Leather education partnerships
Our Leather education partnerships seek to work with institutions who share our long-term vision for the future of leather education in the UK, celebrating its use as a sustainable and versatile material and supporting students to reach their potential.
De Montfort University
London College of Fashion
Royal College of Art
ICLT (Institute of Creative Leather Technology)
The origin of the ICLT (Institute for Creative Leather Technology) date back to 1893 when attempts were made to start a class of Technical instruction in Leather Manufacture at the Borough Polytechnic in South London, initiated by the Leathersellers’ Company. In 1908 the Leathersellers’ Company built a college in Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, London which was opened in 1909.
The success of the Leathersellers’ College grew throughout the early twentieth century until 1976, when the National Centre for Leather Education at Nene College, Northampton was established with funding from the Leathersellers’ Foundation and Northampton City Council. In 2019 following further investment, the Centre was relocated to the Waterside Campus and renamed the ICLT.
Looking to the future
In recent years we have continued to provide support for those studying leather technology with the provision of equipment, core funding, and scholarships for the full range of qualifications available, from short courses, to BSc and MSc level, as well as PhD and global research projects.
In December 2023 the University of Northampton made the decision to close the ICLT (Institute of Creative Leather Technology). However, we remain committed to the future of leather education and are currently involved in an industry-led initiative to re-imagine the future of educational provision in the UK
