UNIDO publishes study on Sustainable Leather Manufacture

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1 Issue 9 EZINE Issue 9 July 2015 UNIDO publishes study on Sustainable Leather Manufacture The tanning industry is a key sector in UNIDO s mission to promote sustainable development. Since the late 1990s, a number of studies dealing with cleaner tanning methods have been published to help prepare different kinds of training programmes for the industry, including the widely used paper The Scope for Decreasing Pollution Load in Leather Processing. Since then, new tanning technologies have been developed and implemented, accompanied by new challenges. UNIDO considers proper training as an essential precondition for modern, sustainable leather processing and has prepared a new study a comprehensive paper on cleaner leather technologies which rounds up and updates earlier papers. The aim is to assist with training and capacity building activities. This comprehensive study addresses traditional cleaner technologies topics such as pollution sources/loads, water management, hair-save liming, low or ammonia-free deliming, chrome management, low-organic solvents finishing, solid waste as well as issues relevant to the performance and successful operations of tanning activities: environmental management systems (EMS/CSR), Restricted Substances Lists (RSL), 1

2 UNIDO publishes study on Sustainable Leather Manufacture energy considerations, Occupational Safety and Health at workplace (OSH), Carbon Footprint (CF) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). So the paper tackles much of the current international debates. For the time being, the study is published as a working paper, open to further corrections and modifications. The final document should serve as a basis for developing globally accessible elearning courses on sustainable leather manufacture. The document is available on: Vans & Takaski Murakami celebrate collaboration with a launch party in Paris To celebrate the release of the Vault by Vans collection, a collaboration with renowned Japanese designer Takaski Murakami, the brand and Murakami hosted a press conference and party on Sunday at the Hotel du Grand Veneur in Paris at the gallery of art dealer Emmanuel Perrotin. On show were new works of art created by Murakami solely for the event. As someone who wears Vans Slip-Ons nearly every day, the brand is as familiar to me as my own skin, Murakami said in a statement. The collection was released on June 27, with retail prices starting at $40 for kids and $75 for adults. The styles use Murakami s well-known imagery, from skulls to flowers. Courtesy of footwear news 2

3 Shoe News: Pleasure or Pain opens at V&A Shoe News: Pleasure or Pain opens at V&A London s Victoria & Albert Museum unveil a new exhibit that spotlights extreme footwear. Shoes: Pleasure and Pain opened on June 13 and will run through Jan. 31, Shoes worn by or associated with celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, Queen Victoria, Sarah Jessica Parker and Daphne Guinness, will be part of the exhibition. The work of 70 designers, from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo to Christian Louboutin and Roger Vivier, will be on display, while newer names, like Sophia Webster, will also be in the spotlight. The exhibit will cover two floors. The ground-floor gallery will showcase three themes: transformation, status and seduction. Transformation will present shoes that explore concepts of myth and legend, opening with different cultural interpretations of the Cinderella story from across the globe. Status will take a look at impractical shoes that have been worn to represent privileged and leisurely lifestyles their design, shape and material can often make them unsuitable for walking. Seduction highlights shoes that express sexual empowerment or pleasure. Courtesy of V&A Museum 3

4 Research project examines antimalarial foams for footwear Research project examines antimalarial foams for footwear Research centres and a private sector partner in Spain are working together to create new foam applications for footwear with antimalarial properties. They have said possible applications include special sandals or soling materials for other types of footwear that can help prevent the spread of malaria and other conditions such as Dengue fever, Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis. Central to the idea, which is being developed by Valencia-based plastics institute Aimplas, a research team from the University of Zaragoza and specialist microencapsulation company Inesfly Corporation, is to encapsulate insecticide substances into foam using microcapsules for footwear to act as a repellent against the insects that can spread each of these conditions. The researchers have said they believe using microcapsules will prevent degradation of the insecticide substances during manufacture of the finished product and will make it easier to manage the release of the substances during wear. Their two-year project, called Inmaplesp, has secured funding from Spain s economy ministry. From sportstextiles.com 4

5 Puma develops cooling technology with Jamaican athletes Puma develops cooling technology with Jamaican athletes Puma has unveiled a new cooling technology, PWRCOOL which it will incorporate into a collection of thermo-regulated apparel and footwear. PWRCOOL footwear products feature a ComfortTemp tongue liner which uses a cooling print on the inside that activates with moisture. The collection is designed with CoolCELL wicking materials while anatomically placed air flow features offer temperature regulation. Puma tested the system with Jamaican athletes including Olympic medallist Hansle Parchment, who said: Living and training in Jamaica is a wonderful thing, but the heat is challenging and at times pretty exhausting. PWRCOOL is a great technology to help counter that; it works well in both the shoes and training wear. Courtesy of footwearbiz Chinese company launches first 3D foot scanner and 3D printed shoes Footscan4For one Chinese start-up Jiaodu Technology have taken the idea of customization a step further by creating what they claim to be the first ever 3D foot scanner aimed at making the customization process of footwear more reliable. Chief advisor of foot science and technology for Jiaodu Technology, Mr Xu Chaoyi, explains that it is their goal to use the internet and 3D technology to change the industry so that everyone can wear a pair of properly fitting shoes. 5

