Reimagining Leather: How Gen Phoenix is Transforming Waste into the Future of Luxury

Emily BlumenthalJuly 6, 2025

Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designer, Brands, and Industry Icons.

Join Elyse Winer of Gen Phoenix as she reveals the groundbreaking technology turning discarded leather waste into high-performance recycled materials used by Coach, Dr. Martens, and more. 🌍👜

Elyse Winer, CMO at Gen Phoenix

Since 2007, Gen Phoenix has diverted over 10,000 tons of leather from landfills using a patented process that creates sustainable leather with 80% less carbon—without sacrificing durability, feel, or style. 💥💼

💡 Key Takeaways:
🔹 Beyond the Green Premium: Why performance and price—not just sustainability—are key to changing the industry.
🔹 Next-Gen Materials: How GenPhoenix is reshaping what “luxury” means to younger, eco-conscious consumers.
🔹 Fashion Meets Circularity: Discover their bold mission to create fully recyclable leather with endless product life.

Whether you’re a designer seeking sustainable solutions or a brand looking to stay ahead of consumer values, this episode is your essential guide to the future of fashion innovation. 🎧

🎧 Listen now! #HandbagDesigner101 #SustainableFashion #RecycledLeather #LuxuryReimagined #FashionInnovation #CircularDesign

Our Guest: Elyse Winer is the Head of Brand at GenPhoenix, the revolutionary material tech company transforming leather waste into a scalable, sustainable alternative embraced by some of fashion’s biggest names.

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Listen to the Podcast here.

 

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