Okinawa claims world first in Oeko-Tex class 1 certified leather
Okinawa, an Italian fashion accessories manufacturer, has branched into producing leather and has launched what it claims is the first leather in the world to achieve Oeko-Tex 100 class 1 certification.
The leather is part of the company’s “green materials” division, which also includes a patented material based on cellulose fibres and a microfibre.
The leather, Hydroki, is vegetable tanned wet white, “metal free” and finished with what it describes as non-toxic substances. Oeko-Tex 100 class 1 is the certification company’s most stringent environmental standard.
“Hydroki leather has really surprising characteristics: it resists domestic washing at 40 degrees Celsius and dry cleaning,” said a representative from Okinawa. She also said none of the leather’s mechanical properties have diminished with the “eco” processing.
“Okinawa has created a family of eco-friendly products, becoming a point of reference that offers creative and innovative, ethical and functional solutions, able to meet the needs of more aware and more responsible customers,” she added.
The company partners with three local tanneries near its base in Montagnana, as well as dye houses, to produce the leather.
