Project description
Tanning hides without hexavalent Chromium
Converting hides into leather involves a tanning process. The vast majority of leathers in the world are tanned by chrome tanning, which uses a solution of chemicals, acids and salts. It’s the fastest and cheapest method but not the most environmentally friendly. The EU-funded NATURELLA project proposes an alternative method with the lowest level of heavy metals and free from hexavalent Chromium. Specifically, it uses biodegradable, organic ingredients. Naturella® hides have been certified 77 % biodegradable and compostable in controlled conditions. As such, the aim of the project is to assess the technical and economic feasibility of an innovative ‘short-chain’ business model for Naturella® leather in the main European markets.
Objective
Santori Pellami was founded in 1890 and thanks to the experience gained from generation to generation, we are specialized in the production and sale of different leather products from veal, beef, pork, sheep among other. In the fashion and luxury sector in which we operate, the themes of sustainability, circular economy, respect for the environment have today assumed a centrality. Thus since 2015, we have been in search for more sustainable materials, and today we are the first companies to have experimented a method of tanning with the lowest level of heavy metals, and free from hexavalent Chromium.
In April 2017, we have developed an innovative process to obtain a high-quality leather hides tanned using biodegradable, organic ingredients, with low use of heavy metals (Cadmium, Cobalt, Nickel and Lead) and without Chromium. Today, Naturella hides have been certified 77% biodegradable and compostable in controlled conditions according to ISO 14855 by University of Bologna. We have titled and registered the Naturella trade mark, and we can already offer this new leather to early clients.
The aim of this project is to study the technical and economic feasibility of an innovative “short-chain” business model for Naturella leather in the main European markets, in particular in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria, Germany and Serbia. A Life Cycle Assessment regarding the environmental impacts of our product will be done, and our overall objective is to plan the increase of our market share and the source of revenues through the development of the Naturella product. Our purpose is to increase in 3 years our revenues by 30%, guaranteeing a revenue share of at least 20% of our total turnover coming from Naturella. From the results of our phase 1 project we expect to be able to plan the activities to grasp the target sales and profit targets.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextiles
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
63813 MONTE URANO
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.