An innovative recycled leather material alternative to traditional leather

 

 

ELFA Leather is a new sustainable recycled leather material engineered for the end of leather manufacturing waste

It has a surplus of goods and excessive waste in the world now, and we should reuse them and reduce waste, rather than producing a lot of goods again.Especially in leather area,up to 75% of all leather hides are wasted.Therefore,a large number of leather scraps is destined to landfill,which it has a great pollution to the land and water.What`s more, there is a huge waste for the planet and the destruction of the environment entering into an infinite circle.Facing this situation,this is where elfa leather comes in.Maybe someone ask why elfa leather is able to help people to end the waste and move forward ? Why elfa leather can deliver on both changing for the planet and pursuing of luxury for the consumers?Elfa leather takes leather manufacturing waste destined to the landfill and gives it new life through revolutionary recycled technology with manufacturing sustainability.It reuses surplus of leather hides and reduce excessive waste ,engineering for the end of waste.Manufacturing with 100% renewable electricity,Recycling 95% of water used in groundbreaking manufactured process,Lowering carbon emissions by over 60%,Saving limited natural scarce resources (land and water) and Reducing waste,elfa leather is striving to increase the recycle content to 75%.For example,we are using recycled synthetic fibers made from plastic bottles in the ocean beach to enhance elfa leather performance.Therefore , it is popular with the most iconic brands in the world for its luxury and durability.In addition,it lets our mission have true impact of industry and the planet at an epic scale.

• Elfa leather is our recycled leather.
• We are the pioneer of recycled leather tackling the widespread issue of excessive waste .
• Elfa leather outperforms leather in every way.
• It`s made sustainably in a unique process,offering change for the planet and luxury of consumers.
• We are on a mission to make material circularity possible at an epic scale to have true impact of industry and the planet.

What is recycled leather ( R Leather )?

Recycled leather is short for R Leather

Recycled leather gives new life to leather manufacturing waste by transforming it into a sustainable alternative

In the elfa leather company,we think that too many limited resources are being unnecessarily wasted in the only planet we live.We have a responsibility and mission to reduce this waste in our industry .Therefore,we have to create what people want and what the planet deserves.

Many industries have been using traditional leather in the world,but we don`t know only 25% of all leather hides are actually used.The rest go to landfill. This is where recycled leather comes in . We are able to evolve leather to become a more responsible ,desirable and superior performance material.

In short,Recycled leather is an innovative material made with up to 55% virgin leather fibers.It provides enhanced comfort and delivers the true meaning of luxury for the climate-conscious . It gives customers a feeling of an upgrade with a premium material that looks and feels of traditional leather.

It is made from discarded “wet blue” leather off-cuts that normally end up in the landfill. What`s more ,we will recycle plastic bottles to get the synthetic fibers.It`s unique patented process employs high pressure water jets to force the recycled leather fibers together with recycled synthetic fibers made from plastic bottles in a continuous closed-looped system with 95% of water recycled.It is a clean groundbreaking technology product that lowering carbon emissions 60%,saving 95% scarce water resources compared with traditional leather production.

 

Engineered for the end of waste ( including leather waste and plastic bottles)

Imagine what can happen when waste is no longer wasted.

When the cycle of consumption transforms into an infinite loop.How should we face it ?

This is the reason why ELFA Leather is engineered for the end of waste.We are not only the end of leather waste to the landfill ,but also the end of the plastic bottles to the beach and oceans.Some animals in the ocean cannot be hurt by these plastic bottles.

 

Engineered for superior performance

It is more abrasion and scratch resistant and more durable and thanks to controlled stretch it retains its shape better when in prolonged period of use.

Engineered for protecting the only planet we live

Saving limited natural scarce resources (land and water), Lowering carbon emissions and Increasing recycled content.

Leather scraps are ground into fibers.They are then built together with recycled syntethic fibers using nothing but the power of high perssure water.It is easier for manufacturers to cut and sew because of resulting in a material produced on a roll.It can be customized in any color with a number of textures to choose from .It delivers look and feel of traditional leather.But is less damaging to the planet.

How it`s made ?

Step 1: The Base materials of ELFA leather is leather shavings and trimmings.

Step 2: Leather shavings and trimmings undergo a fiberisation process which shreds and upgrades them into fine usable fibers .

Step 3: Leather fibers are formed into two layers on both sides of recycled synthetic fibers.They are fastened with high pressure water jets rather than chemical adhesives.

Step 4： After color impergnation ,a high performance finish coats the leather and a release paper template gives the surface a leather effect grain.

Step 5: After final inspection and quality assurance it is ready to be rolled . On a roll the leather is more functional to use and will produce less cuttings and wastages in the further use .

