Having to burn the old leather sofa, leather bag or leather jacket will soon be a thing of the past.
As a novel feature, Scan-Hide, a subsidiary of Danish Crown, has started making biodegradable leather.
Scan-Hide is the first in the industry to have changed its tanning method, and the factory now uses a brand new type of chemicals that is harmless to the environment and makes the leather biodegradable. This means that the hide can eventually be used for potting compost, for example.
- This is a giant and important step in the green transition. We can now start phasing out the chemicals that have been used in our industry for decades. It is a revolutionary change in our industry that we can now offer a green tanning solution to our customers, says Michael Søndergaard, CEO of Scan-Hide.
He adds that the price of the hides will be considerably higher with the green tanning. According to Michael Søndergaard, the costs involved in making the leather will rise by 15-20%. Nevertheless, it is attracting great interest from a large number of customers seeing the possibilities of the new tanning method.
20 percent better plant growth
Among them is British designer Anya Hindmarch. She believes that the fact that her designer bags can return to nature when worn out holds vast prospects. In her Return to Nature collection, Anya Hindmarch works with designs that continue to have a life instead of ending up in landfill. According to Anya Hindmarch, experiments have shown that the use of compost, the result of the biodegradable hides, improves earth plant growth by 20% compared to when compost is not used.
- This cooperation allows me to explore the idea of incorporating the product’s “next life” into the design process. In this way, you are left with the idea that there is no waste in nature. It is hard to call something luxurious if it harms the planet, says Anya Hindmarch.
Scan-Hide’s long-time German partner Tannery Richard Hoffmans is in charge of the processing and finishing of the biodegradable hides, and the owner, Jutta Hoffmans, says that the company believes there is a great potential for the products that can have a new life after having been used.
- It is a very interesting project to be a part of. The new tanning technology marks the beginning of a more sustainable leather production that we will continue working with. We are pleased to participate and look forward to collaborating on the biodegradable products, says Jutta Hoffmans.
The company Smit & Zoon-Nera has developed the technology behind the new tanning agent called Zeology, and the company sees a great potential in the cooperation with Scan-Hide.
- Scan-Hide ranks at the top when it comes to Scandinavian and North European hides, and the efforts made in terms of animal welfare, durability, quality and sustainability are a perfect match for our mission to create a socially and environmentally sustainable value chain for leather products, says Pim Wilgenburg, Venture Manager Nera at Smit & Zoon.
To Scan-Hide, the new tanning method is yet another asset for the company’s brand SPOOR, which is the only brand to offer full traceability of the leather purchased by customers such as Anya Hindmarch. This means that it is possible to determine exactly what animal the hide comes from, how the animal welfare was and how the leather was tanned, which is essential for ensuring that the hides and skins biodegrade in nature without harming the environment.
The new tanning method paves the way for making all Scan-Hide products biodegradable in the course of the coming years.
- It will take us three or four years to get there. In order to succeed we need to make even more brands aware of the advantages of our new products. In that context, it is of immense value that a top designer like Anya Hindmarch believes in us, says Michael Søndergaard.
Scan-Hide is located in Vester Skerninge on Funen and employs a staff of 135.