Reimagining Leather: How Gen Phoenix is Transforming Waste into the Future of Luxury 🧪♻️| Emily Blumenthal and Elyse Winer

Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, 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. 🌍👜

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.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com.

Buy Emily’s Books: “Handbag Designer 101” & “Savvy Suzanna’s Amazing Adventures in Handbags”

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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Chapters

1. Introducing Sustainable Leather Innovation (00:00:00)

2. GenPhoenix's Revolutionary Recycling Process (00:04:29)

3. From Venture Capital to Material Science (00:09:39)

4. Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass Promo (00:14:14)

5. Coach's Sustainable Innovation Journey (00:16:13)

6. Material Innovation Challenges and Solutions (00:21:53)

7. Collaborative Brand Partnerships and Success (00:27:17)

8. Closing Thoughts and Contact Information (00:31:43)