Recycling isn't just a good idea for the public, but also an avenue worth investigating from the manufacturing end. Taking leather scraps originating from automotive and shoe manufacturing industries, flooring manufacturer EcoDomo combines these bits with natural rubber and Acacia tree bark (used as a binder) to create a unique sealed leather floor, wall and surface tiling solution.
Over the time and with use, the leather tiles develop an aged patina, like the binding of a good leather bound book or a well worn leather jacket. The tiles are composed of 65% recycled leather, 20% renewable rubber, emit low levels of volatile organic compound, and qualifies for LEED construction credits. All you have to use to maintain these tiles are beeswax or carnauba wax...like waxing your car. To learn more about colours and finishes, check out the EcoDomo site.
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Comments (4)
Now I get to choose between a fantastic floor or keeping my cats...
Choices, choices...
Bob: Why not get some Soft Paws, get the flooring and keep the cats? You all win!
Oh, hey, Apartment Therapy is recycling, too. Their posts about lame products like leather flooring. Here's what I said to the Chicago post on the 5th:
While I "applaud" Ecodomo's efforts to create a leather product that is slightly more sustainable, I am still sick that this is even posted. The leather industry is not only harmful to the environment because of the toxins used to tan the hides but also to humans--those same toxins are carcinogenic. Most leather products are processed in India, where there are few regulatory measures to protect leather workers. Clearly, the leather industry also exploits animals (I will suppress my vegan rage). The amount of resources (water, food, fuel to transport) used to raise leather-producing animals is mind-boggling. Creating a demand for Ecodomo creates a demand for leather in general. I'm sure Lexus is looking into Ecodomo to trim the new Lexus hybrid vehicles....
Hey Skippy, we try hard not to overlap posts, but it happens when you've got several writers in different time zones all looking for information to share with their respective cities (and beyond). But my bad...credit to AT Chi.
There's really no need for any rage, vegan or otherwise. We appreciate your opinion and additional information without making this an issue of whose lifestyle is better than whom. We all make lifestyle choices that are compromises, including vegans, vegetarians, fruitarians and omnivores alike, but considering we all have different opinions of what those compromises are, I still think manufacturing based upon reusing industrial scrap materials is commendable.