Leo Workwear in Devon has unveiled a new initiative that will see unwanted garments recycled into filling for new premium dog beds.
To develop the end-of-life solution for Leo products, the company has teamed up with Bright Secure Recycling which provides closed-loop recycling solutions to a broad range of businesses.
Bright Secure Recycling will collect clothing and then assess and organise it for shredding. The end product is then used to fill new dog beds which are sold on.
The team at Barnstaple-based Leo Workwear were so impressed by the first batch that they donated them to the Dogs Trust in nearby Ilfracombe which rescues and rehomes dogs.
Nick Bale, marketing and development manager at Leo Workwear, said: “There are many complexities when it comes to workwear recycling, with complex fabric blends being difficult to separate and dirt built-up in the garments’ lifetime providing impurities that are a barrier to any circular solutions.
“Therefore, partnering with Bright Secure Recycling and shredding these products to make dog beds is a fantastic next life for Leo garments, taking something that was potentially destined for landfill and using them to create something new and useful.”
Leo Workwear has carried out a lot of work on sustainability over the last five years which has resulted in every product in its range – new and old – being made from recycled or sustainably sourced fabrics, under its EcoViz brand.
“It was important to us that we also provide our customers with as many innovative ways to deal with the products once they come to the end of their life,” Nick added.
