“A sector that gave birth to Made in Italy and is its symbol “. It is the tanning industry and written by Il Sole 24 Ore, in a piece that gives voice to Italian leather in its role of excellence in the context of the fashion and luxury supply chain. “Italy is the leading producer of leathers in Europe (with a 65% share), the first exporter in the world and above all it is the first in the world for the production and export of leathers for the luxury industry”. A leadership that has precise and strategic green connotations, writes La Conceria.

Symbol of Made in Italy

“For 18 years – UNIC explains to Il Sole – we have been publishing our sustainability report and we are continuing to improve our performance in the use of resources, recycling and emissions. No industry has the same levels of certification as Italian tanning, which was born as a circular supply chain since we process waste from the food industry “. A green symbol, therefore, considering that “through agreements with NGOs – continues UNIC -, the skins we work come only from farms not linked to deforestation. The consumer has the right to choose a vegan material, but ” leather ” can only be defined as animal skin, as established by decree 68/2020. Moreover, a study by Coatings pointed out that often the so-called alternative materials contain a high quantity of plastic “.

Green examples

With regard to the green commitment of the Italian tannery, Il Sole 24 Ore underlines how ” 75% of its processing waste is regenerated”. A sustainable mission that has undergone a profound acceleration during the pandemic. A period, confirms UNIC, in which “our entrepreneurs have dedicated themselves even more to research, to which they now devote an average of 4% of their turnover, with peaks of 10% “.

Respect for one’s own history

Finally, there is an aspect of the responsible approach of the Italian tannery which concerns its deepest past and which, for Il Sole, represents much more than a point of honor. If anything, a fundamental trait from a cultural point of view and respect for one’s own history. “In Pompeii – writes Il Sole – the tannery was the largest artisan plant in the city, with dozens of tanks. In fact, already in ancient times, the production of leather was a widespread and profitable activity, as evidenced by the wealth of the adjacent triclinium which belonged to the owner of the site “. A site that “will soon reopen to the public also thanks to funding from UNIC”.