The Weight of the Hide
The responsibility of leather: From hunt to hide
"The Weight of the Hide" is a leather chair made from wild boar hide, a resource usually discarded as slaughter waste from population control hunting in Europe. The project provides a traceable, naturally-tanned product to consumers interested in ethical leather. It solves the waste issue of boar skins and educates on disappearing natural tanning methods. Sustainability is achieved by repurposing slaughter waste, using natural tanning with recycled water, and utilizing offcuts for biofuel or dog chews.
Company/Institution
Emma Werkhoven
Emma Werkhoven is a Belgian–Dutch designer based in Eindhoven whose work explores the ethics and materiality of leather.
Driven by experimentation and a deep respect for craft, she investigates the full lifecycle of materials — from origin to finished object.
Rather than turning away from the ethical tensions surrounding leather, Emma embraces them as a catalyst for more conscious design.
Through her work, she aims to reconnect maker, material, and user, encouraging a thoughtful and sustainable relationship with what we create and use.
Country
Netherlands
Website
Designer(s)
Emma Werkhoven
Emma Werkhoven is a Belgian-Dutch designer based in Eindhoven.
Her work embraces experimentation as a tool for discovery, creating products and furniture inspired by craft and materiality.
In recent years, Emma has developed a deep interest in leather. Exploring its origins, ethics, and meaning. Rather than avoiding its complexities, she uses them as inspiration for reflection and research. Emma aims to work with all materials thoughtfully, fostering a more conscious connection between maker, material, and user.