The shoe manufacturer Dr. Martens wants to make some of its models out of recycled leather from 2024. This announcement follows the company’s commitment to reduce its environmental footprint in the coming years.
The English footwear brand will design its new products with the help of Gen Phoenix, a company specializing in the production of recycled leather. In March, Dr. Martens and other companies have invested nearly $18 million in Gen Phoenix, also known as ELeather. This investment allowed the company to continue its activities and develop new processes for recycling animal leather.
According to his estimates, Dr. Martens will be able to use recycled leather early next year. To do this, the brand wants to continue its collaboration with Gen Phoenix, who make from recycled leather from their production facilities in Peterborough, UK. The company processes leather-based products and waste from the transport industry. Almost four million seat covers have already been collected, avoiding the disposal of almost 8,000 tons of leather waste in landfills.
“This is an exciting partnership that is part of our global strategy focused on the sustainability of our products, our impact on the planet and the way we treat our people,” said Dr. Martens Managing Director Kenny Wilson , in a statement to FashionUnited. “A key element of this strategy is the integration of more sustainable and traceable materials without compromising on quality, style, comfort or durability.”
The collaboration with Gen Phoenix aims to allow the publicly traded footwear company to introduce new materials in certain segments. This should help to make shoes from more sustainable materials and achieve an overall neutral CO2 footprint by 2040.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.fr.