Leather, a by-product of the meat industry
Leather is one of man’s earliest and most useful discoveries. Our ancestors used leather to protect themselves from the elements. Primitive men hunted wild animals for food, then made clothing, footwear, and crude tents from the hides.
Like then, hides used today are a by-product.
Smit & Zoon
From the awareness about the importance of a responsible leather industry around the world, Smit & Zoon wants to stress the need for sustainable alternatives in the entire leather value chain. Nera, one of its subsidiaries, is introducing Zeology, a zeolite-based leather tanning concept. Tanning without the use of chrome, heavy-metal, and GDA: truly sustainable, without compromising on leather performance. By using Zeology, we can protect the Earth, and still be able to create and use top quality leather for the manufacturing of premium leather goods.
Uniqueness of sustainable tanned leather
What makes Zeology unique, compared to both traditional tanning agents and other existing sustainable alternatives, is that it delivers both sustainability benefits and superior leather performance. Zeo White, the Zeology-tanned leather intermediate, is unsurpassed in characteristics such as grain tightness, physical leather properties, lightfastness, and heat-resistance. In addition, its bright white color enables white leather and lighter and brighter colors than were ever possible before.
It’s perfect for the high-end fashion industry.