One (circular) story leads to another. More and more start-ups and companies, with continuity and constancy, are opening with business plans based on the recuperation of a material that is already a leftover. It may appear to be word-play. It isn’t, as shown by The Hand Dyed Shoe, British business that won the Smooth Stores contest launched by Swedish bank Klarna with the goal of “discovering and develop the best commercial talents of the UK”. The Hand Dyed Shoe (founded in Durham in 2014) won a 10,000 pounds prize and the tutoring services of Klarna’s managers thanks to its peculiarity: making shoes by using the leftover leather of the upholstery industry. Exclusive circularity, since that every pair is tailor-made and hand-dyed. Simon Bourne, the founder, stated that his mission is to “change the way the world buys shoes, offering a unique experience and service through all the touch points of the business”. Circularity that goes together with some more “traditional” lines as explained by Simon Bourne: for example, pairs that require “larger-dimension leather pieces such as Chelsea boots”. In this case, the leather pieces are bought ad-hoc.
Image from handdyedshoeco.com
