Lanxess to host MRSL symposium in January
06/11/2015
The event will take place on January 21 and 22, hosted by Lanxess in Cologne or Leverkusen. Working with CADS, a joint body that footwear brands have set up with the German Shoe Institute (DSI), the symposium will offer presentations and in-depth discussions on how companies can ensure ZDHC compliance and on how to carry out sustainable preservation of hides at various stages of the tanning process.
Lanxess has described the forthcoming leather MRSL as “a change in philosophy” because, with this, the focus will be on chemicals and other additives tanners bring in from their suppliers rather than on the leather they produce. It means these suppliers will come under pressure to provide detailed information on the chemicals they use to make their products and to offer guarantees that all these ingredients comply with RSLs.
On the question of the preservation of hides, especially at the wet blue or wet white stage, Lanxess has said the primary focus on textiles that many ZDHC players have has thrown up a particular challenge to the leather industry. Risk-assessed fungicides that the company says are ideal for use in the leather industry have “unwittingly been allocated application limits” and cannot be used. Dialogue such as the one it proposes to launch at the symposium will be a key factor in making sure other approved solutions companies such as Lanxess have developed for the leather industry can steer clear of RSLs in the future.
In conclusion, it says: “Lanxess strongly supports this initiative [for the] exclusive use of sustainable chemicals in leather production.”
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