Dive Brief:
- Looptworks, a company based in Portland, OR, creates accessories made from re-purposed materials.
- The firm takes discarded wetsuits and old airline seats and turns them into purses, cell phone covers, and laptop cases.
- Southwest Airlines gave the company a portion of the 40 acres of leather from seats it was tossing. Looptworks made a line of handbags, duffle bags, and totes from the materials.
Dive Insight:
The company, founded by Scott Hamlin and Gary Peck, points out that it also provides opportunities for disabled adults, including skill training.
Many companies are turning to recycling and re-purposing discarded materials as a business model. For instance, one firm in California recycles agricultural waste into fashion accessories. An LA start-up creates skateboards made from plastics floating in the ocean, while pop star Pharrell Williams’ new fashion line, Raw for the Oceans, transforms ocean waste into apparel.
Recently, Timberland partnered with Omni Tires to recycle used tires into footwear.
