Copyright M Live Michigan
DETROIT – After 10 years in business, a Detroit-born and bred company that upcycles automotive leather into boots, bags and more is opening its first storefront downtown. Pingree Detroit repurposes automotive leather, canvas and other materials to make 29 leather-based products, with an emphasis on sustainable manufacturing, supporting its employees and becoming a missing link in the manufacturing chain. In October, the staff accepted their largest donation yet from Rochester Hills-based automotive supplier Pangea. Owner Jarret Schlaff and his employees loaded a 20-foot U-Haul truck with hundreds of leather hides that had been partially used or rejected by the design firm for clients like Hyundai and General Motors. Since the company was founded in 2015, Pingree has repurposed 55,000 pounds of leather - material that would otherwise be headed to an industrial landfill. The company’s tagline is “Smells like a new car – because it nearly was.” For Schlaff, who had an earlier career working for the state of Michigan on sustainability campaigns, interrupting the massive international automotive manufacturing process with a hand-made, sustainable solution was a big motivator in launching the brand. “The beautiful connection point is the quality that you expect from a brand new car, and the materials that are some of the best on the planet,” Schlaff said. “We couldn’t have a better material to turn into really high end shoes. Shoes that are going to last.” Pingree, which currently operates pop-ups, an online store and a workshop on Detroit’s Livernois Avenue of Fashion, had a humble start - without the expensive equipment, space or supply chains necessary to launch a full-scale operation, the company created prototype designs on borrowed equipment in the basement of a downtown Detroit church. “The materials would be leftover scrap from sewing a steering wheel or a seat, or the material from a dashboard or the headliner,” Schlaff said. “For a while we were in the basement of Central United Methodist Church... It’s actually really close to where our new store is going to be, which is exciting.” Schlaff says employing veterans became a priority - co-owner and footwear designer Nathaniel Crawford II is an Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan and South Korea. “We like to say that we’re looking for the best leaders to join our team and folks who are really committed to mission and service above self,” he said. “It was a natural fit to look for the best folks on the planet, some of the best leaders on the planet.” On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Pingree will open its first brick-and-mortar retail location at 22 W. Columbia Street in Downtown Detroit, within walking distance of the Fox Theatre and Comerica Park. The business gets its name from Detroit mayor and Michigan governor Hazen Pingree, a Civil War veteran who started a shoemaking company in the city before launching his career in politics. At one point, his Pingree and Smith company was one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the country. Schlaff says the business earned the blessing of Pingree’s granddaughter before using his name. A statue of Pingree stands about two blocks from the new store. Inspired by Pingree’s progressive policies, Schlaff refers to employees as co-owners and passes 77 cents for every dollar of profits back to workers. “He embodies this idea of service above self as what we aspire to be as a cooperative, as a team and as a broader business,” Schlaff said. “We’re a team of veterans and Detroiters proudly crafting everything from shoes to bags to wallets right here in Detroit.” Pingree’s current line of products includes several models of leather and canvas shoes, a variety of wallets, cross-body bags, handbags, pet products and folios. Each product comes with a Maker ID card, which includes a photograph and brief write-up about the employee who made it. The company’s flagship products include made-to-order shoes like the Mayor, a high-top leather sneaker featuring details like contrast eyelets, an elastic side panel, a pull tab, leather loops on the tongue to hold laces and a replaceable cup sole. Another highlight of Pingree’s product line is the Motown Venue Bag - a compact leather crossbody bag available in the colors of Detroit’s professional sports teams that’s designed with the size limitations of concert and sports venues in mind. To show off this best seller, crafted from either suede or car seat leather with an upcycled seatbelt as the strap, Pingree will host a pop up at Little Caesars Arena. On Sunday, Nov. 9, when the Detroit Red Wings face off against the Chicago Blackhawks, Pingree will be selling its custom styles during the afternoon game. The pop will feature a limited-edition collection of co-branded pieces bearing the Red Wings and Centennial logos. A portion of the proceeds will benefit local Veterans’ charities. Pingree Detroit will host a grand opening at its new storefront, 22 W. Columbia St., kicking off at 11:11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The store will feature a selection of products as well as a street-viewable workshop, where the public can watch employees at work crafting leather products.
