VEGETABLE TANNING
Vegetable tanned leather or mineral tanned leather?
It is sometimes a little difficult to sort things out and understand what is hidden behind these too often minimized words.
We will help you see things more clearly.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER AND CHROME TANNED LEATHER
First of all, what is tanning: it is a process used to transform animal skins into supple and durable leather. It allows them to resist water and not deteriorate.
Most leathers today that you can buy commercially or from major leather goods brands are mineral-tanned leathers. Today they represent more than 85% of skins in the world. This type of tanning was born during the industrial revolution, when tanners discovered that minerals such as chrome, aluminum, zirconium and titanium could be used as a tanning process and leather fixer in a quick and easy way ( 24 hours (30 days with vegetable tanning) and inexpensive.
However ; this process has a huge impact on the environment , particularly linked to the fact that these same tanneries do not respect the ethical and environmental standards now imposed in Europe. This results in water and air pollution and serious nuisances for humans ranging from simple allergies to serious infections which can lead to cancer for workers, not to mention the problem of ethics.
VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER
Vegetable tanned leather was used before the industrial revolution, it is an ancestral technique.
The leather produced by this natural tanning process is used to make leather goods and is originally derived from the hides of animals raised and slaughtered for food. The tannins used during the traditional process have a much lower impact on the environment .
The skin is thus tanned with the help of plants, such as bark, leaves, seeds, roots or even plant sap.
Our IKO & NOTT sneakers are made from naturally tanned, eco-friendly genuine leather.
The vegetable tanning process allows us to:
- Minimize the impact on the environment because tannin comes from nature itself,
- To propose a healthier process for the worker because no chemicals are used,
- Allows you to recycle leather,
- It has natural tints that allow you to achieve deeper, more nuanced shades. It is unique for each skin, often two different pairs may have shades of tone!
To summarize, vegetable tanned leather should be adopted without hesitation for the health of the manufacturer, for your health or for the environment, as well as for its qualities as a durable material.
We hope that with this article you will have better understood the difference and the importance of choosing the right leather.
Source: National Leather Council.