Anyone who’s moved house (or done a renovation) would know how Ford feels right here. When the carmaker decided to clean up its Ford product development center (it’s being razed to make way for a Ford ‘campus of the future’), they’ve managed to find rolls and rolls of leather—about USD 100,000 (about P 4.8 million) lying around. So, what did they do? Why, hold a garage sale, of course.
The leather hides, including those used in the high-end Ford F-150 King Ranch and Lincoln Black Label Navigator will be donated and/or upcycled to help local residents of the Detroit area create premium leather goods.
Ford says when color and materials designers order leather hides to build seat and interior prototypes, they order extra for trim, seat patterning, and creative exploration. Extra hides are needed in case mistakes occur or new ideas are explored, so often there is a small surplus left over.
Ford has identified two small businesses that’ll benefit from this leather. One, Pingree Detroit will use them to make boots, wallets, and drink coasters. Another, Mend on the Move will use them to create jewelry and leather goods.
Pingree Detroit is a worker-owned, social impact company founded in 2015. The company employs veterans and Detroiters to help them earn a living wage and learn skilled trades. Meanwhile, Mend on the Move is a nonprofit social enterprise that employs women survivors of abuse in Metro Detroit.
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