leather - Page 3 of 9 - Splenda Quality Leather

A formidable edition of Lineapelle Fair

The 102 edition of Lineapelle, the most important exhibition dedicated to the global fashion, luxury, and design industry, consolidates its international leadership by positioning itself as an authentic beacon in the context of a complex economic phase characterised by a widespread slowdown and a limited possibility of defining production and commercial programmes.

Lineapelle 102 (dedicated to the Fall-Winter 2024-2025 season) hosted 1,330 exhibitors and welcomed a 25% increase in the number of professional operators compared to the September 2022 edition: +26% Italian visitors, +22% those from abroad, arriving from 109 countries, with a particular dynamism of those from France and China, Japan and South Korea, confirming the reassuring return of Asian buyers to the fair.

“All the exhibition sectors at Lineapelle 102,” commented President Gianni Russo, “showed remarkable vitality. Creativity and the ability to involve and stimulate the various operators were the strong points of a show whose international leadership cannot be questioned and is even stronger after this edition”.

Lineapelle 102 reaffirmed the value of the exhibition synergy with Simac Tanning Tech (the international event with the most qualified offer of machinery and technology for the tanning, footwear, and leather goods industries) held concurrently at Fiera Milano Rho. A synergy that involved, in total, over 28,000 visitors.

The next edition of Lineapelle, number 103 (Spring-Summer 2025 season), will take place from 20 to 22 February 2024, again in the Fiera Milano Rho premises.

Splenda Leather in Milan

For Splenda Leather, this new attendance at Lineapelle Fair has meant a new opportunity to consolidate our international activity, expand horizons and perspectives, learn about the new trends in our sector and strengthen our personal and close relationship with our customers and partners. We are already looking forward to the next edition.

You can read the original press release HERE.

Leather: pioneering sustainability and circular fashion in the age of climate action

Original content by: Leather Naturally

As the world grapples with how we can reduce our impact on the environment and actively limit the impacts of climate change, we sit at a vital crossroads in our collective history. Leather is well positioned to be a meaningful part of the solution.

The European Commission has launched an anti-fast fashion campaign specifically designed to educate younger consumers about the negative impacts of fast fashion and to promote the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. The campaign aims to address issues of over-production associated with fast fashion and to prioritize sustainability and longevity.

The European Union is committed to serious action as part of its 2030 Vision for Textiles the cornerstone of which is sustainable fashion – designed to have a positive impact on people and the planet. Read here for more details.

With leather’s inherent properties of durability, reparability and longevity it represents the antithesis of fast fashion. The fact that it utilizes a by-product in order to create a versatile and premium material lends an additional benefit to its key position in the circular economy.

Increasing traceability expectations together with more and more stringent regulations have entirely shifted the modern consumer landscape. Consumers are far more educated than ever before on the provenance of the goods they purchase and the fact that the impacts of their purchasing decisions can be far-reaching.

Within this context, leather takes a by-product that would otherwise need to be disposed of (with its own environmental impacts) and using responsible, traceable and verifiable production processes, offers designers and consumers high quality products that can be repaired, re-cycled and that can last a lifetime.

How can we make an impact?

In addition to industry and government initiatives and regulations being pursued on a global scale, consumers also play an important role in effecting positive change by choosing leather. Please see below for some ideas as to how you can have an impact –

1. Quality over quantity

Invest in high-quality leather products that are durable and timeless, meaning that you can buy fewer items that last longer. Take care to purchase authentic leather pieces rather than synthetic or vegan leather alternatives which can contain high percentages of plastic, petroleum based products etc…which are damaging to the environment and do not have the same durability as leather.

2. Repair and restoration:

Leather products can often be repaired or upcycled and major brands are actively encouraging their consumers to repair their leather products. Many luxury leather brands such as Hermes, Chanel and Loewe offer to repair your leather products with the intent of extending their life and consequently reducing consumption and waste. Some of these services include in-store artisans and even dedicated retail spaces which create an experience for the consumer and build brand value at the same time.

