Sustainable Fur Production Technology

Xavier Casadesús (Stahl ibérica)

Challenges for Fur industry

Innovative and high performance

Sustainable and environmental

friendly ZDHC/MRSL

End consumer needs

Fashion & Function

§  Overview Stahl

§  Sustainability @Stahl

§  Sustainability fur production

§  Probiotics for Beamhouse

§  Stahl EasyWhite Tan™ §  Fur dyeing process

Agenda/content

A brief history

Worldwide coverage ■  One headquarters ■  9 R&D centers ■  11 Manufacturing sites ■  38 Application labs in 23 countries ■  1800+ Employees

Stahl Business Services

Wet-End

Stahl Campus®

Automotive Leather

Chemicals

PielColor Polymers Performance Coatings

Central General Services

Stahl Management Team

Leather Finish

Design Studio®

Stahl Services and Business Units

Sustainability @Stahl

The most common definition of the Brundtland Commission describes Sustainability development as: “ Development which meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

Definition Sustainability

To become a more sustainable society we must eliminate our contributions to...

the systematic increase of concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust (for example: heavy metals and fossil fuels)

the systematic increase of concentrations of substances produced by society (for example: plastics, dioxins, PCBs and DDT)

the systematic physical degradation of nature and natural processes (for example: over harvesting forests, destroying habitat and overfishing)

conditions that systematically undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (for example: unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on)

The 4 system conditions by The Natural Step

“For Stahl ‘Sustainability’ is not a department or a project, but a mentality. We want to make our products and services ‘future-proof’ to meet future wishes and requirements of our customers. Stahl’s answer is to be pro-active, outperform legislation and stimulate transparency and collaboration in the supply chain.”

The 6 steps of the lifecycle

Raw Materials

Production at Stahl

Packaging and Distribution

Product Application at Stahl customers

Product Use and Maintenance

End of Life

1 >

2 >

3 >

4 >

5 >

6 >

Sustainable Fur Production Technology

Target: Sustainable fur production

Sustainable and innovative Solutions by Stahl

Final product quality:

§  Probiotics® products §  Stahl EasyWhite Tan™ §  Mordanting §  Oxidation dyes

Metal content. Chromium VI

Formaldehyde content

Solvents.

Waste water. COD, DOD. Reduction Salt content, NPO,…

Amine legislation. Disperse dyes.

Ageing properties. Physical properties.

Smell and whiteness of leather ….

Main enviromental questions:

Fur production

Dressing

Kicking

Killing

Dyeing

Soaking

Degreasing

Mordanting

Pickling

Stahl innovations

Mechanicals

Beamhouse

Dressing

Dyeing

Probiotics

EasyWhite Tan™

Friendly dyeing

Probiotics products for Beamhouse

Based on probiotic technology:

Technical Fundamentals

A natural technology with beneficial, healthy, and effective live microorganisms.

■  Proviera® leather biochemicals are metabolites derived from a proprietary fermentation and formulation technology using probiotic cultures and natural raw ingredients.

■  The products are not enzyme-based.

Technical Fundamentals

Probiotics Natural raw ingredients

Metabolites Fermentation

Technical Fundamentals

Chemical synthesis ▪  Traditional ▪  Carbon footprint; greenhouse effect ▪  Regulations (REACh) ▪  Dependence from crude oil industry ▪  Single chemical substances

Biochemicals from probiotics ▪  Innovative ▪  From a natural process ▪  Non-toxic; non-corrosive; non-hazardous ▪  100% from renewable/sustainable sources ▪  Biochemical consortia

Product Range ProDegreaze™ Effects:

§  Solubilization fats §  Degrease auxiliary

Operations:

§  Presoaking fatty fur skins §  Degreasing

ProSoak ™ Effects:

§  Soaking fresh skins/hydrating Operations:

§  Main soaking, esp. fresh skins

ProSpread ™ Effects:

§  Dispersing organic material §  Dispersing process chemicals §  Cleaning

Operations:

§  Pre soaking, esp. dry skins §  Retanning, fatliquoring, dying

DRY

On the environment: ▪  Reduced need for chemical consumption → lower carbon footprint, fewer

greenhouse emissions

▪  Lower effluent loads (COD,BOD, total and ammonia nitrogen, toxicity…)

▪  No VOC and no hazardous-concerning substances

▪  Lower waste water treatment cost

Value Proposition/Conclusions

On the Leather Quality:

▪  Reduction of smell. Not looseness of hair/ wool.

▪  Bactericide free process.

Stahl EasyWhite Tan™ (EWT)

2005

2012 - onwards

2007 - 2008

2009 - 2010

2010 - 2011

2006

§  Kickoff project

§  First trials run at laboratory stage give promising results §  Further application test and formulation development

§  Test and production at several tanneries world wide, for all type of leathers

§  In vitro test follow by patch test in Europe and the US to test allergically reactions

§  REACh registration for over 100 tons/year

§  Full focus on article development and waste water treatment in cooperation with a European tannery

§  First production batch run for automotive leathers

§  Intensive research on health and safety, regarding the product it self and applications

§  Focus on internal application test and article development §  Entry in to force REACh – pre registration 1 Dec 2008

Our Milestone in EasyWhite Tan development

Enviromental Advantages

Cleaner effluent. Less salt content.

Tannery Sustainability Physical properties Ageing properties

OEM/Brands Consumers concern about metal-, formaldehyde- and aldehyde-free Environmental awareness

End User

New sustainable metal and formaldehyde free leather.

Leather Advantages

Formaldehyde free

More fibers per square mm

White leathers

Metal free system

Tear strengths

High exhaustion rate diminishes any risk of remaining §  > 98% rate §  Low remaining active substance concentration

Risk assessment – Residual Tanning float

In Vitro analysis of the pro-sensitising potential on human dendritic: Residual tanning bath

Granofin Easy F-90 doesn't affect in this in vitro model the investigated markers expression in immunocompetent cells and hence it doesn't show any stimulating potential on the immune cellular response.

ü  EU In Vitro analysis of the pro-sensitising potential on human dendritic: negative

ü  EU 24h skin contact with 20 people: negative

ü  USA: patch test to facilitate the detection of the irritation and sensitizing on human skin, 5 weeks with 120 people: negative

Test of crust on human skin

Environmental friendly fur dyeing

Mordanting avoiding dangerous metal complex ■  To improve fastness properties and shade depth a metal salt

mordant is applied before dyeing.

Fur Dyeing

Ecological mordant with iron and copper system proposal by Stahl it is a ecological solution to avoid dangerous metal. At the same time keeping most of the requests from the final conssumer.

Color formation happens upon mixture and involves complex reactions between precursors in the presence of an oxidizing agent . The precursors can be classified into two categories: oxidation basis or primary intermediaries, and the couplers or reaction modifiers . Stahl oxidation dyes. New developments of oxidation dyes to reduce the toxicity categorization in application.

Fur Dyeing

Environmental Compliance is a Key Differentiating Factor for Stahl

Stahl R&D is committed to environmental compliance, supporting tanneries and luxury goods businesses

Key Sustainability Issues For Tanneries

Waste / water management

Reduce emissions / discharge

Energy efficiency

Recycling materials Product innovation Chemical responsibility

Water-based systems

Thank you for your attention