather as an eco-informed material choice (Ashby 2009) and it introduces new practices to the catalogue of working with leather (Waterer 1946; Amberg 2018). Leather has a future; it is still a material of choice for high-end design applications including vehicle interiors, upholstery and luxury products. It has unique properties including particularly that of aging gracefully and longevity. It can be soft and luxurious, yet tough enough for self-supporting structures. There is a huge quantity of animal skins and leather produced every year across the world. A rational use of resources suggests that there are considerable environmental benefits by using this material efficiently. This study proposes new ways to use leather which otherwise goes to waste. This includes new systems that I have devised to use leather waste and offcuts, which currently are discarded into landfill or are being incinerated. My methods address the future of leather by undertaking detailed observations of practice through fieldwork in the UK, Italy and Japan. Also, by prototyping circular practices using leather through hands-on investigation in a design laboratory and tannery environment. My findings identified collaborative communities which were drawn out in…
author: Schaber, Friedemann
language: eng
keywords: Design, Leather, Futures, Prototyping, Collagen Fibres, Sustainability, Circular Economy
date published: 2022-6-27
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:26:52Z
provider: University of Northampton
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Royal College of Art