While leather seats are frequently part of luxury car upgrades, the agency that runs transit services in Belgium’s Flanders region says that luxury is not why they’re spending millions for leather tram seats.
According to De Lijn, the recycled leather they are paying for costs more than the cloth upholstery used in previous generation buses and trams, but is more durable and easier to maintain. “It’s recycled leather, which gives our vehicles an upgraded look, and which is also more durable, hardwearing and easier to clean,” they explained. They may also retrofit older vehicles that still have a longer life.
The material is sourced from a British company, E-Leather, which collects cutting scraps from manufacturing leather goods. It’s then ground up and compressed into sheets that can be sewn or otherwise formed into seat shapes. The contract is for four years at €400,000 a year, and may be extended for another four years.
