Brekr saddle made from couches coming from thrift shops

Brekr is going to use leather from local thrift shop organization Aktief for special saddles on its electric mopeds. In the Netherlands, more than 40,000 leather couches wait every year in vain for a second life at the recycling center. In the worst case, they even end up in the garbage. It is such a shame, as the leather is often still good enough, according to Brekr and Aktief.

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The production of a new leather couch means ninety kilograms of CO2 emissions, knows Gerry Berndsen, director of recycling company Aktief. A large part of leather furniture does not get a second life and remains at the thrift store. “We get a lot of leather couches and armchairs every year. In the ideal situation, we would of course sell them again, but in practice about 70 percent are not suitable for selling.

Saddles with character

Brekr, producer of electric mopeds, is now going to use the leather to produce special saddles, which customers can order instead of the ordinary saddle. The leather will be cut carefully from the couch at the thrift store and then made into a unique saddle by saddle maker Marcel Molenaar of Miller Kustom Upholstery. Marcel has been working with leather for years, yet second-hand leather has not often reached his workshop: “Most people choose new leather, while used leather is not of inferior quality. On the contrary: it retains its strength and exudes character. Brekr also guarantees that the leather retains its strength. The saddles made of second-hand leather have the same warranty period as the standard saddles.

Brekr x Aktief

Niels Willems, one of Brekr’s founders, is proud of the collaboration with Aktief. Brekr develops and builds the electric moped: the Brekr model B. “Used leather is unique. It gives the saddle a look you can never create with new leather.” By default, Brekr offers a black or brown faux leather saddle, but from now on the possibilities are endless. Willems hopes for more collaborations like this to promote circularity and further develop Brekr as a brand, because ‘it is never finished’ he finds.