3. Vintage & second hand:

Given the longevity of leather items, there is a strong vintage or second-hand market for leather products which – similarly to above – reduces global consumption and waste and can offer you a point of difference in terms of style and luxury at the same time.

4. Circular economy:

By choosing leather, you can actively support a circular economy in a number of ways. Firstly, by using a by-product of the meat industry, leather avoids hides and skins being sent to landfill and instead uses them to create beautiful and versatile products. In addition to this, you can take advantage of brands that may offer to buy back leather goods for a credit towards a new purchase eg… Mulberry’s circular Exchange program. Repairing your leather products and buying vintage leathergoods are also examples of how you can encourage a circular economy.

5. Timeless design:

Authentic leather products are often designed to be classic and timeless to encourage you to invest in pieces that you can wear for many years rather than to buy into fast fashion. You can also use apps such as Whering which can help you to digitize, curate and style outfits from your own wardrobe as well as fill wardrobe gaps sustainably!

6. Care:

Educate yourself about the quality and origins of what you are buying so that you can make informed choices about purchasing leather products. This will ensure you can keep them for many years and also take care of them well. For more tips on how to best care for your leather items please click here

Is leather “more than a by-product of the meat industry”?

Original content by: One4Leather

Although the internet is often seen as a handy way to spread misinformation and ‘fake news’, it can also be a great channel for two-way discussions. A quick search will give you countless pro- and anti-leather articles but scrolling down to the comments can help give a balanced viewpoint. A case in point was an article entitled Leather Is More Than “a By-Product of the Meat Industry” which makes a case against leather usage based on the incorrect suggestion that meat producers are incentivised to cultivate cattle for their hides alone. This is untrue: hides are simply a by-product of the producers’ main business – selling meat. It also recycles myths in regard to leather’s sustainability and animal welfare issues as well as overlooking the fact that most alternatives to leather are considerably less environmentally friendly in the long run.

What is most refreshing, however, are the comments the article attracted which were largely in favour of leather and anxious to point out errors in the piece. One commenter, for example, points out that fake leather alternatives are generally plastic-based. Such plastics do not degrade and will go on polluting the environment for possibly thousands of years. In addition, they correctly state that plastic pollution is responsible for killing wildlife “in horrible ways”. While the meat industry is subject to strict animal welfare regulations, ironically, it is the fake leather industry that could be said to be responsible for actual animal cruelty in this regard.

On pollution in the leather industry, one commenter reminds the writer that vegetable-tanned leather is a traditional alternative to the use of chromium salts. It has to be said, too, that even when chromium is used in the industry it is done under strict environmental controls anyway. The correspondent says the idea of just putting animal hides in landfill would be an “environmental insult” and that he/she knows “of leather designers who are vegan and produce pieces made from recycled or environmentally sourced leathers”.

Another commenter, who describes themselves as a vegetarian, criticises the writer for a lack of diligence in their research and the use of arbitrary statistics. The article’s author claims that “leather accounts for approximately 10% of the animal’s total value, making it the most valuable part, pound for pound”. However, this is simply not the case. According to a report from the Leather and Hide Council of America: “Although by-products have traditionally accounted for 8-10% of total live fed steer value, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Marketing Information Center as of April 29, 2020, suggest by-products are averaging slightly below 7% of total carcass value, with hides hovering slightly above 1% of the entire value of the animal – perhaps the lowest percentage on record.”

There is space for pragmatism in the comments as well. Another respondent writes: “I don’t eat meat, and would love it if everyone else didn’t but, since that’s not going to happen anytime soon, it seems wasteful not to use the leather from those animals already previously slaughtered for meat. Besides, leather lasts quite a bit longer than the alternatives.”

This point is taken up by another person, who says in their experience “leather can last decades if cared for”. They go on to explain that even at the end of its usable life, “leather is biodegradable, so it is broken down into the earth with minimal chemical impact” – in stark contrast to plastic alternatives.

The claim and counter-claim narrative with this article makes for an interesting read.

