Making Leather More Sustainable

Leather Tanneries are Greening Up

                             

Leather production is harmful to animals, workers, and the environment and needs to be abolished. The switch to reducing or abolishing leather is a process that does not happen immediately. Making leather production more sustainable in the meantime is one effective solution to reducing its negative effects. Simona Tanning is a leather manufacturing company in Huizhou, China that has converted their facilities to save water and energy. Some of their clients include Clarks, Keen, Nike, and Timberland.

  Simona Tanning has  is able to help the environment by not using as much fresh water and reduce chemicals that are emitted in the environment. The facility has reduced their fresh water consumption and water discharge by 40% by using a reverse osmosis filter system. They invested in clean energy by installing solar panels that are able to boil 100,000 liters of water, instead of using electricity. Fans were replaced by hydraulic cooling systems that save 35% of energy and 50% of water use. Simona Tanning is an example of the potential there is in reducing some of the harmful effects of leather production.

Companies using leather products should switch to facilities like Simona Tanning to make leather production more sustainable. Leather facilities should also make the conversion to green ways because it is better for the environment and will save them money. Simona Tanning’s solar panels will pay for themselves in 17 months and after that reduce their electricity indefinitely. Facilities will save copious money on water use and electricity by adopting greener ways. Next time you are shoe shopping investing in a pair of Clarks, Keen, Nike, and Timberland shoes will be contributing to sustainable leather.

http://www.treehugger.com/style/3-ways-leather-tanneries-are-greening-up-their-processes.html

http://www.simonatanning.com/about.html