SMART CYCLE is a new project that combines craftsmanship and technology, developed between D-house laboratorio urbano and the tanneries of Solofra, one of the leading hubs in Italy and Europe for leather processing. This region boasts a long tanning tradition dating back to at least the Middle Ages and is renowned for producing high-quality leathers for the fashion and luxury industries.

From September 17 to 19, D-house will showcase the SMART CYCLE project at its stand. This ambitious initiative aims to transform by-products of leather processing into innovative and sustainable resources. The goal is to create new materials that meet modern market demands, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. The project seeks to involve not only leather industry professionals but also stakeholders from other sectors, promoting a cross-disciplinary approach to experimentation and innovation.

Six dedicated hubs will represent six different creative processes, intertwining sustainability and technology in a constant dialogue. These hubs aim to transcend traditional boundaries and explore previously distant application sectors, such as interior decorations, 3D prototyping, flocking, and leather patchwork, all connected by a common thread.

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‍TILESKINS This research and development project explores new horizons in the leather sector. The name "TILESKINS" merges "TILES" and "SKINS," representing a reinterpretation of leather scraps as materials for decorative surfaces.

Various coverings of different textures and densities communicate with interior design. Tanner's scraps are selected, sorted by color and tanning method, compacted, and mixed with resins, transforming them from waste materials into project outcomes. This new language goes beyond traditional leather product applications, exploring the endless possibilities this “material” can offer.

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‍WEAVE BOND exemplifies how embroidery can recover and reuse crust waste to create panels that, treated with traditional leather processing methods, yield regenerated leather material. This is a true circular process that evolves from waste material to recycled, versatile material, ready for infinite applications in fashion, reinterpreting the concept of leather patchwork, and other industrial sectors.

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‍FLOTHER is an innovative project that aims to revolutionize the flocking technique by combining it with leather powders, hence the name FLOTHER.

This process, reminiscent of traditional flocking, utilizes powder scraps from leather shaving while maintaining a "velvet" effect both visually and tactilely for countless aesthetic applications.

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‍LEADERS: Leather Additive Environmental Recycling Solutions is a project approved by the Ministry of Economic Development, focusing on developing innovative solutions for transforming and enhancing by-products of leather processing for use in creating new generations of high-value-added materials through Additive Manufacturing techniques. The project is led by Dyloan Bond Factory, in collaboration with the Experimental Station for the Leather and Tanning Industry, which coordinates the scientific aspects of the project.

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DECRETO REFERENCES
Decree No. 2480 of 07/08/2023, which granted incentives from resources made available through Ministerial Decree 11 June 2020 and the Director's Decree of 05 August 2020.

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‍FINANCING ENTITY: MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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3D CIRCULAR SKIN
The LEADERS project has enabled the development of 3D Circular Skin, a capsule collection of accessories designed by Vito Colacurcio, which redefines the boundaries of rapid 3D prototyping by overcoming the limitations of commonly used materials and opening up to the residues of the leather processing sector. These waste products, reduced to powder, become resources for creating something new, establishing a circular process that revolutionizes the concept of reuse, where creativity, technology, and sustainability unite to generate new elements and explore new frontiers in prototyping.

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‍L’OFFICINA ZERO is the flagship project of L'Officina Chimica in Movimento, a company specializing in supplying chemical products for the leather industry both in Italy and abroad. This project aims to enhance leather through an eco-friendly processing method that minimizes environmental impact and safeguards workers' health. This tanning system represents a true revolution, relying solely on the use of next-generation tannins obtained from renewable plant sources, along with biodegradable degreasers and fatliquors.

The production process is highly sustainable, with water and energy consumption reduced by 50% compared to traditional chrome and metal-free tanning methods. The resulting leather is entirely biodegradable and compostable, establishing L'Officina Chimica in Movimento as a leader in eco-friendly tanning innovation.

D-house laboratorio urbano, in collaboration with local tanning companies in Solofra, aims to transform what is currently viewed as disposal costs into new opportunities. The goal is to change the perspective of companies within the supply chain, encouraging them to explore new, reinterpreted, and recontextualized resources and products to stimulate fresh ideas and possibilities for the industry.

This collaboration between leading companies aims to create a practical exchange of ideas, projects, and economic strategies that will strengthen the Solofra area as a promoter of innovative and sustainable business models.