The Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community (Cotance) have launched SYMBIOS, a new Erasmus+ project designed to foster industrial symbiosis between Europe’s leather and agrifood industries. By ILM.

The two-year initiative was launched in the Portuguese city of Porto and aims to strengthen the circular economy by developing a replicable model of cross-sector collaboration.

The project will explore how the two sectors, both vital to the European market, can better exchange resources, reduce waste and increase sustainability. This includes in-depth research into regulatory frameworks, existing practices and emerging opportunities for future synergy.

One of SYMBIOS’s main deliverables will be a digital platform to support companies in adopting circular practices. The platform will provide training, professional development resources and networking opportunities to connect businesses and encourage collaboration through symbiotic initiatives.

Cotance, in partnership with Italian consultancy Spin360, will lead the activities related to the leather sector. This will include two focus groups to gather perspectives from across the leather supply, as well as coordinating surveys, interviews and a literature review to ensure that the project delivers practical, actionable insights.

Beyond research and knowledge-sharing, Cotance hopes to raise the visibility of SYMBIOS across Europe and ensure its findings feed into EU policy discussions on sustainability.

“SYMBIOS comes at a critical time for the leather industry,” said Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, Secretary-General of Cotance. “Industrial symbiosis has the potential to turn sustainability into a shared opportunity, where agrifood and leather move forward together. This project will help us build practical solutions, create connections, and ensure our industry remains a leader in Europe’s green and circular economy.”