wearable collection repurposes leftover leather powder as translucent composite material

"OBRO is a development project by OKUNOTE Tokyo Studio that combines leather production waste with to create a new composite material positioned between leather and plastic. By integrating finely ground leather edge powder into semi-transparent PVC, the project explores alternative approaches to material while examining visual depth, translucency, and surface texture. The project emerged from the collaboration between a PVC processing manufacturer established in 1947 and a leather goods factory specializing in high-quality bags."

"During leather manufacturing, offcuts and edge remnants are generated through cutting and finishing processes. Although these remnants retain the same material quality as the finished products, their irregular dimensions typically limit opportunities for reuse. OBRO approaches this by processing leather edges into fine powder and incorporating them directly into PVC sheets, challenging conventional PVC production methods that prioritize uniformity and material purity."

"Through iterative prototyping, the combination of leather powder with semi-transparent black PVC produced a layered visual effect in which leather particles remain visible within the material. The resulting surface exhibits controlled translucency, with embedded particles responding subtly to changes in light. An embossed finish inspired by leather grain was added to enhance tactile qualities, producing a surface that balances resin durability with a warmer, more organic feel."

OBRO combines finely ground leather edge powder with semi-transparent PVC to produce a composite material positioned between leather and plastic. The project repurposes leather offcuts from a leather goods factory and a PVC processing manufacturer established in 1947. Leather edges are processed into fine powder and incorporated directly into PVC sheets, creating visible embedded particles and controlled translucency. An embossed leather-grain finish enhances tactile warmth while retaining PVC properties such as light weight, water resistance, and structural stability. Particle distribution varies naturally, yielding sheets with distinct patterns and opacity levels, balancing resin durability with organic visual and tactile qualities.

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