Different materials have different benefits, but labels can often be confusing. This straightforward guide, created by Leather Naturally, sets out some common labelling descriptions and explains how to interpret them in easy-to-understand terms.

"Because of their long-term vision, family businesses are often very caring. They want to have an impact, the feeling of leaving something positive behind, a legacy. "

People eat meat and, as a result, we have many by-products on our hands. We can use these by-products for various applications, such as tanning hides/skins for leather and rendering (recycling) other products not fit for human consumption. Yet, the utilisation of these animal by-products is decreasing, as more and more people buy into synthetic alternatives. However, the irony is, meat consumption is increasing. What does that mean? It leaves us with immense amounts of (organic) leftovers and if we look at our global consumption levels, simply disposing of them is not a sustainable option; however, this is the unfortunate truth.

Here are some lines of research and initiatives launched on this front. Written by Aurora Magni on Sustainability-Lab

Leather chemicals group Smit & Zoon is involved in a new partnership with Rotterdam-based Enviu, a specialist in developing circular business models, and bio-based products manufacturer SN Botanicals to use leaves from the sea buckthorn plant to make circular, metal-free leather, writes Leatherbiz.