The leather industry has been notorious for usage of harmful chemicals and effluent discharge. But things have been changing, though not everyone might agree with the pace or depth of change. Do you think the leather industry still suffers from a credibility crisis?
You are right that things are changing for the better with tight certification programmes like the Leather Working Group (LWG) for tanneries and the ZDHC for chemical companies in place to ensure that leather is produced with respect for the environment including the safe use of chemicals. The ZDHC programme especially is ensuring that chemicals are tightly controlled ensuring less and cleaner waste streams. I think, the credibility crisis is largely overcome with more and more brands realising that leather is produced under highly controlled conditions.
The anti-leather campaign around the world has been incessant and unrelenting. So, if the leather industry has indeed improved over the years, then why is it that leather still has an image management problem?
For years, the leather industry has not realised the importance of education and promotion of leather and as a result did not invest in its image. This led to the situation that anti-leather campaigning groups flooded society with largely factually incorrect information and allowed people to believe that leather is a problematic material. These anti-leather groups have been successful in making approximately 50% of young consumers believe that cows are specifically raised to make leather, which is total nonsense of course. For a circular society, it is important that consumers will be able to make responsible decisions based on true facts. And the true fact is that when you eat yoghurt or milk during your breakfast or when you eat a burger, the by-product created is the hide. I believe we have an ethical duty to consume all the by-products, and the leather industry is supporting this by upcycling this by-product into a long-lasting material called leather.
Suppose I were a (potential) buyer of a leather product, what would you say to convince me that I ought to buy that product?
Leather is a wonderful natural material that is long-lasting, brings comfort (leather breathes), it develops its own patina that makes it even look nicer over time, and it has a pleasant touch. My own leather bag that I carry to work tells a story over the years and I carry it with pride knowing that I am doing good with a material that is made from a by-product that can be repaired and simply becomes just part of me. It also makes me feel good that I know that the main brands are using leather that is coming from the Leather Working Group audited leather manufacturers who are using responsible ZDHC controlled chemistry. With a society that needs to consume less and buy better materials, leather is the perfect material that at the end of life is biodegradable. Just look at for example the new bag line ‘Return to Nature’ of Anya Hindmarch for inspiration on how leather is able to support a circular society.
And suppose I were a potential investor. What would you say to make me believe that the leather industry indeed has a future? How do you see the leather industry growing in a post-COVID world? Can you share numbers?
I think this is simple, taking in mind that leather is made from the by-product from the food industry. As long as people eat meat, there will be hides available to manufacture leather and we have an ethical duty to consume all by-products. Still the global meat consumption is growing with approximately 1% per year. But more importantly, as an investor you could support speeding the creation of a circular society where all by-products and waste streams are used and upgraded where possible. COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine conflict are teaching us that we need to be more thoughtful about a sustainable society and limit the dependability on fossil fuels. It is good to realise that leather is a perfect natural alternative for many fossil fuel based materials (PU, PVC and plastics) and it has the advantage of being biodegradable. Do you need more arguments?
For the uninitiated, please tell us briefly about Royal Smit & Zoon, especially the backdrop in which it was launched, and the underlying values with which it was started?
Royal Smit & Zoon is a seventh-generation family business founded in 1821. It started with trading stockfish and emerged into an international company that is currently 100% focusing on developing, producing and marketing sustainable chemical solutions for the leather industry.
Family values, beliefs and ambitions represent the driving forces behind a culture of sustainability. The drivers of a family business like Royal Smit & Zoon are a long-term commitment, a minimum of hierarchy and the speed of implementation. Royal Smit & Zoon is flexibly seizing the opportunities of the changes taking place worldwide, meanwhile creating strong and sustainable value for their stakeholders and for society.
In my current role as Global Director ESG, I am working towards creating a socially and environmentally sustainable leather value chain. This includes developing innovative chemistry, a strong commitment to the ZDHC programme, improving the safe handling of chemicals in the leather value chain and by stimulating collaborations with international industry groups like the Leather Working Group, ZDHC, Leather Impact Accelerator, Sustainable Leather Foundation and Leather Naturally.
