US Irving Tanning Company and Sustainable Solutions, Inc. (SSI) have formed a strategic partnership to produce a sustainable, regenerated leather product. Using by-products from leather product waste streams, SSI's proprietary technology, and Irving's finishing expertise, the product, called Dilusso, was first used in Mazda's award-winning Kabura concept car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

Together, SSI and Irving are looking to develop other applications for Dilusso beyond the automotive sector.

Irving's CEO, Dick Larochelle, commented, "SSI brought us a truly revolutionary leather concept that can be crafted from existing waste streams that flow from our own manufacturing process. We were able to utilise our creative finishing approaches to further enhance and expand the application of this sustainable product into target industries.”

Irving Tanning Company is one of the largest side-leather tanneries in the USA with the capacity to finish over 30 million square feet of leather per year. Established in 1925 and acquired by management and Meriturn Partners in 2005, Irving operates a modern tanning facility in Hartland, Maine, that employs approximately 200 people.

SSI facilitates intelligent product design based on post-industrial waste utilised as a fresh raw material supply. By replacing the traditional perception of waste with the realisation that it is a 'smart stream', SSI is helping companies benefit from their valuable resources.