The H&M Foundation has joined forces with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) to unveil an innovative project that promises to revolutionize the sustainability of recycled leather.
Traditional recycled leather, a common eco-friendly alternative in the fashion industry, has long been plagued by environmental concerns. It typically combines shredded leather scraps and fibers with synthetic, non-biodegradable binders, often containing harmful chemical residues resulting from the tanning process, such as the notorious chromium VI. These toxic remnants persist through the conventional recycling process, raising alarming environmental and health implications.
Revolutionizing Recycled Leather with reProLeather
The newly introduced reProLeather, still in its early stages, addresses this critical issue head-on. It takes a significant step towards making recycled leather more eco-friendly by replacing the problematic PU and PVC binders with bio-based alternatives and environmentally friendly chemicals.
H&M Foundation and HKRITA's Planet First program have pioneered a novel technology capable of separating chromium VI from shredded leather fibers, resulting in a bio-based replacement for conventional binders. The outcome is a brand-new form of recycled leather that is not only biodegradable but also recyclable, significantly reducing its environmental impact.
Remarkably, reProLeather has successfully demonstrated its ability to restructure post-consumer leather fibers into leather sheets during the research phase. HKRITA is now actively seeking industry partners to fine-tune production processes and enhance its functional attributes, paving the way for widespread adoption in the fashion sector.
H&M Foundation's Commitment to Sustainable Innovation
Christiane Dolva, the Strategy Lead at H&M Foundation, shared her excitement for this groundbreaking innovation, highlighting the organization's commitment to pioneering solutions that promote a sustainable future in the fashion industry, with reProLeather as a potential game-changer they hope to see rapidly adopted.
This collaborative effort holds the promise of reshaping the fashion industry by providing a more sustainable alternative to conventional leather materials and reducing the environmental footprint of recycled leather, marking a significant step towards a more planet-positive fashion future.