Definitive Dongen closure puts Hot-Shop events in doubt
The future of the Hot-Shop design events, which footwear and leather group Ecco has run annually in the Netherlands for almost 20 years, is uncertain.
Ecco has said these events brought together designers, artists, material specialists, marketers and leather technicians from the worlds of fashion, industrial design, furniture and other industries for an intensive workshop about leather.
It held the events at its tannery in Dongen, but the building was destroyed by fire in May 2025.
Ecco has now confirmed that it will not reopen the Dongen site and will, consequently, no longer make any of its leather in Europe. It told leatherbiz: “We continue to produce high-quality leather at our three Ecco Leather production facilities in Indonesia, Thailand and China, serving customers worldwide.”
When we asked what this development will mean for the Hot-Shop events and if these will still take place, the company said: “We do not have any further information to share.”
