HKRITA is now looking for partners to scale the technology. Credit: H&M Foundation, HKRITA..

H&M Foundation and HKRITA explain reProLeather successfully restructures post-consumer leather fibres into leather sheets in its research stage. It is produced using technology that separates the chromium VI from shredded leather fibres and that creates a bio-based alternative to the PU and PVC binders, thereby creating a new form of recycled leather that is biodegradable and recyclable.

reProLeather is a recycled leather system that separates, categorises and recycles post-consumer leather products into useful raw materials for the manufacturing of new products. It is carried out in two steps, beginning with shredding a whole post-consumer leather product into pieces until leather fibres of high purity are obtained, and removing free chromium by transforming it into a soluble salt or complex compound.

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Then the separated leather fibres react with bio-based binders such as sugar or protein under mild conditions, and collagen fibres become interconnected and form a new leather. Regenerated leather obtained with such a novel bio-based approach is water-resistant and biodegradable, resulting in a virtuous circle for leather recycling.

HKRITA is now seeking industry partners to optimise production properties and enhance functions, paving the way for improved industry applicability in the future.

H&M Foundation strategy lead Christiane Dolva says: “As a philanthropic change agent for the entire industry we take risks to unlock needed solutions with the ambition to find technologies that can contribute to a planet-positive fashion future.

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“I’m always open to sharing our findings openly with others, to find industry actors ready to adopt bold innovations and rePro Leather could be one of these solutions. I hope to see it scale soon.”

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Last month (September) Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) announced plans to partner with Swedish industrial company IPCO to scale up production of its Mirum plant-based leather alternative.