EARTH FRIENDLY LEATHER: Nogami x Yasuhiro Miyanohara ft. &96

A story of how we worked together to turn create earth friendly leather products.

One of Kagoshima’s major exports is Kurobuta (black pig), a heritage pork praised for its rich flavor and tenderness. At Nogami Sangyo, the green farm specializes in producing “stress free” black pigs for consumption. In order to raise the highest quality meat while keeping in line with sustainable development goals, their ethics focus on prioritizing animal health and welfare. The pigs get plenty of leisure time and are fed nutritious meals full of whole foods.

Furthermore, because the goal is to reduce waste while simultaneously honoring the life and sacrifices of the animal, Nogami adheres to the nose-to-tail philosophy. Every part of the animal is utilized, including its pelt.

Local designer Yasuhiro Miyanohara applies an eco-friendly, proprietary dye to the kurobuta pelt to transform it into colourful, soft and pliable leather. Inspired by his experiences as a glass and denim artist, Yasuhiro has created a new line of bags, totes and other goods with the focus on simple aesthetics and functionality.

The leather is first processed with vegetable dye, then reworked into whimsical, thought provoking designs that fit any mood. Since he chooses not to use metal fittings or other distracting elements, he ensures that attention remains purely on the leather itself. The nature of the bags make them practical for everyday use, and since each piece is carefully made by hand, no two will be exactly alike.

As the only distributor of these original handbags, &96 is taking action to reduce the fashion industry’s negative impacts on our environment. We hope to connect the dots between style and sustainability, and are excited to collaborate with individual creators and share with you sustainable, earth friendly and low impact leather bags and other goods.

美味のソノムコウ。

暮らしを彩る黒豚レザー

鹿児島の誇る黒豚。

その命に最後まで寄り添いたいと願った畜産農家、 副産物である革に新たな命を吹き込んだ鹿児島のレザー作家、 そんな循環を多くの人に届けたいと立ち上げたブランド andkuro (アンドクロ)

それぞれの想いが重なり「命を味わい、纏う」という新しい文化が生まれました。

「ソノムコウ」とは、美味の先。命の先。

そして暮らしへとつながる、新たな価値の在り方です。

鹿児島県産黒豚レザーは「美味しい」で終わらせない、命の循環であり、鹿児島らしいサステナブルなものづくりそのものです。

まだまだ微力ですが、鹿児島の命と文化が共鳴する、新しい特産品のかたちになるよう、ひとりでも多くの人たちに届け、暮らしの中にも浸透する日が来ることを願って伝道していきたいです。

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