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Elvis & Kresse

Elivs&Kresse

Elvis & Kresse have been reclaiming London Fire Brigade decommissioned fire hoses since 2005, to produce a line of bags, purses, totes, iPad covers, wallets and belts. Adding other wasted materials soon after inception, Elvis & Kress also repurpose used printing blankets, military canvas, decommissioned parachute silk, and coffee sacks. Intercepting these materials en route to landfill or incineration, they revalue materials, helping to change the perception of what constitutes resource and what waste. Choosing to work with story laden materials of incredible character, Elvis & Kresse do everything they can to ensure the materials second life is as long as possible, and have rescued over 200 tons of wasted material so far.

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Design often begins with an idea, but for Elvis & Kresse, design began with a problem, the material and scale of which dictates what and how they make. Choosing to honor the tough, life saving material that fire hoses are made from, they scrub away 25 years of soot and grease from active duty, to uncover a truly remarkable, green textile. Building as much value as they can into each design, Elvis & Kresse focus on quality, craftsmanship and classic, timeless design.

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Not satisfied with giving an old fire hose a useful new life, Elvis & Kresse choose to transform the raw materials into desirable designs you want to own. Spending five years perfecting the billfold wallet, to ensure malleability, strength, and classic, practical styling, the same dedication is applied to each and every design they produce, as well as how they do it. Their process emulates kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, making the refurbished piece worth significantly more than a new, undamaged one. Honest, genuine, and practical, Elvis & Kresse strive to produce the belt you leave on your favorite jeans, to the bag you cant leave home without.

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50% of Elvis & Kresse profits are re-distributed to projects and charities related to the unique materials they reclaim. Donations have been made to the World Wildlife Fund, the British Forces Foundation, and of course the Fire Fighters Charity.  Allowing Elvis & Kresse to measure their success in three ways; how much waste they divert from landfill, how much money is donated to charity, and of course how well they are able to sustain their own company.

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Website: http://elvisandkresse.com