Choosing a sustainable leather supplier goes beyond the beauty and durability of the material purchased. This process requires a commitment to responsible environmental practices and rigorous ethical standards at every stage of production.
As part of this transformation movement, the leather industry, like other production chains, is undergoing a major change in order to meet these demands.
In this article, you will understand the importance of sustainability for the leather industry, the seals that prove responsible practices and how traceability helps to guarantee the origin of the material produced.
In addition, we will explain how Durli Leathers implements pioneering innovations to ensure sustainable and traceable leather.
Why is Sustainability in the Leather Industry Fundamental?
Leather production can generate significant environmental and social impacts throughout its manufacturing processes, especially due to the excessive consumption of water, the inappropriate use of chemical products and the possible indirect relationship with deforestation. In addition to these challenges, guaranteeing decent working conditions is also essential to strengthening the sector's commitment to sustainability.
Companies that prioritize these practices gain a competitive advantage as the global market increasingly demands proof of social and environmental responsibility. Those who don't keep up with this evolution lose ground to competitors who are in line with the new guidelines.
To meet these requirements, a sustainable leather supplier needs to adopt processes that ensure traceability and compliance with environmental standards.
Below are the main characteristics that sustainable leather must meet in order to guarantee a responsible production process.
Environmental certifications: The LWG Gold Seal
Environmental certifications ensure that the leather has been produced according to strict sustainability standards. The Leather Working Group (LWG) is one of the sector's main references. Its LWG Gold seal certifies that the supplier adopts sustainable practices and meets environmental and social criteria.
The LWG certification assesses aspects such as environmental management, efficient use of resources and working conditions. In addition, it establishes that farms located in the Amazon biome must be free of deforestation, invasion of indigenous lands, slave labor and Ibama embargoes in order to obtain certification.
Read also about: Commitment to Quality and Sustainability Recognized by Seals
Traceability in the Leather Production Chain
Traceability is an essential component for ensuring sustainability in the leather industry. It allows every stage of the production chain to be monitored, from the origin of the raw material to the final product. In this way, it is possible to transparently prove social and environmental responsibility throughout the process.
But what are the benefits of traceability?
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- Transparency: consumers and business partners can verify the origin of the leather, ensuring that it is not associated with illegal or environmentally damaging practices.
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- Quality: monitoring each stage of production helps to maintain high quality standards, identifying and correcting possible flaws in the process.
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- Legal compliance: traceability ensures that all stages of production comply with environmental and labor legislation, avoiding penalties and damage to the company's reputation.
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- Consumer trust: in an increasingly conscious market, offering products whose origin and production process are transparent increases customer trust and loyalty.
How to Implement Traceability the Right Way
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- Individual identification: each piece of leather receives a unique identification, allowing it to be monitored throughout the production chain.
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- Data recording: detailed information on each stage of the process is recorded, including the origin of the raw material from the birth farms, when the animals receive a SISBOV ear tag with individual identification; slaughterhouses, where the skin receives an identification tag; arrival of the green skin at the tannery, tanning processes, treatments applied with the engraving of a unique code on the leather; and distribution with a QR Code per pallet, bringing together all the individual codes for future reference. Each individual code can be consulted by the end consumer.
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- Information technology: use of digital systems and blockchain to store and manage data in a secure and accessible way.
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- Regular Audits: periodic inspections to ensure that traceability processes are being followed correctly and to identify opportunities for improvement.
How to Choose a Sustainable Leather Supplier
To guarantee an ethical and ecological origin, the supplier needs to meet specific criteria. We've listed the main evaluation points below, which include:
1. Environmental certifications
Certified companies guarantee high environmental and social standards. The LWG Gold seal is one of the most recognized references in the sector.
2. Raw Material Traceability
Committed suppliers ensure total traceability of the leather, individually, from the farms and birth to the final product.
3. Sustainable production processes
The reduction and efficient management of water and energy, the treatment of all effluents and the proper disposal of waste, the use of safe chemical products and the reduction of the carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions demonstrate the supplier's commitment to the environment.
4. Sustainable Innovation
Companies that invest in responsible alternatives and show real concern for sustainability.
5. Transparency in Customer Relations
Clear disclosure of social and environmental processes and impacts strengthens the supplier's credibility. In addition, interaction with local communities and regulatory bodies reinforces commitment to good practices.
Durli Leathers ' Commitment to Sustainable Practices
Durli Leathers is a company committed to sustainability and ethics throughout its production chain.
