The 24-year-old company makes handbags and small leather goods for export under its customers' brands. But the company generates considerable waste leather as it makes fashion rather than mass-production items, said managing director Nopharat Winyoopradist.

Suvino's leftover leather from its monthly production of more than 10,000 handmade bags totals from five to 10 tonnes over a year, with a value of more than 1 million baht.

"If you take into account the process from raw hide to the end product, the waste might total 30-40% on average per product," said Mrs Nopharat.

Large amounts of leather are left over despite the company's efforts to set it aside for further use, said Mrs Nopharat.

"Moreover, [the leftover material] wastes storage space and wastes workforce for the separation of the material. Sometimes we might sell it to those who are willing to buy it at a cheap price, which is not often done and is not worth the cost because the leather we use is imported and is expensive," said Mrs Nopharat.

Suvino initiated production with leather offcuts after entering a programme supported by the Industrial Technology Assistance Programme, the National Science and Technology Development Agency, and the Thai Furniture Industries Association.

The company consulted and worked for a year with Singh Intrachooto, head of the Building Innovation and Technology Programme at Kasetsart University Architecture Faculty, on using waste to make value-added products, said Suvino president Tanit Winyoopradist.

"Previously, we did not have time to reuse the leftover material, but after participating in the project we received advice from Dr Singh on using different material in producing new products," said Mrs Nopharat.

"As for designing and tailoring, it is something we are already skilled at from our experience, so we are able to apply the knowledge in a variety of products."

The company plans to sell the new product under the brand 'more OR less', targeted at the domestic market - in particular teenagers and workers who like Egyptian fashion and leather.

The use of leather scraps will not detract from the products' quality, said Mr Tanit. "The product is made from grade-A material, so you cannot tell the difference. The only difference is in the design," he said.

Mr Tanit said no sales target had been set as the company aims to first see the market response.