Read HERE the full article.

Stop the confusion. Only leather is leather.

Original content by: One4Leather

Leather Naturally reports that Cotance is calling on the European Commission to regulate the use of the term leather. It says that people are confused by non-leather materials appropriating the word ‘leather’ in a misleading way. At the same time, Leather Naturally welcomes at least a small step in the right direction: the European Council of Ministers approved an Italian decree protecting the term. This will impose a ban on the use of Italian terms for ‘leather’ to identify materials not derived from animals.

The issue of misleading leather labelling is a source of much frustration in the leather industry. COTANCE estimates the loss of business to European tanners due to these practices to be 1.7 billion euros per year – or about 20% of the sector’s yearly turnover.

While the industry welcomes healthy competition, it does not seem fair that manufacturers of synthetic alternatives to leather can get away with mislabelling them – especially as a recent report by FILK demonstrated that no single ‘leather alternative’ matches all of leather’s characteristics.

Other sectors such as textiles have successfully achieved legal protection at an EU level for particular product names. But when it comes to leather, EU consumers have no such blanket protection when purchasing articles sold as leather. As with the recent Italian initiative, some individual countries (e.g., Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Lithuania and Spain) have addressed the issue at a national level, but generally, legislation remains fragmented – which invites abuse by smart (unscrupulous) operators.

Isn’t it time the European Commission acted to prevent duplication of national efforts by creating a level playing field for all players in the industry?

You can read the original post HERE.

Splenda Leather bets on solar energy in its production plant

At Splenda Leather, faithful to our permanent commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility in the production process, we have made a significant commitment to self-consumption of energy at our production plant in Igualada (Barcelona).

Together with Grupo IONSE, we have installed a photovoltaic solar plant for self-consumption of 84.15 kWp, with a total of 153 solar modules of 550 Wp each. In this way, in addition to achieving significant savings in network consumption, we will avoid the emission of 28 tons of CO2 per year.

More information HERE

Photo & video: Grupo IONSE

Inflation triggers exports of semi-finished and tanned leather

Original post by: Lederpiel

During the first quarter of 2023, the value of Spanish exports of semi-tanned and tanned leather continues at record levels due to the high inflation suffered in recent months. For their part, foreign sales of raw hides again fell below 10%.

In this way, according to data from the General Directorate of Customs, between January and March of this year, compared to the same period in 2022, exports of raw hides fell by 10.9% (4.7 million euros less) , while those of semi-tanned leather shot up 37.1% (6.9 million euros more) and those of tanned leather increased 12.9% (13 million euros more).

When comparing the first quarter of 2023 with that of 2019, prior to the covid-19 pandemic, sales of raw hides fell by 12.5%, while semi-tanned leather increased by 94.9% and tanned, 27%.

Imports
Regarding imports of fur and leather, between January and March 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, purchases abroad of raw hides increased by 10.3% (1.8 million euros more); the import of semi-tanned leather, 8.2% (2.2 million euros more) and, finally, those of tanned leather, 8.1% (5.3 million euros more).

In relation to January-March 2019, sales of raw hides grew by 51.1% and semi-tanned leather by 28.1%, while those of tanned leather fell by 14%.

Consequently, the trade balance for leather in the first quarter of 2023 showed an imbalance in general terms in favor of exports of 56.2 million euros.

You can read the original post HERE.

Exports of semi-tanned and finished leather start 2023 with increases

Original content by: Lederpiel

Exports from the Spanish tanning industry began the year with significant increases in the subsectors of processed and semi-tanned leather. If 2022 closed setting foreign sales records not seen in decades, this year looks equally good, or better, for exporting companies in the sector.

Thus, according to data from the General Directorate of Customs, in January 2023 compared to the same month in 2022, exports of raw hides fell by 8.2% (1 million euros less), while those of semi-tanned leather shot up 24% (1.5 million euros more) and those of tanned leather increased 22.6% (6.5 million euros more).

