Many materials could have a second life if given the chance.
Kresse Wesling and James Henrit gave nitrile rubber hoses a second life after seeing them stacked on the roof of a fire station in Croydon.
Elvis & Kresse, as the trademark is registered, was not launched with the intention of manufacturing luxury accessories. Its original objective was to find a second life for discarded hoses. They started with a basic line of belts, but over time the project evolved into a leather goods brand with a social purpose.
Today they develop bags, backpacks, briefcases, wallets, notebooks and accessories for men and women, demonstrating that discarded material can be transformed into design, functionality and value.
But Elvis & Kresse is not just a designer brand. In 2021, the company moved all its production to a farm with the goal of maintaining regenerative operations: generating more than they consume in water, energy, biodiversity, carbon and community.
In addition to repurposing all of London’s out-of-service hoses, for the past twenty years (since 2005), they have donated 50% of all their profits to the Fire Fighters Charity, turning once-life-saving materials into a new form of life support.
Source: Elvis & Kresse
Tomilli