Pingree Detroit
Detroit, Michigan 🇺🇸
Pingree Detroit: Upcycled Leather Goods & Footwear, Built in Detroit
Founded in 2015 by Jarret Schlaff, Pingree Detroit is a social enterprise micro-manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan (with a retail store on Columbia Street in District Detroit and a workshop on Livernois Avenue). Named after Hazen S. Pingree—a US Civil War veteran, shoe manufacturer, and progressive Mayor of Detroit (1889–1897)—the brand was established as a worker-owned cooperative committed to employing military veterans and local Detroiters while diverting industrial waste from landfills.
Pingree Detroit leverages the region's deep automotive supply chain by upcycling premium, unused automotive-grade Nappa leather and seatbelt webbing salvaged directly from local auto suppliers. They transform these high-spec industrial excess materials into handcrafted footwear, totes, cross-body bags, wallets, and lifestyle accessories.
Core Pillars & Manufacturing Principles
100% Detroit Veteran & Artisan Production: Every piece is cut, sewn, and finished in Detroit by US military veterans and local craftspeople, operating on a worker-cooperative model that shares profits directly with employees.
Upcycled Automotive Supply Chain: Products utilize premium, automotive-grade Nappa leather (originally intended for high-end car seats and steering wheels) and seatbelt webbing diverted from landfills, giving heavy-duty industrial materials a second life.
Resoleable Sneaker Craftsmanship: Pingree launched "The Mayor," Detroit's first locally crafted sneaker. Built with sidewall-stitched construction and upcycled auto leather, the footwear is designed to be resoled for long-term wear.
95%+ Domestic Component Sourcing: Beyond upcycled leather, over 95% of hardware, threads, and secondary materials are sourced directly from American manufacturers.
By pairing social impact and veteran employment with zero-waste automotive leather upcycling, Pingree Detroit carries forward the city's historic legacy of shoemaking and industrial craft.
