Leather tiles support ‘greenest building’ claim
21/09/2009
A building in Oregon that expects to be hailed as the greenest building in the world when it opens next year is using tiles made from recycled leather to enhance its claim.
The developers working on the Independence Station building (in the city of Independence) has reported that the the tiles, made from discarded scraps of leather from a range of tanneries, will decorate the walls and floors in parts of the building.
“The use of leather tiles will demonstrate to the world that spaces can be luxurious and artfully designed while still conserving resources,” said Steven Ribeiro of the development company involved, Aldeia.
The maker of the tiles, a company called EcoDomo, shreds leather scraps and, in a process similar to the production of recycled paper, binds the scraps together using natural rubber and acacia tree sap. The tiles are then hand-stitched by Amish artisans.
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