Operating since 1960, the company has implemented a number of initiatives that reinforce its commitment to responsible practices. Following all the changes in the profile of consumer behavior, it is able to be a supplier of sustainable leather to industries in the furniture, footwear and automotive sectors.
Sustainability and the Durli Leathers Production Chain
Sustainability is at the heart of Durli Leathers' strategic decision-making. The company not only strictly complies with environmental and social legislation. But it also anticipates trends and adopts initiatives that minimize negative impacts on the environment and promote benefits for communities and employees.
Responsible Sourcing and Traceability
Durli Leathers has implemented a pioneering system of individual leather traceability, ensuring that each piece is traced back to the farms of birth, with total transparency and socio-environmental compliance.
Geomonitoring
Since 2010, the company has been using satellite geomonitoring technology to analyze the origin of its raw materials on a daily basis. This monitoring extends from indirect farms to supplier slaughterhouses .
In this way, it is possible to ensure that the entire production chain complies with social and environmental criteria.
Individual traceability
Each piece of leather is given a unique laser-engraved alphanumeric code that accompanies the entire production journey. In this way, customers can access detailed information about the origin and processing of each piece, which creates total transparency.
Read more about Durli Leathers ' traceability process at: Durli Leathers and Sustainability in the fight against Deforestation.
Purchasing Policy
Durli Leathers only buys raw materials from suppliers that meet strict compliance criteria. The company does NOT buy bovine hides from areas associated with:
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- Deforestation and environmental degradation.
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- Invasion of indigenous lands and conservation units.
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- Areas embargoed for environmental violations.
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- Forced or child labor at any stage of production.
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- Disregard for animal welfare on farms and slaughterhouses.
Sustainable Production and Resource Efficiency
Durli Leathers prioritizes reducing water and energy consumption, controlling emissions and optimizing its production processes. Below we detail the main initiatives adopted to achieve these objectives.
Reduced water consumption
The company has implemented technologies that have led to an 80% reduction in water consumption in its industrial processes. Among the main strategies adopted are:
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- Using fresh leather instead of salted leather: reduces water consumption by 30%.
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- Water reuse and recycling in closed systems: savings of 20%.
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- Installation of multi-action drums and water dispensers: 15% reduction.
Energy Efficiency
Durli Leathers has achieved a 25% increase in the energy efficiency of its equipment and reduced energy consumption in effluent treatment by 30% by adopting practices such as:
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- Replacement of incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
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- Use of transparent roof tiles to make better use of natural light.
Low Gas Emissions
The company constantly monitors atmospheric emissions and implements solutions to reduce greenhouse gases. One of these initiatives includes the use of automated conveyors, which reduce the flow of forklifts and, consequently, diesel consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Effluent treatment
The company has implemented a differentiated treatment system, where 95% of chrome effluents are reused in industrial processes. Only 5% is disposed of in duly licensed industrial landfills.
Sustainable Fertigation
In addition to conventional treatment, Durli Leathers develops fertigation projects in which organic waste is reused to improve soil fertility.
Bio-Leather: Durli Leathers Innovation
In response to demands for more environmentally friendly products, Durli Leathers has developed BIO-LEATHER, a line of leathers produced with special vegetable tannins based on gallic acid and tannins based on silica and aluminum.
BIO-LEATHER represents the future of sustainable leather, eliminating chrome from the tanning process and offering a biodegradable solution that decomposes quickly, from 6 months to two years, and meets the demands of industries concerned about environmental impact.
In addition, this initiative reflects Durli Leathers ' commitment to researching and developing solutions that align performance with environmental responsibility.
Bio-Leather is certified by the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), an internationally recognized test that evaluates the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle.
Read more: BIO-LEATHER Sustainable Innovation in the Leather Industry
Final considerations
In short, choosing a sustainable leather supplier is essential for companies seeking to align their products with the demands of a market that is increasingly aware of and committed to ethical, responsible and ecological practices.
Durli Leathers adopts a complete approach to sustainability, investing in reducing water and energy consumption, controlling emissions and optimizing production processes. These initiatives not only guarantee social and environmental compliance, but also add value to the end products.
By choosing Durli Leathers as a partner, your company guarantees high-quality materials with full traceability and internationally recognized certifications. This further strengthens your reputation in the market.
To find out more about Durli Leathers ' ecological solutions and how they can benefit your business, contact with our experts. Visit our website and find out how we can meet your needs with responsibility and excellence.
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