Circular Economy and Sustainability of the Tanning Industry

The growing production needs and the demand for products that are increasingly in line with the needs of an evolving company have led to a progressive increase in the complexity of the reference technology, which is inevitably accompanied by a dramatic increase in the environmental impact and, therefore, the loss of the primitive sustainable nature of the sector. In fact, the transformation of putrescible animal integuments into a stable and versatile material such as leather perhaps represents the first example of enhancing a waste in precious raw material, respecting the principles of what we now call circular economy. The current challenge on the sustainability of the tanning production sector therefore requires a set of actions, including the use of efficient certification systems that induce chemical suppliers, tanneries and waste material treatment companies to create a increasingly transparent production flow. Already today there are several companies that have embarked on a path aimed at building a new market system that focuses on sustainability as added value with the ambitious goal of Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals.