Leather UK announces Mulberry sustainable partnership with Muirhead

Leather UK has just announced that member company Muirhead has become a strategic partner to British luxury brand Mulberry.

Muirhead, part of the Scottish Leather Group and one of Europe’s oldest tanneries, will use its sustainable technology to help Mulberry deliver its ‘Made to Last Manifesto’, which was launched on launch on Earth Day, 22 April 2021, in this the brand’s 50th anniversary year.

The manifesto lays out an ambitious commitment to adopting regenerative and circular principles, encompassing the entire supply chain, from farm to finished product, by 2030.

Leather UK, the trade body that represents, promotes and protects the interests of the UK leather industry, which is worth £202.5m a year, is also proud to announce that Mulberry has become its latest associate member.

As members of Leather UK, both Muirhead and Mulberry support the trade body’s commitment to protecting the unique identity of leather as a “sustainable and beautiful product” and to promoting the British leather industry and its practices at home and abroad.

Mulberry’s manifesto focuses on six key actions for change, and Muirhead’s proprietary energy reclaim system complements Mulberry’s circularity principles. When a Mulberry bag has reached the end of the line, the brand will still buy it back. Using Scottish Leather Group’s unique Thermal Energy Plant, solid leather waste is converted into steam that powers the production of leather, ensuring that the line never ends, rather it just becomes a circle.

Rob Billington, Supply Chain Director at Mulberry, said: “To help us achieve our ambitious commitment to transform the business to a regenerative and circular business model, encompassing the entire supply chain from field to wardrobe, we are delighted to be working with business partners, like Muirhead, who can support our responsible business goals and help us fulfil our Made to Last Manifesto.”

Jessica Aiers, Business Development Manager at Leather UK, commented: “We’re proud to have connected Mulberry to Muirhead’s and Scottish Leather Group’s game-changing Thermal Energy Plant, and are excited to see this partnership delivering on an important part of Mulberry’s Made to Last initiative.”

Nicholas Muirhead, Managing Director at Scottish Leather Group, added: “We are proud to call ourselves strategic partners to Mulberry, offering our Thermal Energy Plant technology to support this incredible British brand in bringing their sustainable, responsible vision to life.”

Muirhead is the largest manufacturer of leather in the UK, and Scottish Leather Group’s low-carbon leather has the lowest carbon footprint of any leather, achieved through an 85% reduction in its carbon footprint over the last 15 years.