"I visited a local tannery outside Bergen," writes Norwegian industrial designer Lars Beller. "I remember seeing pile after pile of discarded leather, thrown away because it didn't meet the ridiculous standards of perfection demanded by luxury brands. A slight discolouration, insect bites or other scarring was enough to place these hides in the unwanted section.
"Out of frustration I decided to design a range of luxury products that only consisted of scrapped leather. This resulted in the Link series."
"Honoring the humble ideals of indigenous tradition and pre-industrial sobriety, the Beller leather-linking technique adds a welcomed touch of modern sophistication to waste reduction. Playing with the juxtaposition of luxury materials with a consumption-conscious mentality, LINK represents a rare throwback to a considerate, machine-independent mindset in a modern design context.
"Strong, versatile and ventilated, the technique can fit almost any purpose and surface, opening a vast range of possibilities only limited by imagination. Composed solely of random pieces of leather, the technique leaves each item visually unique – a desired reminder of the LINK story and philosophy.
"The intuitive linking-technique allows anyone (literally anyone) to assemble pre-cut leather scraps to a range of applicable products from pillows and beanbags to daybeds and lounge chairs.
"LINK connects wholeheartedly with the philosophy of designer Lars Beller; to offer sustainable yet sophisticated solutions for a smarter tomorrow."
I would love to see this on a chair! And if it ever became damaged, it ought be easy enough to spot-repair with some spare pieces.
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I'm wondering what kind of tensile strength it has. I wouldn't expect it to be strong enough for a chair seat without a backer board, but it might be nice for something leather seats in a 4x4. I bet you could lock them together somewhat permanently by boiling it to shrink them down. Ren Faire folk might appreciate it, too.
I think this can be a very popular product to see on Etsy ... what do you think?