Virgin leather diverted from landfill,leather scraps are ground into fibers.Through hydro-entanglement revolutionary process ,fibers will become elfa leather substrate.High performance lamination is applied to meet specification.

 

Why need recycled leather on the planet ?

With the aggravation of environment pollution on the international agenda,combined with a focus on scarce resources and protecting animals,recycled leather has entered the scene as a force for good.What`s more ,now a lot of famous brands specifically have long sought sustainable materials from recycled fabric to recycled leather,for example ,Nike used recycled fabric for shoes,named flyknit,now they are using recycled leather,named flyleather. Recycled Leather`s partner with leading brands from all of the world to help them to create extraordinary products and memorable client experiences,while improving the sustainability.

• Saving over 55% of land and water used by leather
• Reducing carbon emissions by over 60%
• Zero waste to landfill since 2009
• Contains up to 75% recycled content.
• Manufactured 100% renewable electricity
• Recycling 95% of water used in groundbreaking manufacturing process

Sustainability

We are the people behind the sustainable leather alternative.We are creating what people want and what the planet deserves.There is no doubt that nature`s resources are limited .Over-consumption is taking its toll on our planet.And there is an urgent need to recycle more and waste less.So that`s exactly what we do !

Our commitment to sustainability

To minimise our environmental footprint and ensure we`re making efficient use of the world`s scarce natural resources,we focus on three key areas.Such as Increasing recycled content,Lowering carbon emissions,reducing use of earth`s scarce resources.

 

Why recycled leather can be alternative to traditional leather ?

Traditional leather is being rivalled by manmade alternatives. The latest in this new generation is recycled leather.

Made from discarded ‘wet blue’ leather off-cuts that normally end up in landfill, recycled leather saves needless waste. Plus it’s available to cut from the roll. So Unlike leather hides there’s minimal wastage and, of course, lower material costs. Not all recycled leathers are the same…

Recycled leather comes in numerous forms. Most rely on adhesives and resins to bond the leather fibres together to form the material. However, recycled leather from ELFA leather is different. The ELFA leather patented process uses no chemicals and resins whatsoever but just water alone. With its strong eco credentials, high performance and low cutting wastage, recycled leather from ELFA leather enterprise is fast becoming the material of choice for the footwear, leather goods, upholstery and transport sectors.

Recycled leather has all the natural benefits of traditional leather plus it is more eco-friendly, saves wastage, is lighter (for less fuel consumption), more durable, both cheaper and easier to keep clean and can be relied on for consistency of colour and texture. For Example as below :

LEATHER HIDES

1 tonne of leather….

….generates only about 255kg of finished, tanned leather…

…the remainder….¾ of the tonne is waste.

It takes approximately 4 leather hides to furnish the interior of 1 car

RECYCLED LEATHER

Trimmings and shavings (the raw material of composition leather) accounts for around 30% of a tannery’s waste.

 

 

Recycled Leather VS Traditional Leather

Recycled Leather	Traditional Leather
Less wastage,more cost effective Cut from rolls 1400mm wide.Length is long	Leather hides(at widest point): 914.4mm Length:2286mm
Resistant to cracking,tearing and puncturing Its unique core reinforment textile provides high performance,improving its quality and feel.	Can be prone to cracking ,tearing and puncturing, especially split leather
More durable – Scuff and scratch resistant thanks to an easy to keep clean pu coating.	Prone to scuffs and scratches.
Up to 50% lighter – Helping transport Companies save on fuel consumption and reduce their carbon footprint.	Weight disadvantage, particularly to transportation applications.
Uniform texture – Made from leather fibersand given an artificial pattern for a consistent Flawless finish and feel.	Inconsistent texture – Made from hides which can be looser and more stretchable in the Belly and flank areas and relatively tight Across the backbone.
Uniform shade – Made from leather fiberspigmented for a consistent flawless color.	Inconsistent Shade – Each hide is different and has a unique grain texture.This results in the dyes and finishes penetrating the grain in Varying degrees.
More flexible and easier to sew.	Can be fairly rigid limiting applications
Wipe clean with a damp cloth – No chemical cleaners or costly cleaning maintenance Needed to continually look good.	Cleaning detergents and leather restorativeproducts needed as well as the associated time and costs.
Recycled Leather is a better valuealternative to traditional leather	Leather is expensive,pricing itself out of Large-scale upholstery applications in Particular.

Recycled leather outperforms traditional leather in several key areas.

Price

Compared with Traditional Leather hides , price is more competitive .

Environmentally friendly

Made from discarded wet blue leather off-cuts that normally end up in landfill ,together with high pressure water jets to force the natural leather fibers through an integral textile reinformancement core.It is a clean eco-friendly material ,no chemicals (no adhesives ,no resins), what`s more ,to reduce the pollution of wet blue leather hides` cuttings and trimmings to environment.

