Scheduled for June 14-16, the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg is a key event for aircraft interior design. Leather is playing an increasingly important role when fitting out cabin interiors, passenger seating and not only in first and business class.

Air France A220-300 cabin

Tanneries of note exhibiting in Hamburg were Gruppo Dani and Gruppo Mastrotto from Italy, Couro Azul from Portugal and the Scottish Leather Group tannery Muirhead, that recently launched its latest, lightweight leather for aviation called LightCore.

The weight of the leather is vital as well as its flexibility, sustainability, flame resistance and above all durability. Making leather in large volumes capable of fitting out a fleet of jets such as the Aur France Airbus 220 S fleet, is a major undertaking and the tanneries that make the leather must be able to produce it in consistent quality and necessary quantities.

Seating and cabin interiors are major investments and the durability of the material used must provide value for money for the carrier and leather fits the bill better due to its intrinsic qualities. As with end-of-life leather seating in trains, leather from aircraft interiors can be upcycled into useful items when the airplane goes in for an interior refit.