Eco, Low Carbon Footprint & Impact On Our Industry

[StevenSiegel]

This is meant to be informational, not politiical, which I believe is the purpose of this forum; the exchange of ideas.

A few months ago I was speaking with a friend who supplies a large manufacturer with leather. I asked him his opinion about the "future" of our industry, in particular if we, as an industry would be impacted by the "green" movement. His comments were very emphatic in regard to this. His opinion, based upon being the primary leather vendor for a couple of decades to a mulit-billion dollar company was that all of the large manufacturers would be requiring certification of their leather by the LWG in the near future. I was rather surprised by his remarks.

Here are a couple of industry links which if you follow them and take them to their links, etc....... Well, I wil let you be the judge. Here are two links.

http://www.all-about-leather.co.uk/what-is-leather/the-eco-leather-story.htm

http://blog.timberland.com/corporate-social-responsibility/green-stuff-we-love-low-impact-leather/#

If the links do not work copy and paste into your browser

Edited January 26, 2011 by StevenSiegel

[terrymac]

Steve,

Maybe it is my computer, but I couldn't get either link to open?

Terry

Edited January 26, 2011 by terrymac

[StevenSiegel]

Steve,

Maybe it is my computer, but I couldn't get either link to open?

Terry

try copy and paste into your browser... should work fine

[CitizenKate]

Try these:

http://www.all-about-leather.co.uk/what-is-leather/the-eco-leather-story.htm

http://blog.timberland.com/corporate-social-responsibility/green-stuff-we-love-low-impact-leather/

Kate

[terrymac]

Thanks Kate, worked like a charm.

Terry

[azrider]

Interesting topic. I have watched with skeptisism as the green movement gained traction. Most of the adoption I have seen and can't argue with involves more efficency. The company I work for has some huge buildings, with floresent tube lighting every few feet. Last year they removed one the three bulbs in each fixture, in the name of being green. In my mind, that's a cost cutting measure, plain and simple. I guess if there is a market for it, people will make it. Check this site out: http://www.ecohides.com/ $14.95 a square foot, or about $700 per hide. Thats not my market, but obviously one exists.

[mendedbowl]

Interesting topic. I have watched with skeptisism as the green movement gained traction. Most of the adoption I have seen and can't argue with involves more efficency. The company I work for has some huge buildings, with floresent tube lighting every few feet. Last year they removed one the three bulbs in each fixture, in the name of being green. In my mind, that's a cost cutting measure, plain and simple. I guess if there is a market for it, people will make it. Check this site out: http://www.ecohides.com/ $14.95 a square foot, or about $700 per hide. Thats not my market, but obviously one exists.

Wow!!! Tree Leather!!! They can call it Treather!!! (insert random tree hugging joke here )

[terrymac]

I have a question for someone with more smarts than me. Is there anything inherently dangerous or harmful in vegtan leather?? There is alot of this stuff that ends up in guidelines or regulations that make someone feel good, but in reality don't accomplish a whole lot of benefit except giving someone a marketing angle that ends up costing us more money. Just wondering.

Terry

[StevenSiegel]

I have a question for someone with more smarts than me. Is there anything inherently dangerous or harmful in vegtan leather?? There is alot of this stuff that ends up in guidelines or regulations that make someone feel good, but in reality don't accomplish a whole lot of benefit except giving someone a marketing angle that ends up costing us more money. Just wondering.

Terry

HI Terry,

This is interesting.

I don't claim to have more smarts than you. But,

Vegetable tanned leather uses more water than other processes (if I am reading the BLC guidelines correctly), So, for the "eco" crowd this becomes a concern.

The byproducts of vegetable tanning (only the tanning process) can be converted to harmless products. (By anyone's standards)

However, to the best of my knowledge there is only one SuperFund Site still associated with the tanning industry in the US and it's a vegetable tannery located in Middlesboro, KY.

The byproducts of mineral tannages have to be concentrated and dumped in a designated area. They cannot be converted to a "harmless" product.

[terrymac]

Steve,

Thanks for responding. That is what I kind of figured but wasn't sure

Terry