When comparing the first month of 2023 with January of 2020, prior to the covid-19 pandemic, sales of raw hides fell by 24.1%, while semi-tanned leather increased by 45.3% and tanned, 21.1%.

Imports

Regarding imports of hides and leather, in January 2023 compared to 2022, purchases abroad of raw hides fell by 15.4% (0.8 million euros less); imports of semi-tanned leather, 16% (1.4 million euros less) and, finally, those of tanned leather increased 12.1% (2.5 million euros more).

Compared to January 2020, sales of raw hides decreased by 37.5% and semi-tanned leather by 20.7%, while those of tanned leather increased by 14.8%.

Consequently, the trade balance for leather in January 2023 showed an imbalance in general terms in favor of exports of 19.3 million euros.

You can read the original post HERE.

Towards a Zero Impact of the tanning industry in Europe

Original content by: Lederpiel

The Confederation of National Associations of Tanners of the European Community (Cotance) and the European union IndustriALL organized in mid-April in Valencia the conference Towards a Zero Impact of the Tanning Industry in Europe. With this meeting, the aim was to share different business and labor strategies to make the tanning industry a more sustainable and respectful sector with the health and safety of its workers. Among other topics, those attending the conference spoke about how to reduce the carbon footprint, as well as actions aimed at minimizing the accident rate in workplaces. During the day, a couple of visits were also made to two Spanish tanneries.

The event was attended by, among other actors from the tanning industry, representatives of Cotance such as Manuel Ríos and Gustavo González-Quijano; Carmen Arias, general secretary of the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC), and Anna García, director of the Spanish tanning employers’ association Acexpiel, as well as members of the IndustriALL and UGT-FICA unions and the European Safety Agency and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).

You can read the original post HERE

Industry celebrates World Leather Day 2023

Original content by: International Leather Maker

The industry came together on April 26 to celebrate the second-ever World Leather Day, organised by Leather Naturally and the Leather Working Group (LWG). Launched in 2022, this day is an opportunity for the industry to unite in celebrating leather as a material and spread messaging on its unique advantages across many industries.

In the words of the organisers: “There are many complicated messages about how to live more sustainably, but leather is not complicated. Simply put, without it, around 10 million tonnes would go to landfill”.

“In a world where we are trying to do more with less, keep waste to a minimum, and where we have the expertise and the technology to turn this by-product into a versatile, long-lasting material we have a responsibility to do just that.”

Longevity is a highlight of the celebrations this year, and Leather Naturally noted how our global environmental impact can be reduced by buying fewer things and choosing those that last a long time. This year, World Leather Day celebrated the long-lasting beauty of leather and its place in the circular economy.

To get involved today on social media, you can use the hashtags #WorldLeatherDay and #WorldLeatherDay2023, tag Leather Naturally and Leather Working Group and direct visitors to their websites to learn more about the leather industry.

You can read the original post HERE

Water use and leather production

Original content by: Real Leather

The tanning industry is often regarded as one with very high water consumption because historically, it has been. But great strides have been taken to change this, and still many companies are striving to do better.

The benefits of using less water for tanning can be more than just the obvious. They can also mean fewer chemicals are needed, which, of course, will reduce the amount of residual chemicals and pollutants that need to be treated.

The treatment of water is also key. If the water that is used is cleaned well enough, it can be returned to the environment meaning that any losses are marginal – the water can be reused by the tannery or to irrigate crops.

The Sustainable Leather Foundation

The Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) is one of the organisations working hard to assess water use by tanners in order to work to reduce it. There are 32 tanneries across the world who are SLF partners, and their water use falls well under the benchmark that was established to measure it.

There is a whole raft of measures tanners are taking to lower their water consumption.

Reducing the number of washing processes for each hide
Using fresh hides which do not need salt removal
Using more efficient machinery
Reusing and recycling water
Reducing chemical use or using biodegradable chemicals

Processes have been refined so much recently that the amount of water used has reduced by 35% in the last 25 years. And, with the reuse of water and the refining of techniques, that reduction is continuing.

You can read the original post HERE