Leather is a material based on animal skin. The hide consists of protein and is perishable and must be preserved with tanning agents. The tanning process consists of many individual steps, all of which have a quality-determining effect on the properties of the finished leather. The main processes of different tanning processes and their influence on leather properties, as well as their environmental impact are presented. The specific characteristic of leather requires special confectioning which is completely different from any textile material.
Chrome tanning is the dominant type of tanning, due to its simple, fast, and inexpensive execution and good product properties. Chrome tanning has fallen into disrepute for various reasons, including occasional levels of CrVI, and due to this, alternative tanning processes are on the rise. The risks of CrVI formation and possible solutions are presented. A comparison with other tanning processes is presented as well as a comparison with non-leather substitute materials and their environmental impact. New, technically useful tanning processes.
Tanning of leather is a chemically complex process that requires the use of many chemicals. Many chemicals that were used in the past and had technically good properties may no longer be used today. Leather production is considered problematic in terms of water consumption and wastewater but also due to the origin of the hides as a by-product of meat production. The disposal or recycling of leather waste and leather products can be problematic. “Vegan Leather”, definition and differences to “Genuine Leather”. The controverse discussion about the Higg - Index and other problems and possible solutions will be discussed.
How sustainable can the leather and footwear industry be? Are leather shoes more sustainable than shoes made of synthetic materials? Can leather products be recycled? Is the carbon footprint of leather products more favourable than non-leather items? What is the ideal sustainable shoe? How does the design of a sustainable shoe look like? What is a vegan shoe? What does the consumer expect from a shoe? How transparent is the supply chain for leather items?
Creative and technical shoe design. Last construction and manufacturing. Shoe sizing systems. Different shoe Principles of pairwise shoe production. Material selection and supply chain. Requirements for modern shoe factories. Machinery for shoe making. Shoe making processes.
Packing shoes. Marking and labeling of shoes. Legal requirements. Ergonomy and Toxicology. Safety at work. Environmental impact of shoe making. Recycling of shoes and circular economy.