6 Chinese company launches first 3D foot scanner and 3D printed shoes Following in line with this goal Jiaodu has created a small scanner which can be installed in a shoe store that is operated over the cloud, sending foot scan data directly to the company allowing them to fabricate a 3D printed shoe that is sized perfectly for the customer. In just 3 seconds, the scanner can analyse a user s foot, creating all the data necessary for the manufacture of shoes. The user then selects a style and the shoes are 3D printed and shipped direct to their door for the cost of a few hundred dollars. Currently there are 10 shoe models available to purchase, but the company plans to unveil more models in the near future. From China Leather Web Trumpler winter trend & colour themes Leather chemical maker Trumpler has released its new Autumn-Winter leather articles, colour and texture trends collections. Footwear and leather goods trends are reflected in the Faraway, Woodland, Functional and Academic collections, inspired by nature, culture and technology of the 70s and 80s. Leathers incorporate finished and unfinished elements with wax effects, polished, smooth, light and delicate leathers with natural shine. Chromatic designs are formulated around brown, orange, red, dark green and blue colours. Trend themes Garment leathers made from goat and lamb are reflected in the Postmodern, Stone, Art & Nature and Constructivism collections. Finishing includes shiny-opaque and pearlescent effects and irregular colour 6

7 Trumpler winter trend & colour themes placements. Chromatic designs are formulated around cold grey, ice blue, lava, petrol and apricot colour inspirations. Leather chemicals The trends are supplied in two collections with complete recipes from wet-end (tanned or pickled) to finishing. Chemicals selected in the manufacture of the leather for the collections were inspired by the Trumpler Sustainability Hierarchy giving special emphasis to the Trupon Bio range and new fatliquors such as Trupon LH and Trupon MTA, and special effect finishing chemicals such as Trupocryl U34P, Trupocryl TF, Trupofin Top PU Mate-20, Stucco NF and Trupofin Wax KT08. Courtesy ILM 3 Jun 2015 Italy - Leather production worth 5.3 billion in 2014 Tanners in Italy produced million square-metres of leather and 32,500 tonnes of sole leather in The combined value of all this material was 5.3 billion, of which just over 4 billion came from buyers outside the country. These figures represent an increase in value of 1.5% and a decrease in volume of 1.7% compared to 2013, reports international news site Leatherbiz. Of the total, 79% of Italian leather was made from bovine raw material, 20% from sheep or goats and 1% from the hides and skins of other animals. By volume, footwear s share of the material was 43.2% (a decline of 2.3%). Leathergoods manufacturers took a 25% share of the material, an increase of 1.4%, while companies in the furniture sector reduced their consumption to 15.5% of the total, down by 8% compared to its share in With regard to the automotive industry, 9.5% of all of Italy s leather went into automotive interiors in 2014 and this market segment increased its share by 5.6%. Garments and gloves account for the rest. 7

8 Italy - Leather production worth 5.3 billion in 2014 Italian tanners imported 817,000 tonnes of raw material in 2014, 63% as wet blue, 33% as raw and 4% as crust. The country s tanning industry association, Unic, released these statistics at its annual general assembly in Milan on June 25. Innovative new polymeric softening and filling retan from TFL After the successful launch of Magnopal IPF in 2013, TFL has now developed a further product based on the same innovative polymeric filling technology. Magnopal IPR combines a pronounced filling effect with softening and some retanning features, which are evenly distributed over the structure of the hide or skin. It can help to simplify wet-end application recipes by reducing the amount and number of traditional softening, retanning and filling agents required. Leathers produced with this polymeric retanning agent feature good heat-resistance, lightfastness and very good hydrolysis properties. No negative effects on physical properties have been observed. Magnopal IPR can be used to produce a wide range of leathers based on wet-blue or wet-white; from soft articles, such as garment, upholstery and automotive leathers, to firmer types such as shoe upper and leather goods. Milled nappa shows a more uniform break; leathers are soft and light with reduced specific area weight. They show a level dyeing with minimal shade weakening. It is free of formaldehyde and does not contain chemical substances which are restricted by any major chemical regulation. Courtesy of TFL Website 8

9 Indian researchers convert fleshings into soling material Indian researchers convert fleshings into soling material Researchers in India have developed a use for the fleshings from tannery waste, converting them into a material that can be used to make soles, reports international news site Leatherbiz. The Central Leather Research Institute discovered that the activated carbon from fleshing waste contains calcium and can be used as filler in rubber-making. Leather processing generates 700kg of solid waste for every tonne of skin/hide processed. Fleshing contributes to 10% of the total solid waste. In other words, world over, for every 100 tonnes of hide processed every day, 10 tonnes of fleshing waste is generated, they said. In India, 0.9 billion kg of raw hide/skin is processed annually. This amounts to 90,000 tonnes of fleshing waste generated every year. The conventional disposal methods of limed fleshing includes manufacture of industrial gelatin/protein hydrolysate, glue, biomethanation and the remaining limed fleshing waste is dumped into landfills. In rubber-making, carbon black is used as reinforcing material. The conventional activated carbon do not contain cross linking agent like CaO, so it cannot be used as filler in rubber manufacture in the place of carbon black. In this study, we have converted the limed fleshing waste into activated carbon and since it contains calcium it is used effectively as filler in the manufacture of rubber. 9

10 Powered by TCPDF ( NEW ZEALAND LEATHER AND SHOE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION Issue 9 TFL launches new high astringent tanning agent TFL launches new high astringent tanning agent With tight and compact leather articles in mind, TFL launched a liquid astringent tanning agent with high tanning capacity, Sellatan Hat Liz. TFL claim, This new synthetic tanning agent helps to deal with challenging raw material quality to produce tight and compact leather articles. These special properties make the product unique in the TFL range. As a retanning agent for chrome and chrome-free leathers, it allows tanners to produce quality leathers with consistant results. It provides exceptional fullness with a tight, uniform grain break for shoes, handbags and automotive articles. Tight grain and fullness are also prerequisites for excellent embossing results optimising cutting yield. The product is aimed at the production of tight and compact metal-free leathers as it contributes very little to the formaldehyde content in the final leather. The low formaldehyde and phenol content and the minimal TDS contribution make Sellatan ideal for the TFL White Line Technology. From Leather International, March P