People for Urban Progress announce high-end Amtrak bag collection

(October 16, 2018 - INDIANAPOLIS, Ind) - People for Urban Progress (PUP), an Indianapolis-based nonprofit specializing in advancing good design and civic sustainability, announced today a partnership with Amtrak to recycle leather seat cushions and covers from 20 refreshed Amtrak Acela train cars and save those materials from landfills by transforming them into luxury bags. The partnership is a direct result of how both companies fully embrace sustainability as a fundamental part of their businesses. This landmark project is PUP’s first national endeavor, and a new initiative for Amtrak as well.

The limited-edition launch of an Amtrak Collection includes handmade accessories from Amtrak’s flagship Acela Express passenger rail service. The first launch of the slate blue luxury leather bags includes totes, backpacks and dopp kit. Approximately 2,500 bags are expected to roll out in small-batch releases of 150 during the next 10 to 12 months as the seat coverings are repurposed. All designs are developed and hand-made by the designers at PUP, who also developed the process of repurposing the seats. This includes separating the leather from the foam seat, washing the leather and then allowing the materials to air dry. Once dry, the leather is cut and sewn together to create each product.

“This is an exciting opportunity to showcase the work we do to remake waste and create change through the creation of our products,” said Andrea Cowley, Executive Director at People for Urban Progress. “Collaborations like this allow us to continue to advance the idea of taking careful consideration of how we recycle our cities’ resources. We make the used into useful through great design which, in turn, allows us to address civic sustainability.”

“One of the main objectives of this Upcycling Project is to divert as much waste from landfills as possible,” said Senior Sustainability Manager Kara Angotti. “We have set a corporate recycling target of 20 percent by 2020 and this project will help us advance closer to achieving that goal. This is a unique opportunity to explore the extended value in our trash and to focus on ensuring we consider what happens to our materials at the end of their useful life.”

Amtrak’s Acela Express service, best known for transporting business commuters is a high-speed train operating between Washington D.C. and Boston with stops in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Providence and more. Amtrak is refreshing the interiors of its current Acela trainsets before the next-generation Acela fleet becomes active in 2021. These seat materials from the current Acela trainsets, which are being donated, were retired after approximately 10 years of service.

PUP is known for repurposing dated infrastructure through design and fabrication projects. In 2008, they upcycled the roof of the RCA Dome, previously the home of the Indianapolis Colts. Materials from the dome were used to design wallets, handbags, office bins and more, saving 13 acres’ worth of material from the landfill. Promotional banners and materials from Gen Con, the longest running gaming convention in the world, were fashioned into messenger bags and wallets. Baseball stadium seats were transformed into bus stops and public seating around the city of Indianapolis, still giving residents something to cheer about. The Amtrak collaboration offers a unique national opportunity to expand PUP’s mission and vision.

Products in the Amtrak Collection will retail between $75 to $750 dollars. In addition to the new Amtrak collection, PUP sells a variety of bags and wallets made from arena roofing materials, event banners, reclaimed seatbelts and more, ranging in price between $12 and $172.

For more information about People for Urban Progress or to purchase any of their products and support their work, visit peopleup.org.

About People for Urban Progress

People for Urban Progress (PUP) is a non-profit that advances good design and civic sustainability by developing products and projects in connectivity, responsible reuse, and making. PUP is creating a smarter, more sustainable and more resilient world by combining good design with existing resources. Founded in 2008 by two citizens who wanted to create a better urban experience in Indianapolis, PUP is a steward of the earth’s resources and curator of its public spaces.

About Amtrak®

Amtrak offers a more comfortable and convenient travel experience with free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak customers for each of the past seven years. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces, and reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through an Amtrak app. Learn more at Amtrak.com.

###