Upcycling, repurposing, recycling, rescuing. These terms are becoming more and more prevalent in manufacturing these days. Ladder 34 , located in my home state of Michigan, is rescuing unserviceable fire hoses and repurposing them into belts, bags, wallets and other creative accessories. Either way, I was interested and placed an order for a belt. Supporting a local business, made in the USA and supporting first responders?
That checks some important boxes for me. As a veteran of Army Special Operations, I feel strongly about supporting my fellow veterans and first responders that have opened businesses after serving their country and communities. The belts are made from sections of rescued fire hose that have been decommissioned. Sourced from departments all over the nation, the different colors, patina and markings make each belt a unique accessory for your wardrobe.
Available in lengths of 53 or 60 inches, the 1. The included belt buckle allows the belt to slide through and be clamped to length. So no holes in this belt. I decided to disassemble a small scrap from the piece I cut off when sizing the belt. But what do I know, maybe it was originally a black casing that had faded. But this is what makes each piece unique. My belt has a black nylon fabric sewn around the firehose material by Ladder 34 leaving the interior liner of the hose exposed to create that tiger stripe look.
Some available belts have just the raw firehose material in some interesting colors. An information card is included in each box indicating where the fire hose was originally used and ultimately decommissioned. And just as expected, Ladder 34 offers a Lifetime Warranty that covers any manufacturers defects. Ladder 34 offers a wide variety of up cycled firehose accessories. From belts , wallets , bags and dog collars to DOPP bags , rugs and couplings. Take a peek at their website and pick out something for yourself.
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