For several years, the tanning industry has been working hard to improve its environmental, social and economic sustainability. There are major challenges to be met in terms of sustainability: complex chemical processes, high energy consumption and waste management are just some of the issues that require critical thinking and effective action.
However, in recent years, new strategies have been implemented, adopting innovative technologies and establishing collaboration between key stakeholders to promote more responsible production.
The main areas of interest for sustainability in the tanning sector are:
Leather is a bio-based material, i.e. at least 85% composed of collagen, an organic material that is completely bio-degradable at 100%, is durable and possesses a high degree of reparability, which allows its life cycle to be further extended.
Contrary to popular belief, 99% of the leather used by the tanning industry is waste from the food industry and its use prevents it from being disposed of as waste. Furthermore, waste from tanning can be recovered and reused in the agricultural, construction, cosmetics, food, etc. sectors. These two elements make tanning production an interesting application case of circular bio-economy.