Dutch project will set up ‘sustainable’ tannery in Mongolia
19/06/2014
It launched the idea at a conference in Utrecht on June 19, in which representatives of the entire leather value chain, from raw material to finished products, took part. Among the speakers were Herman Hulshof, former chief executive of tanning group Hulshof Royal Dutch Tanneries and representatives of two leather chemicals manufacturers, Stahl and Smit & Zoon.
As a result of the conference, part of a series MVO Nederland runs called Grensverleggers (Groundbreakers), the Dutch leather sector will now help in the setting up of a sustainable tannery in Mongolia and production facilities for footwear, leathergoods and apparel. The sustainable tannery will use new technologies and products that cause as little harm as possible to the environment, while offering workers fair employment conditions.
The partnership will also aim to encourage other tanneries in Mongolia to follow this sustainable example, with Dutch companies providing advice, education and technical support. Later, the project will also try to help sell the Mongolian products in the Netherlands. Tanneries will become certified and carry a Mongolian sustainability label. That label will make future consumers aware that the leather shoes, bags or jackets have been made by the most sustainable route possible in Mongolia.
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