Repair, restore, reuse

As the world becomes more aware of its impact on the environment, so the move towards restoration and reuse increases. This is an exciting trend and can include anything from leather furniture and upholstery, through to fashion items – handbags, belts and shoes – and even bridles and saddles. Everything has a carbon footprint, but by repairing rather than replacing, you are reducing the impact and helping to minimise damage.

BBC’s Repair Shop star, Suzie Fletcher, Master Saddler commented: “It’s so wonderful to see people taking the time to repair, renovate and reuse everyday items as they often still have years of use left in them. Our world today has become so aware of the damage we’re doing to this planet with the throw away culture we all contributed to.

The ultimate sustainable material

“At my age I feel I need to make every effort to do my part in highlighting the importance of repairing and restoration. I also want to educate people on the importance of high standards in the leather industry. Leather is the ultimate sustainable material that can be used for a vast variety of applications. It is so valuable, that it is essential to encourage the proper care it requires, for it to last as long as it capable of.”
Working effectively with leather requires specialist tools and materials from threads, dyes, glues and tools, through to the hardware, such as buckles and fastenings, that will work with the leather and be as hardwearing as it too.

The right tool for the job

Suzie goes on to explain the importance of working with the correct tools and materials for the job: “When carrying out repair work, it’s important to complement the original item as closely as possible. Sometimes we’re needing to do an ‘honest repair’, where it’s clear the item has been worked on, but even this still needs careful consideration before starting the work. If you use the right choice of material from the off, it’s much more likely that you will achieve a good end result in the end.”
Many of the original glues, cloths and leathers of yesteryear are no longer available. This is usually due to new health and safety measures, but can also be due to farming methods and loss of the industries we used to have within the UK.

Thinking outside the box

Suzie continues: “I often find myself having to think outside the box of what I can use instead. However, I’m always confident Abbey England will do all it can to assist me, whatever my needs are. Having the continued support of Abbey England has always been essential to my ability to offer the best service possible. I’m forever grateful to the team at Abbey England!”
Abbey England has been supplying workshop tools and materials for over 40 years. Recognised as a one-stop shop for all your saddlery and leather workshop needs, including leather knives, punches, mallets and edging tools, it also has a huge variety of thread too, from linen, nylon, polyester, waxed and unwaxed threads.

For further information on Abbey England, please visit: www.abbeyengland.com