From 1950s pommel horses to 2008 gym bags

Recycled materials give any brand an eco-boost, but a new range of accessories shows that their consumer appeal stretches beyond those planet-saving properties. Fabricated from German gym equipment used in the 1950s, Zirkeltraining‘s bags, laptop cases and wallets stand out because of the material’s heritage, not its greenage. Zirkeltraining is German for ‘circuit training’, which makes sense when one learns that the bags are made from gym mats, pommel horse leather and trampoline rescue nets. Each of the handmade products is unique, with the finite amount of raw material providing a refreshingly genuine reason for limited edition status. The previous life of each item is made apparent with Zirkeltraining’s assertion that items contain ‘a little bit of sweat’, Prices range from EUR 90 to EUR 249, and Zirkeltraining products are currently available from selected stockists in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Austria. The range was designed and manufactured by a former gym teacher, and it’s a fun example of how eco-friendly products don’t always need to be seen as green—sometimes it’s more sustainable to focus on the status story. (Related: Virgin Atlantic’s seat covers, reborn as bags) Spotted by: Susanna Haynie