French industry wants to increase grade-A hides by 400%
16/04/2012
Launching the document at a press conference in mid-April, the organisation’s president, Paul Batigne, said: “To make sure our leathergoods industry continues to grow, we must make sure we have a supply of quality raw materials.”
President of the French tanners’ federation, Jean-Christophe Muller from Alsace-based tanning company Tanneries Haas, said the Conseil National du Cuir had set up a pilot project with research and testing organisation CTC on four farms, aimed at improving hide quality. The idea was to put in place a programme of animal health, including vaccinations, to prevent cattle’s skin from becoming damaged by insects, he said, as well as raising awareness among farmers of the need to protect animals from injury during transportation.
Another aspect of this is that a traceability system will allow the leather industry to identify abattoirs and farms from which damaged hides are reaching tanneries to be able to send out information on hide quality in a targetted manner. The Conseil National du Cuir and CTC have said they believe they can increase the proportion of grade-A hides by 400%.
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