Fracking fashion: Argentinian designers turn shale sand bags into handbags

BUENOS AIRES, November 30 (Reuters) – An Argentine fashion company has found a new source of inspiration – and materials – in an unexpected location: the oil industry’s burlap plastic sacks from the country’s large Vaca Muerta shale formation, which they recycle to make shoes. , bags and wallets.

The company founded by three brothers, Fracking Design – a reference to the controversial fracking process used in oil and gas extraction – takes the plastic “Big Bags” used to hold sand, which is then processed and mixed with leather waste.

Oil and gas companies in Vaca Muerta, a huge shale formation the size of Belgium, use thousands of bags, most of which are not recycled but are burned, releasing greenhouse gases.

“A well uses roughly between 30,000 and 40,000 tons of sand. That’s about 26,500 sacks,” said Ornella Basilotta, 40, a clothing designer and one of the three, who have partnered with energy companies in areas such as state energy giant YPF (YPFD). ). .BA).

He said about 40 families are now involved in the production chain and the recycled plastic “is equivalent to the 1,100 trees needed to absorb the carbon dioxide these sacks would produce if burned.”

The sisters came across the Vaca Muerta field by chance while traveling through Patagonia in search of goat mohair wool.

Plastic leather waste products – such as “Frackilette” sandals – have appeared in the iconic MALBA museum design shop in Buenos Aires, sold online and also used by local oil companies as sustainable corporate gifts.

Fracking Design is expanding into other industries and wants to continue its work with the oil sector.

“Today we are using 10% of what the (oil) well produces. In other words, we have a lot of work ahead of us to keep growing,” Basilotta said.

Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Edited by Nicolás Misculin and Lisa Shumaker

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