Higher Cutting Yield

More cost efficient for many applications, cut from a roll not from hides for less wastage and reduced costs ( Recycled leather is supplied in rolls resulting in only 5% cutting wastage compared to up to 40% wastage for leather hides .)

Safety Fire Proof standards

Excellent flame retardancy endorsed by British and European fire and safety standards.

Better for product consistency

Manufactured from leather fibres so unlike leather hides has no natural defects and results in minimal batch-to-batch variation for a flawless finish.

Customisable design options

Bespoke colours are available plus various grains and the ability to emboss with company or brand logos.

Significant fuel savings

Up to 50% lighter than traditional leather, recycled leather is critical in helping transport applications to lower emissions, fuel consumption and reduce their carbon footprint.

Reduces landfill costs

Less wastage reduces landfill levies

High durability

Recycled leather`s reinforced textile core enables the leather to resist tearing and gives it greater elasticity. Ideal for heavy use applications from passenger seating to handbags and wallets.

Easy care

Simply wipes clean with a dampened cloth, thereby avoiding the need for costly cleaning products and maintenance.

Protect Animals

To reduce the killing of animals ,conforming to the policy of Animal Protection Countries and Organization. https://www.recycledleather.hk/products/

 

 

ELFA leather has worldwide acclaim

The company operates from its production plant in Wuxi CN, where it exports its Products to Asia, United States, Europe, Taiwan, India, and internationally.Leading international brands and companies use recycled leather from ELFA Leather .

Its groundbreaking recycled leather alternative has already found its way into the interior upholstery . The unique material has been adopted by leading retail brands for footwear, as well as establishing itself as the eco-friendly material of choice for leather goods and both domestic and commercial upholstery.

ELFA leather ecologically sound clean tech

manufacturing every part of ELFA Leather`s production is set out to minimise resources. From sustainable sourcing through to closed loop manufacturing and waste reduction during cut and sew operations.

ELFA Leather`s unique patented process employs high-pressure water jets to force the recycled leather fibres together with recycled synthetic fibers.It`s a process that has major environmental advantages over conventional bonded leather, as it uses no chemicals. Its process is a continuous closed-looped system with 95% of water recycled.

ELFA Leather is available to cut from a roll 1.4m wide (55″), significantly saving on wastage compared to hides. With its automated stack cutting ELFA Leather also provides faster processing with up to 99% cutting yields. ELFA Leather allows for bespoke production. Its methods are able to be adapted to the specific performance requirements of each industry sector and the precise user application: whether it is hand sewing by highly skilled operatives, computer controlled multi-layer cutting or highly automated manufacture.

 

 

Leather and the environment

 

Waste not,want not

The leather industry as a whole is responsible for generating huge amounts of waste as a by-product of its production. Take a tonne weight of hide, for instance, used to produce traditional leather.One ton generates up to 255kg of finished, tanned leather but almost three-quarters of a tonne is classed as waste. Meanwhile, harmful oil-based chemicals are used in the creation of bonded leather. However there is a corner of the industry that is geared to forging a more ecologically responsible method of leather production at every stage.

Recycled leather

Saving waste and resources every step of the way

 

A leading supplier of recycled leather, ELFA Leather , has pioneered an environmentally friendly leather fibre material that has already made its way into many everyday products and applications, from airline seats to shoes. It takes off-cuts, shavings and trimmings, which are usually discarded by tanneries and would otherwise go to landfill, and recycles them to make its composition leather, ELFA Leather.

 

No chemicals needed

Another crucial difference between these methods and those employed by manufacturers of conventional bonded leather is that no chemicals are used whatsoever in the process of bonding the leather fibres together to form a sheet of material. Just use water alone.

Using a high-pressure water jet process has major environmental advantages. The supplier`s carbon footprint is dramatically reduced as a result because there are no oil-based adhesives present in the process. ELFA Leather, for instance, produces no harmful wastewaters in the manufacture of its composition leather. Their process is a continuous closed-looped system, with 95% of all water produced used in production being recycled.

Saving energy

In addition, product emissions at the ELFA Leather,plant in the form of solvents are thermally oxidated and the energy generated fed back into the manufacturing process. Its thermal oxidiser has cut natural gas use by between 50-70%.What all of this means for many leading companies is that the production methods of composition leather manufacturers such as ELFA Leather are able to be perfectly aligned with their own eco initiatives in cutting waste and reducing their carbon footprint.

 

Summary of composition leather`s eco advantages

Up to 60% less CO2 emissions

Up to 99% recycled water in process

Up to 50%-70% natural gas usage

Less landfill

No adhesives in recycled leather fibers and synthetic fibers