Our modern world has many contradictions at once. Many aspects of our daily lives would have been almost unimaginable even fifty years ago, as they have been shaped by technological development, social changes and the growing awareness of climate consequences. And yet, as much as we continue to innovate in one area, there are still techniques that remain tried and true, century after century.
Following the great humanistic tradition of using the whole animal, Beyond the skin born from an exploration between a high quality leather company Elmo Leather and creative studio based in Madrid TetouanCreation. Made in collaboration with Suleman organization dedicated to supporting women in vulnerable situations through skill development, craftsmanship and community, the partnership was presented as part of the Viveros project during Madrid Design Festival 2026.
Leather is a controversial but incredibly durable material. Some of the earliest surviving leather items reveal how long people have understood its durability, using tanning and preservation techniques that predate much of what we now consider modern manufacturing. In a world of tacky leathers, synthetic substitutes, and products—even within the luxury realm—that can begin to fall apart after just a few years, the lasting quality of the real deal remains hard to match. Color, texture, grain and irregularities within the leather become partners in the process, creating a deeper relationship between creator, material and creation.
Usually associated with upholstery, luxury bags and car interiors, leather is used here as lighting. Glowing from within, the specific intricacies of each cut create a unique look, each lamp slightly different from the next. Through composition studies, mock-ups and prototypes, TetuánCrea designers Estrella Poza Ruiz and Ilaria Franceschini explored how cuts, trends, overlays and color combinations could transform remnants into objects with sculptural presence and functional purpose. Taking what could have been discarded and transforming it into a useful and beautiful object is a testament to materiality and process. Respect for the living and the dead permeates the lamp, a warmth that gives the simple geometries a special meaning.
Elmo Leather has long been committed to sustainable business practices, with documentation to back it up. Measurable and scalable goals are our truest path to sustainable design, and Beyond Leather points to this kind of systemic change. Rather than treating waste as an aesthetic shortcut, the project elevates an existing resource, asking how design can create new narratives around materials that already have value. “The real value is in the process, not the finished objects. It’s a joint effort in which each participant contributes to something bigger,” shares Marta Pascual, project leader through the U-Ak Social Design Project.
Aptly named, Beyond Leather investigates not only the systems that produce leather, but also the people who produce leather goods. Each lamp reflects a network of collaboration based on art, learning and the creation of new opportunities. In this way, the cycle of design changes: from linear consumption to reuse, from isolated authorship to shared production, from material excess to material respect. An exciting opportunity to recover material and create employment opportunities at the same time, this collaboration is yet another example of how true circular design can benefit everyone involved.
To learn more about Beyond Leather, visit elmoleather.com. To learn more about Soulem, visit soulem.org.
Photo courtesy of Elmo Leather.
