All articles by Amit Thadani
Amit Thadani
The industry of Colombia will hold its fair in person format
The Colombian International Fair of Leather, Footwear, Leather Goods, Supplies and Technology (IFLS + EICI), will be held in person from June 2 to 4, 2021 in Bogotá. The halls will present 240 exhibitors of footwear – much less than those who normally participate -, leather goods, supplies and technology and expect to receive more than 4,000 national and foreign buyers.
View from the US
As the vaccine rollout has continued across the US, so has economic optimism and a promising outlook for demand. While prices had been rather stagnant in January and February, the market took a dramatic turn in early March. Although an increase in prices was expected, no one foresaw the magnitude of the rise. Even industry veterans couldn’t recall a time when prices rose so much quite literally overnight.
The release kinetics of chromium
The use of chromium salts is an extremely popular and widespread method of tanning as it produces leather that is stable at high temperatures and more resistant to grain cracking than vegetable-tanned leather. However, when disposed of, chromium-tanned leather can pollute surface water as the chemicals leak from the material. This edited version of a paper published by W Long, L Peng, B Shi, R Wang and W Zhang of the Key Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering at Sichuan University discusses the leaching behaviour of leather in water and the conditions that impact this phenomenon.
Simac to the future
With the pandemic showing signs of abating by the end of the year as vaccination programmes continue apace, it is time to start taking a cautious look forward to one of the leather industry’s most significant trade shows, Simac Tanning Tech. The international event is due to take place in Milan in September and acts as a credible signpost for the latest developments in machinery technology. Matthew Rogerson takes a look at some of the recent product launches that are expected to feature in the show.
Global giant
Brazil is the land of carnival, football and – some may be surprised to discover – a well-structured leather industry. The country hosts 244 tanning factories, 2,800 leather and footwear component plants, and 120 machinery and equipment manufacturers. Together, the sector provides around 30,000 jobs and brings in about $2bn to the economy each year. Sabrina Auler talks to some of the industry’s key stakeholders about the state of Brazil’s leather manufacturing landscape today.
Don’t dump it
As Covid-19 cases rise around the world, although the leather business has shown some timid signs of recovery, it seems that the worst is not over yet. At the same time, consumers are increasingly looking to other materials – which are, in fact, often less sustainable than leather itself. With this in mind, Sam Setter looks at the advantages of leather over its alternatives, and what needs to be done to support the industry’s growth.
The state of play
Between the pandemic and a tumultuous election, it has certainly been a memorable year for the US, which has had a knock-on effect on the leather market. Matthew Rogerson talks to Stephen Sothmann, president of the Leather and Hide Council of America, about the impact of coronavirus on leather prices and consumer behaviour, and what the future might look like for the industry.
Helping hands
For decades, tanneries were blamed for polluting the environment and disregarding the health and safety of employees. The conditions in some workplaces were considered insalubrious, especially in developing countries. This view has changed: experts in the field attribute this positive switch to a new mindset adopted by tanneries, with an emphasis on engaging with local communities. Sabrina Auler explains how these social responsibility initiatives offer a good deal for both manufacturers and communities.
Going full circle
A novel class of bio-based polymers has been developed by Life Biopol, an EUfunded project that aims to replace traditional retanning and fat-liquoring products in order to increase the safety of leather and shift to a more circular economy. The purpose of the project is to enhance the reuse and recyclability of different bio-derived waste and by-products from leather and the agro-industrial sector. This edited version of a white paper led by Lorenzo Taddei discusses the project’s findings and its efforts to produce eco-friendly and renewable biopolymers with high retanning and fat-liquoring characteristics.
View from the US
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact the US and, although the economy has seen an improvement since the spring, domestic consumer demand is still muted. Export markets in Asia kept hide sellers busy, however, as China saw a recovery in demand and other nations returned to purchasing by November. Producers remain well positioned and have continued to push prices higher over the autumn months.