Eco Friendly Leather

What does Eco Friendly Tanning really mean?

Is real leather environmentally friendly?

The simple answer is yes.  Leather is a highly versatile, widely used material and there are several elements in its manufacture that contribute to its environmental credentials.  Leather making is one of the oldest industries and has always required the use of chemicals.  They are restricted by legal requirements and by many voluntary industrial initiatives which are committed to eliminating potentially harmful substances from the supply chain.

Is leather sustainable?

Leather as a raw material is renewable, and in products it is long-lasting and repairable.  It is made from a by-product of the food industry.  If this by-product were not converted into leather, it would be thrown into a landfill, a significant environmental risk.

Can leather be recycled?

Leather can be repaired, refurbished and re-purposed but it has also been recycled for well over 70 years into leather fiber board, a material used in footwear, or sometimes as ground up trimmings for stuffing boxing punch bags.  More expanded operations are being developed in recycling used leather into innovative materials that can be used in various fields. 

Is leather biodegradable?

As a natural product, leather will biodegrade in a typical landfill in 10 to 50 years, depending on the type of leather.  A typical Polyvinyl Chloride plastic material (Vinyl Leather) takes 500+ years to break down in the same environment.  Responsibly governed, worldwide.  The Leather Working Group (LWG) is the global standard for environmental stewardship for leather manufacturers.

Is faux leather environmentally friendly?

Faux leather is an umbrella term for products marketed as vegan leather, PU leather and synthetic leather-all artificial leather materials that are made mainly from oil, a finite fossil fuel.  There is certainly some confusion around what “environmentally friendly” means in relation to these marketing terms.  For some it can imply its level of “green-ness” or that the material ethically suits those who follow a certain lifestyle, like a plant-based diet or vegan philosophy.  For the latter, the choice of whether to use an animal-derived product or a man-made one, no matter its provenance, is clear.  For those who are concerned about the environmental impacts of the products they use, in terms of criteria such as sustainability, recyclability and end-of-life disposal, faux leather does not meet the same standards as real leather.  Usually manufactured with polyester or nylon, then coated with PVC or PU, synthetic materials are not made from a renewable source, they are generally not as durable as real leather, and they are more likely to end up in a landfill, given their unsuitability to recycling.

Which is more environmentally friendly-Leather or Plastic?

Responsibly produced leather around the world is subject to the strictest regulations and environmental standards.  Processes are highly regulated, governance is enforced, inspected, and standards must be maintained, which requires significant investment by tanneries. 

It does feel counter-intuitive to suggest that materials derived from finite fossil fuels are more environmentally friendly than leather (but we cannot and do not wish to speak on behalf of the plastics industry) and that if not converted into leather, would otherwise be sent to landfill.

All our leather complies with the current requirements of the German upholstery furniture industry.  Every production batch is tested in accordance with these requirements.  All production processes adhere to the latest quality standards, environmental standards according to EN ISO 14001, low-emission in accordance with OEKO-TEX®, certified products have been tested for harmful substances to protect your health.

Technical specifications:

Physical values/specifications mentioned below are in full compliance with the requirements of German Upholstery Industry.

Natural Characteristics:

Natural characteristics such as growth marks, horn scratches, small healed scars, veins and irregular grain and color structure are typical of genuine leather and do not constitute ground for complaints.

Complaints:

Complaints on apparent quality defects like faults on the surface (emboss wrinkles, stains etc.), color deviations, embossing, grain structure, substance smoothness and size of the hides must be asserted within 1 month of purchase date of the goods.  Complaints after this time are generally not accepted.  Return of shipments of hides which have already been cut are not accepted.

Inspection characteristics                     Standard                                                Requirements

Tensile strength                                        DIN EN ISO 3376                                   ≥ 80 N

Elongation at break                                  DIN EN ISO 3376                                   30-70 %

Tear resistance                                         DIN EN ISO 3377-1                                ≥ 20 N

Flexometer                                               DIN EN ISO 5402                                   30 000 cycles/ no damage of finish

Light fastness                                          DIN EN ISO 105-B02                              ≥ 6 Blue scale

Fastness to rubbing                                  DIN EN ISO 11640                                 500 dry, 80 wet, 50 pH8, felt: ≥ 4 GS, finish: ≥ 4 GS, no damage to finish

PH-value                                                  DIN EN ISO 4045                                   ≥ 3.5

Adhesion of finish                                   DIN EN ISO 11644                                 ≥ 2.5 N/cm

Flammability                                         Standard Test                                        Pass/Fail                      

Combustibility                                          IMO-Res. A 652 (16)                                Pass

Combustibility                                          CAL-117                                                 Pass

Smoke density                                          ONORM B 3800                                       Pass Q1

Dripping                                                  ONORM B 3800                                       Pass Tr1

Flammability                                            BS 5852 Crib 5                                         Pass

Cigarette/ Match-Test                                EN 1021 1 + 2                                          Pass