Furriers Launch Online Platform to Quench Desire for Recycling
A new online platform in Spain helps consumers eager to recycle fur to find fur workshop easier and faster.
Plataforma Ipeleteros has an integrated search engine, which allows identifying a fur workshop based on location and individual needs of the customer. After filling in a short questionnaire, the platform pinpoints the most suitable furrier to do the remodelling and puts the customer in touch.
Javier Hernandez, a furrier and the founder of the platform, came up with the idea after realising that people often struggle to find the right kind of service. After the main workshop in Barcelona, furriers from Madrid, Barcelona, León and Valencia also joined the network, which so far attracted 500 new customers.
Its popularity grew significantly recently, which Javier attributes to increased concerns about the environment.
"It is impossible to open a newspaper or to listen to the news without hearing about climate change. Experts recommend recycling to avoid CO2 emissions and to give materials a second life. It is very important to encourage customers to reuse their clothes," Javier said.
"This is exactly what we are doing - contributing to a circular economy by using the fur skins for longer."
According to Javier, the slow fashion movement has prompted people to shift to more conscious consumerism by buying less and using for longer.
"Clients don’t think about buying something new all the time; they much more prefer to take advantage of what they already have because it either has some sentimental value or because they invested money in it."
Throughout his career, Javier has come across fur coats as old as 70 years. He says that even with a minimum lifespan of 30 years, fur clothes could easily be upcycled into contemporary models.
Beyond the environmental aspect, the online platform also has another advantage. As it became more popular, it boosted employment for many small to medium-sized fur businesses across Spain.
"Over the years, this little experiment has become a platform that generates work for many workshops," Javier said.
He hopes that in future, the platform could expand further in Spain, but also in other European countries where consumers are interested in upcycling.
