Fashionova system from BASF

BASF India produce the entire range of manufactured products locally and they are the only entity to do this other than Ludwigshafen. The company's distribution centres in the major Indian clusters ensure short delivery times. Vaduvur T Srikanth (general manager, performance chemicals for leather) told Leather International that BASF are conscious of the need for sustainable development and although it may seem counter-intuitive for a chemicals company, they encourage tanners to use less chemicals to add value, particularly in the finishing process. Offering a ‘same time basis' with Europe, the company endeavour to replicate the European colour trends forecast on locally available raw materials such as goatskins, bovine and buffalo and focus on the end use of the leather rather than the type of skin. The company carried out a pilot project in India to select chemistries to develop a collection of 25 products which should address the majority of finished leather needs. The concept is called ‘Fashion Nova 5 x 5 advantage' and, in the hands of skilled craftsmen, can result in varieties of elegant fashion leathers. The whole ‘Fashionova' initiative is about creativity and commitments. Five effects for all kinds of leather have been identified: Film, Texture, Optics, Pattern and Upgradation. Each variant has its own range of values, and the permutations and combinations of these values open up many possibilities. Experts and products are focused on five segments: Footwear, Garments, Goods, Accessories and Hybrids. Five consumer lifestyles: Formal, Casual, Sporty, Trendy and Fusion complete the concept. These 25 products address almost the entire variety of fashion and also offer simplified tannery inventory management, reliable supply and consistency in quality. BASF have service laboratories known as competence centres in the clusters of Mumbai, Chennai, Ranipet, Kanpur and Kolkata, where tanners can get more information about the concept and request a ‘Fashionova' toolkit.