itp:ne | More sustainable chemistry along the leather supply chain
Enable transformation to more sustainable leather chemistry
No leather is created without chemicals. Some of the chemicals used are very problematic. Managing the associated risks is difficult given the mostly global leather supply chains and flows of goods. The approach of an interdisciplinary team at itp:ne with practitioners in the project “More sustainable chemistry along the leather supply chains” shows how the transformation to more sustainable leather chemistry can succeed under these demanding conditions.
Innovative solution approaches developed from a systemic understanding
The scenario technique created a common, systemic understanding of the challenges of more sustainable leather chemistry. Building on this, the transdisciplinary team designed a common goal and implementation strategies for leather chemistry until 2035.
In four sub-projects, transdisciplinary teams worked on the basis of the Transment- Approach innovative solutions: traceability of chemicals in products, chemical and process innovations, guidelines for product design and harmonization of standards.
The results of a survey by the citizen panel were incorporated into the project work.
The introductory pages for the leather project can be found here.
A project report will follow shortly.
Subproject 1: Harmonization of standards
The leather industry uses standards for environmental and consumer protection as evidence of the quality of the products. However, the requirements contained therein, such as limit values for chemicals, can be very different. In practice, companies have to meet several standards at the same time, which requires considerable resources. A sub-project therefore dealt with a central lever, the harmonization of standards for more sustainable leather chemistry. However, the project group was initially unable to agree on a specific harmonization goal. At the end of the project, the process picks up speed again: A “Leadership for More Sustainable Leather Chemistry” is being developed, which will serve as a guide for the further development of standards, but also of corporate strategies and industry initiatives.
Subproject 2: Traceability of chemicals in products
Only if companies have knowledge of the chemicals contained in their products can they proactively meet the dynamically evolving requirements of material compliance. In order to work towards such traceability of chemicals, the project developed key points for an industry-wide governance framework. The aim is to establish trust between the actors and to keep the reporting effort as low as possible.
In addition, the itp:ne team tested an IT tool with Ricosta and Deichmann into which the suppliers enter information about the materials contained in the shoe components - down to the individual substance.
Subproject 3: Chemical and process innovations
In order to be able to produce more sustainable products, it is usually also necessary to improve the production of chemicals and chemical products. Technical, economic and organizational aspects must be taken into account.
Methodological approach and results
A transdisciplinary team organized international workshops in the supply chain in which focus topics were identified for necessary detailed investigations. These focus topics were then further investigated at the h_da, partially published and made available to the actors in the supply chain as feasibility studies.
- Demonstration and characterization of a selected industrial milli/micro reactor with regard to mixing performance, heat transfer, flow control
- Production of platform chemicals from renewable raw materials in continuous processes
- Systematic evaluation procedures of manufacturing processes in the sense of a simplified LCA
Through the studies, actors were made aware of the background and options for action in detail and some of them initiated their own specific work there.
Subproject 4: Guidelines for product design
Product design requirements proved to be a central driver in the target scenario. Therefore, a handbook for the design of “sustainable leather” was created with stakeholders from industry, science and NGOs - with a particular focus on the role of chemicals along the life cycle. It not only illuminates relevant design aspects. Rather, it offers support for product development, from customer needs analysis to careful material selection to presentation at the point of sale.
©HELLER-LEDER GmbH & Co. KG
»The project for more sustainable chemistry helped us to examine the complex topic of supply chain communication systematically and in a differentiated way: an essential prerequisite for solution-oriented work and action.«
– Ekkehard Werner, Heller leather
PROJECT DATA
Participating in the process included Consulting Service International Ltd., Deichmann SE, FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH, GIZ GmbH, HELLER-LEDER GmbH & Co. KG, iPoint-systems GmbH, LLOYD Shoes GmbH, Öko-Institut e.V., Testing and Research Institute Pirmasens e.V., Ricosta Schuhfabriken GmbH, Royal Smit & Zoon, Stahl Chemicals Germany GmbH, Sustainable Leather Foundation, Südwind e.V., Association of the German Leather Industry (VDL), ZDHC
Final Conference - More Sustainable Chemistry in the Leather Supply Chains
11/16/2022, online
with 56 participants from the global leather supply chains from industry, research, NGOs and education.
Presentations & Videos of the conference