The Weight of the Hide Chair

Category: Furniture

Working with leather inevitably comes with ethical and emotional complexities. That’s why, as a leather designer, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Guided by a Swedish hunter and local tannery, I chose to take responsibility for the life behind the material. Taking care of every step in the process, from hunting and skinning a wild boar to leather tanning and design. I spent a month in Sweden living and working the full process including the dirty work to get a stronger understanding of the material. The following design translates the story of the material. The hardware, inspired by the bullets, is engraved with a unique serial number. This connects to a leather passport. Documenting every detail of the process and providing transparency about the material. Encouraging the user to form a mindful connection with the story of the material. The shape of the pattern is inspired by the shapes in the tanning process. In the Netherlands, wild boar is often hunted for population control. Though the meat mostly gets used, the skins are rarely used. I am hoping to reintroduce the veg-tanning process in the Netherlands on a small scale, starting with discarded skins from hunters and farmers. I am hoping to bring more awareness to sustainable tanning methods and a mindful approach to using leather. Because a big part of this project is rooted in sharing information and education, I wrote the book “The Weight of the Hide” and host lectures on the topic.