One thing we didn’t expect when we started Elvis & Kresse was just how much we would get to know some of our customers. We started with a website, not with a shop, so we didn’t think we would get to meet or talk to so many of you. The Elvis & Kresse workshop has always been open too and we love how many of you have come to see us, first in Bournemouth, then Poole, then Verwood and since 2013 at our beloved Tonge Mill.
Many of you love our fire hose collection because, as fire hose is a synthetic nitrile rubber, it is not leather and contains no animal by-products. Our lining, zippers and other hardware, adhesives and packaging do not contain animal by-products either.
When we started to learn about the enormous scale of waste in the leather industry we knew we had to act. We knew we had to do something about the 800,000 tonnes of high quality leather that ends up on the cutting room floor each year. This scrap goes to landfill or incineration, its value is completely lost. We have 2 collections using this rescued leather, our rugs and our Fire & Hide pieces.
But.
We were concerned that many of our animal loving customers might find this new collection confusing and disappointing.
If you do, please call us. Please come and see us. We have had four vegan visitors so far and although not all of them would wear or use these pieces, they are still very keen to support our work. For us the mission has always been to rescue as much material as we can, to ensure that it retains a high value and contributes back to society. This is as true with the leather as it is with the hose. Knowing that this problem exists, and that we can help to solve it meant we had to act. If we are capable, we are responsible.
Our signature fire hose collection will always continue to be entirely animal free.
We thank you for your continued support and if we haven’t met you yet, we certainly hope to in the future.
Love, Elvis & Kresse
