The leather you are about to use is provided by nature.
By definition, leather comes from an animal skin that is transformed into leather. Two components therefore deserve our attention: the raw material (in this case, a bovine hide) and the transformation process from hide to leather.
The raw material
This leather was produced exclusively on bull skins from Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The unique combination of climate, nutrition and culture in these regions are the ideal breeding ground for this unique product.
A solide foundation
Typical for bull hides is the compact and solid fibre structure. This guarantees a long life. The first function of the hide is to protect the animal from the outside world. The skin therefore consists of countless fibres that are knotted together in all possible directions. After tanning, this structure is preserved and gives the hide its well-known strength.
Origin & culture
In Scandinavia and in the Alpine region there is respect for the animal and its environment. Green pastures, well-maintained stables, a balanced diet and the limited presence of barbed wire ensure a pure and stable product.
‘Recycled’ &
short chain
The skins are a by-product of the meat and milk industry: no animal is slaughtered for its skin. If these skins are not 'recycled' into leather, they are destroyed.
Animals are slaughtered where they grew up, so no miles of cattle transport.
Our leather is traceable
The quality of any article stands and falls with the choice of the right hide. The age, sex, breed, origin, living conditions of the animal are all factors that influence the intrinsic properties of the finished product. Hide size, cutting yield, purity, softness... are features that are determined to a very large extent by the raw hide. A thorough selection of our main raw material – bovine hide - is not only essential in this respect, but watertight traceability is also essential.
A brief overview:
Local slaughter house
Cattle from European countries listed above. Each bovine is registered unambiguously. This registration remains with the hide.
Tannery
In the tannery, this registration is taken over at lot level.
warehouse
This registration is converted into a unique code.
upholstery production
This code follows the hide to the seat producer
Animal wellfare
All our hides are of European origin.
There are three reasons for this:
Animal wellfare: Europe has very strict legislation on animal welfare. This legislation covers the following areas: general living conditions of the animal, size of stables, access to food, care and transport. Compliance with EU legislation is more strictly controlled than compliance in many other countries. This means that in the EU, farmers are more likely to be penalised if they fail to comply.
Short chain and proximity: Transport obviously has an ecological impact so using non-European skins in europe is not very responsible from an ecological point of view.
Quality: European skins offer the best guarantee of excellent quality in terms of regularity, cutting efficiency, touch, optics.
The Tanning process
The tanning process takes place exclusively in Europe and is fully compliant with following standards:
- Reach
- LWG - Gold Rated
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
Reach
European Union regulation (Regulation (EC) n.1907/2006) concerning the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemical substances.
- It applies to substances as such or components of a mixture and/or to component substances of an article
- It involves producers, importers and users of substances, mixtures and articles
- Registration obligation for all chemical substances produced/imported into the EU ≥ 1ton/year
- Authorization of SVHC substances (CMR, PBT, vPvBetc..)
- Restriction of SVHC and other hazardous substances
- As a mandatory regulation, there are no "certifications" recognized by the public authority, even if some certifications e.g. Oekotex standard 100 and other private companies provide claims of "presumption of conformity" to REACH.
The Leather Working Group
The Leather Working Group's (LWG) Gold rating is the highest level of certification for leather tanneries, indicating their adherence to stringent environmental standards. It demonstrates the LWG's commitment to sustainability, improves the industry's environmental performance, protects the environment, empowers informed consumer choices, and gives tanneries a competitive edge. The Gold rating also fosters innovation in sustainable leather manufacturing practices.
Key points:
- GoldLWG rating signifies tanneries' commitment to top-tier environmental standards.
- It showcases LWG's dedication to sustainability and drives industry-wide environmental improvements.
- The rating safeguards the environment, empowers informed consumer choices, and provides tanneries with a competitive advantage.
- It promotes innovation in sustainable leather manufacturing practices.
ISO 14001
ISO 14001 a framework that can be applied to any industry, including leather manufacturers. Here's the gist:
- Focuses on Environmental Management: It sets up a system for a company to identify and manage its environmental impact.
- Reduces Waste and Boosts Efficiency: Leather production uses a lot of water, chemicals, and energy. ISO 14001 helps companies optimize these resources and minimize waste.
- Sustainable Practices Encouraged: By following ISO 14001, leather manufacturers can implement more sustainable practices throughout the production process.
Think of it as a roadmap for leather companies to become more environmentally responsible. While ISO 14001 provides a foundation, there are specific certifications for leather sustainability, like the Leather Working Group (LWG).
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is a certification standard that focuses on quality management systems (QMS). In the leather production industry, achieving ISO 9001 certification means a company has demonstrated a commitment to consistent high-quality leather products. Here's how ISO 9001 benefits leather production:
- Improved Quality Control: By implementing ISO 9001, leather manufacturers establish procedures for monitoring and controlling every stage of production. This minimizes defects and ensures consistent quality in the final product.
- Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Consistent quality leads to happy customers. Leather manufacturers with ISO 9001 certification can assure buyers they're getting reliable products every time.
- Sustainable Practices Encouraged: By following ISO 14001, leather manufacturers can implement more sustainable practices throughout the production process.
The Blue Angel – the environmental label of the German federal government – has set stringent standards for environmentally friendly, healthy and durable products and services in an independent and credible way since 1978.
The Blue Angel is Germany‘s most well-known environmental label.
A hide or skin has to pass through around 40 processing stages until the organic raw material has been processed into the natural product leather. The processing of leather involves the use of numerous chemicals that might have an impact on the environment and health. Substances are emitted into water, air and soil in the production process.
Leather is usually a by-product of meat production. Tanning using chromium (III) salts is the most widely used form of tanning. From a health perspective, the presence of chromium (VI) compounds is problematic due to their powerful allergenic effects. Therefore, chromium (VI) should not be detectable in leather goods. Other chemicals that are still required to some extent in the leather industry, such as preservatives, and can thus not be completely excluded from the production process are also problematic.
Criteria
What does the Blue Angel for leather take into consideration?
- Raw hides and skins must be sourced from agricultural animals that are primarily kept for milk and/or meat production. Endangered species are expressly prohibited. In the case of non-European raw hides and skins (e.g. wet blue), a traceability in the sense of Protocol 6.5 from the Leather Working Group of at least 50% must be observed
- Limited water consumption in the production process, as well as stringent requirements placed on wastewater treatment
- Exclusion of hazardous materials in the leather such as carcinogenic substances or substances with long-lasting negative effects on water
- Strict limits for preservatives for the protection of consumers (with repetition tests every six months)
- Chromium (VI) must not be detectable in the leather (with repetition tests every six months)
- Emissions and odour tests, with repetition tests every two years
- Limits for extractable heavy metals
- Exclusion of organotin compounds, azo dyes, chloralkanes, PFC, APEO and flame retardants
- Compliance with the Code of Conduct of the Leather Industry
