Leather Students

2023-24 Programme – now closed to applications

The 2023-24 Leather Associated Student Grants Programme supports individuals who are undertaking leather related training and education, whose circumstances may otherwise hinder them from achieving their goals. This may include undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral studies and apprenticeships.

We aim to relieve financial need where other support is not available and enable students to have a positive impact on the British Leather Industry in the future.

The Leathersellers champion the sustainable and ethical nature of leather with a focus on increasing student knowledge and access to the material. This is to ensure that designers, scientists and buyers of the future are aware of the ecological credentials and versatility of leather.

The Leathersellers’ are undertaking a review of their leather strategy at present, and the programme is under review for future years. Sign up to the mailing list above to find out what support will be offered for leather students going forward.

SURPLUS LEATHER

2022–2023 saw our Surplus Leather Project come into effect, with thanks to our wholesale partner, Abbey England, who managed the donations and distribution of the leather, the tanneries who donated the skins, and our university partners who stored these and taught their students how to use them. Each of the donated hides was surplus to customer requirements and would otherwise have been stored indeterminately or ended up in landfill. Our university partners had free rein regarding how best to engage their students with the material and approached it in a range of ways, from holding special workshops or masterclasses to integrating it as part of specific projects or classes. A small grant from the Leather Portfolio allowed this undertaking, and we intend to review how potentially to increase the scope of the project in 2023–2024.

Tanneries involved:

Scottish Leather, Pittards, Steads, Skyeskins.

University partners:

Central Saint Martins / UAL, De Montfort University, London College of Fashion / UAL, Royal College of Art, University of Northampton, University of South Wales.