STUDIO SMOLL from Taiwan designed a collection of bags that can be assembled at home, without glue or stitches.
As we all know, leather is a sustainable raw material, since it is a food industry’s by-product. So, why not turning leather goods into eco-friendly articles as well? This question was the starting point for Studio Smoll, the Taiwan-based brand that has designed a collection aimed at fostering circular economy.
Consumers lie at the core of this virtuous cycle: they choose, assemble, fix and recycle the leather bag provided by Studio Small in a DIY kit, very similar to Ikea’s solutions. But even more eco-friendly than those supplied by the renowned Swedish furnishing brand, to be honest.
Studio Smoll’s environment-driven policy starts off with the selection of materials: only the finest, vegetable tanned, Italian leathers. Then, thanks to the industrial design skills of the corporate staff, the design phase has resulted in the development of a cutting and folding system (now patented) that allows to assemble the bag without using neither glues nor stitches, just with a few screws (provided in the kit together with a screwdriver and a water-based brush, so as to dampen folding lines and facilitate the assembly operations). And if, sooner or later, something breaks, all the components can be replaced.
According to Studio Smoll, this system guarantees several benefits: less waste – since the bag can be repaired endlessly and, when one grows tired of that specific model, it can be disassembled and the leather recycled -, no chemicals used during the tanning and assembly phases, low-impact production processes and, last but not least, fun and satisfaction for the customers. And, if they so desire, they have the chance to turn the article into something else entirely: as a matter of fact, some models can change their style thanks to a few simple moves, thus converting, for example, a messenger bag into a backpack and vice versa.
A unique, finely crafted product, featuring a well-finished and eastern-inspired design, a sustainable, innovative solution recently rewarded with the iF Design Award 2020. The attention to sustainability goes hand in hand with another significant concept, in line with the brand’s policy: to make top-quality hides affordable for more and more people, not just a mere privilege for the luxury market. First-rate materials combined with a young, cutting-edge, eco-friendly product: this is the true challenge taken up by Studio Small. www.studiosmoll.com