Manejo de residuos pre-consumo y su incidencia en el diseño circular. Caso de estudio: Calzado Geolino

Abstract

The leather footwear industry has distinguished itself in the Ecuadorian market for its durability, quality, and elegance. However, it faces a major challenge regarding waste management and the generation of solid residues, as leather offcuts negatively affect the environment. This study focuses on the management of pre-consumer waste in the footwear industry, proposing a circular design approach implemented in the Geolino Footwear company, located in Ambato, Ecuador. Using a mixed-methods research design—including field observations, interviews, surveys, and a case study of Geolino—the project aims to develop a circular business model that enhances material reuse in the footwear sector in Ambato. The findings contribute to optimizing sustainable design processes within the footwear production chain and offer strategies and emerging technologies for recycling, material reuse, and modular design. Finally, a life cycle analysis of leather products is presented, covering the stages from raw material extraction to recycling, highlighting the environmental impact and the importance of the circular economy in mitigating these effects.