Thursday 17 February 2011

Errm, I’ll have a rump steak and a handbag please…

This video shows “Marlow and Daughters” a Brooklyn, N.Y. butchers which is next door to the linked Marlow and Sons - a restaurant. In addition to using locally sourced animals for the butchery which supplies the restaurant too they actually get the hides of the animals they use made into leatherwear such as handbags which they sell to diners (see picture below video).

Some might see a “yuck” factor here. People could avoid the restaurant completely because animal rights beliefs make them too grossed out or fashionistas may adore the convenient idea of simultaneously eating while shopping for designer items. It’s innovative and, at the very least, they are thinking outside the box and making creative connections between their supply chain, waste material and end product. Those last couple of sentences stolen from Food & Drink Digital contributor Kristin Craik
marlow and sons
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2 comments:

James said...

I approve - very much so. Though I do hope that they are putting thought into the processes that are used to tan the leather (which can be pretty toxic)

The fact is, animal husbandry produces dead animals (and that's as true for dairy cattle as beef cattle), and the best way to deal with dead animals cannot be just to bury them in the ground.

Nick Palmer said...

Tanning can use powerful chemicals that need careful handling both during and after the process but a well produced leather item can last for an exceptionally long time and so scores large sustainability Brownie points.

In terms of sustainability though, handbags as they are currently marketed tend to be seen as an ephemeral fashion item. Some owners have dozens and would throw one out if the colour was no longer "this season", which is about as unsustainable an outlook as I can imagine.