Australian studio Other Matter, founded by designer and artist Jessie French, has developed Other Matter Leather — a leather-like material produced from recycled adhesive films used to apply text, images, logos, and other information to shop windows, walls, vehicles, signage, and other surfaces. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on petroleum-derived plastic materials by giving a second life to these discarded inputs.
The innovation was presented at the 3 Days of Design event and seeks to establish a circular production system for OM Signage Film, a product previously launched by Other Matter. The film has already been used by institutions and events including the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) and the Australian Open, primarily in display windows, exhibitions, and signage systems.
Despite containing no petroleum derivatives and being non-toxic, the film faced a persistent problem: once used, it was typically discarded. Other Matter founder Jessie French decided to develop a solution to extend the material's useful life and transform it into a higher-value product.
The process begins with the recovery of used film, which is then boiled with water and charcoal. The charcoal gives the material its dark colour, while the curing process creates small bubbles that produce a texture closely resembling that of conventional leather.
Produced in sheets, Other Matter Leather can be used for furniture upholstery. According to the company, it has the appearance, feel, and flexibility of leather, but is made from repurposed, bio-based raw material.
Currently, both the film and the bio-based leather are produced by hand in small batches at Other Matter's studio in Melbourne. The company is working to scale up production, however, and has established a partnership with Australian scientific research agency CSIRO, which has helped develop a plan to expand the process.
Other Matter also plans to produce the material in colours beyond black and to conduct laboratory tests to evaluate its physical properties. The first products include versions of a seating line from furniture maker Made by Morgen, previously upholstered with conventional leather.
For Jessie French, one of the central challenges of the circular economy lies not only in the technology required to recycle materials, but also in the economic viability of the process. The designer argues that for a circular system to be sustainable over the long term, the value of the resulting product must offset the costs of collection, processing, and transformation.
According to sustainability platform Ciclo Vivo, the initiative responds to a persistent problem in the materials industry: preventing products designed for temporary use from rapidly becoming waste. By transforming discarded signage films into furniture material, Other Matter seeks to extend the lifecycle of the same resource.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=535706
