// Dr Martens will start using recycled leather for some of its boots at its Northampton factory
// The retailer is looking for a more sustainable offering as consumers continue to prefer greener fashion
Dr Martens is set to begin using recycled leather at its Northampton factory for some of its boots.
According to The Times, the footwear retailer is one of a group of investors set to inject $18 million into a reusable leather maker, Gen Phoenix.
Other backers include Jaguar Land Rover and Tapestry, the home of luxury brands such as Coach and Kate Spade.
Dr Martens plans to start using the recycled leather, produced in Gen Phoenix’s facility in Peterborough, by early next year.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
Gen Phoenix already makes recycled leather for the transport industry, which has been used on more than four million seat covers worldwide and has saved over 8,000 tonnes of leather waste from landfill.
Dr Martens sold 14.1 million pairs of shoes worldwide last year, produced in 14 factories mainly located in southeast Asia.
Just last week the retailer appointed former Carphone Warehouse CEO Andrew Harrison as an independent non-executive director.
He is currently the senior independent director at Ocado Group and joint owner of online grocer Ocado Retail Limited.
Harrison spent more than two decades at Carphone Warehouse, where he served as chief executive and chair.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
