Sustainability of the Leather Industry

Mike Tomkin Stahl, March 2015

Being able to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Definition of Sustainability

Sustainablity & CSR - Why Now?

■  Growing global population with ever increasing demands - not enough fossil fuel or water, more CO2 emmissions and other waste products

■  There is an increasing awareness of the needs and benefits of socially resposible behaviour by both organisations and the public

■  We all need to take responsiblity and contribute: governments, businesses and consumers

■  More and more companies select suppliers that comply with CSR policies. It is not a marketing tool, but a strategic business operation

■  CSR is part of a company’s license to operate – a must-have

Sustainablity & CSR - Why Now?

■  Leather processing is considered by some to be a “dirty”operation with high water and energy usage and lots of chemicals

■  More pressure from special interest groups and consumers on fashion products ■  Increasing pressure in automotive to become greener by reducing fuel

consumption and emmissions ■  It is no longer the done thing to only take care of what happens on your own

premises, you need to understand and work with the whole supply chain

Areas for Possible Improvement

■  Raw material ■  Leather – wet processing ■  Leather - finishing ■  Cutting and sewing ■  Shoe / seat / bag construction ■  Life cycle ■  Disposal or recycle

Raw Material ■  A key part of Sustainability is traceability, a growing number of brands using

leather want to know where the hide came from. There is currently more demand in the leathergoods market but expect growth in furniture and auto as well

■  Better quality hides mean better cutting yield and less waste, so vital to encourage improvment in animal husbandry

■  Process at least to the tanned stage close to source to avoid salting and higher transport costs

■  Acceptance that the carbon footprint of leather starts with the hide, not the cow, greatly improvees the situation

Leather - Wet Processing ■  Key points are how to tan and how to utilise as much of the by-products of

the process as possible ■  Chrome tanning remains the most common option for leather. However,

for bags and shoes, chrome free is growing in demand ■  Waste – collagen, hair, fat, shavings, etc. – remains underutilised meaning

that instead of adding value, they are disposed of at some cost ■  Tanners must meet all RSLs, chemical suppliers must meet the new MRSL ■  Always important to remember that upgrading starts in the beamhouse,

not the finishing room ■  Lighter weight leathers a new option

Leather - Finishing ■  A delicate balance between keeping the leather looking like leather and

guaranteeing performance. Enough coverage to improve cutting but not enough to take the leather look away

■  Plenty of room for improvment in the process – less coats, lower drying temperatures, roller coating rather than spray. All use less energy and / or produce less waste without loss of performance

■  The use of bio based raw material rather than oil based for resin production is starting, the impact on the food chain of this development is constantly checked

■  Better dye ingress resistance increases the life of the leather

Cutting and Sewing ■  The biggest improvement can come from using parts containing acceptable

natural defects – cutting yield increases dramatically, waste drops ■  Is it worth considering again the finishing of cut parts rather than whole hides? ■  Better outlets / usages for the cutting room waste leather

Shoe / Seat / Bag Construction

■  Always room for a better marriage between design and performance expectations ■  Expore the limits of natural markings – most leathergoods buyers want to know

they are buynig the real thing ■  Lamination – on the increase but problematic

Life Cycle ■  Better advice for the consumer on leather care ■  Honest advice to the consumer on what is and what is not leather

Disposal or Recycle? ■  As landfills become more expensive and more restricted,

time to look at alternatives - recycle, re-use? ■  Fashion can no longer be part of the throw away culture ■  Biodegradable leathers ?

Conclusion ■  There will always be room for improvement in the leather supply chain with regard

to sustainability. There needs to be a healthy ongoing discussion on new possibilities as and when they arise but also on the samller changes that all contribute to a better future.

■  In overall sustainability performance, leather at least matches competitive materials but this must not lead to a feeling of complacency