by Nicole Abene,

Where do exploded air bags go to die? If you ask Mariclaro, they don’t. The Toronto-based accessories label salvages truck tarps, leather upholstery, seat belts, bicycle inner tubes, boat sails, and yes, exploded air bags, to create a range of road-tested laptop sleeves, messenger bags, briefcases, and backpacks. Of the materials that comprise each piece, roughly 99 percent was landfill-bound, according to co-founders Sven Schlegel and Willa Murray, who intercept the materials within 300 miles of their workshop. (“1 percent is made of notions and our logo, still unavailable in recycled,” Schlegel says.)

For car aficionados, the label offers a limited edition of bags derived from the wreckage of luxury names like Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Lincoln. Besides a one-year guarantee, every item is accompanied by framed photo of the original car as a declaration of its provenance.

Mariclaro received the 2011 Globe Award for Environmental Excellence for best green Canadian product.

Mariclaro may be only a few years old, but it’s hardly toiling in obscurity. In 2011, it received the Globe Award for Environmental Excellence for best green Canadian product.

(Source: www.ecouterre.com )