Textile Insight

Emerging Techniques & Efficiencies Drive Sustainable Solutions. t's good that people are really aware of environmental changes, but the industry has to show how it uses its resources," explained Nathalie Elharrar, a leather industry consultant, teacher and designer. "In the past five years, tanneries have had to re-think leather, and are taking a more circular approach." Elharrar noted new tech emerging that allows tanners to measure outputs, in addition to efforts during the last year to reduce use of chemicals and decrease waste. Another trend in the industry is "metal free" leather, and within that category new techniques to broaden the color palette. "Tanneries have a new relationship with color so that bright color and more luminous shades are now possible," offered Elharrar. Leathers using olive oil and rhubarb are expanding the concept of vegetable tanning in new and better ways, according to Elharrar, a panelist on an engaging virtual presentation hosted by Premiere Vision Paris on the topic, "Can Leather be Sustainable." These products are softer than conventional veg-tanned leather and have an interesting hand feel, too. "The overall trend is that the leather industry is more eco-responsible and aware of the consequences of each step in the process," commented panelist Carine Montarras, product manager Premiere Vision Leather. She has been working together with leather suppliers in a new PV sustainable sourcing guide to better communicate eco efforts as well as give a complete vision of the leather landscape not only finished product. When journalist Karine Porret asked the panelists about vegan leather, Elhaarar was blunt in her response, stating "Its nonsense." She explained that vegan leather materials are made from petro chemicals and are not comparable to leather in touch, suppleness or durability. Montarras added, "The latest thing is using a lot of food waste like pineapple and orange skins. The fabric is innovative, but it is not leather." According to Montarras, "Designers want to keep using leather but we need to do better at highlighting leather's qualities and eco-responsible actions." Leather Rescued and Recycled A great example of eco-innovation within the leather industry is Sustainable Composites. After upwards of seven years and $3 million in R&D, the Lancaster, PA-based firm has developed a proprietary process that turns discarded leather scraps into a product that not only replicates the look, feel, smell and performance of tanned hide at half the cost but also dramatically reduces waste. Ordinarily, 25-60 percent of the leather produced in the tanning process winds up on the cutting room floor because of defects and the limited dimensions of tanned hides. That means an estimated 3.5 billion pounds of leather scraps get sent to landfills or incinerators every year. Sustainable Composites' founders, scientists Tom Tymon and Frank Fox, set up a lab in Tymon's basement, and set out on a journey to remove the leather fibers and then reuse them without sacrificing aesthetics or performance of the finished goods. The mechanical and chemical processes include grinding up the leather waste and pressing it into sheets of 100 percent leather fibers. The execs have obtained five patents as a result of their work. Timberland is one of the first brand partners and will use Sustainable Composites' leather product, called enspire, in select products. "e" is for environmental Sustainable Composites is modeled as a tech-based virtual recycling company. "We design the technology but outsource the manufacturing and finishing. Product can be made on machines that already exist worldwide," explained Fox, who projects company sales of $30 million within the next few years. "Our market position is lower price, better yields and a marketing advantage of being a new product," said Fox, a chemical engineer and physicist, and former manufacturing industry CEO. The enspire product achieves a high level of leather-like pliability, durability, sew-ability, abrasion and stain resistance, and fold properties. Reduced cutting waste, with uniform 54" rolls free of holes and other defects, helps maximize yield and achieves material cost reductions for end-product manufacturers. According to the company, design options of color, texture and finish are comparable with traditional leather. In recent years many eco alternative leathers have come to market, some being "man-made" leathers and others promoted as "vegan" leathers. "We have developed a leather that feels and looks like real leather which is what people want," Fox stated. l I IN THE MARKET | LEATHER Leather Lately textileinsight.com September/October 2020 ~ Textile Insight • 7 Timberland is an early adopter of enspire leather by Sustainable Composites. "In the past five years, tanneries have had to re-think leather, and are taking a more circular approach." Nathalie Elharrar Leather industry consultant, teacher and designer.

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