Leather chemicals companies need a new certification body, expert says
26/01/2016
Speaking at the recent Lanxess seminar on restricted substance management in Cologne, Dr Schröder went on to say that together, according to his calculations, these 20 German companies have a share of more than 50% of the entire global leather chemicals market.
He added that Tegewa’s position on restricted substance management is that it would like leather chemicals manufacturers to have “positive lists” to work from when preparing products for tanners who need to comply with increasingly complicated restricted substance lists. He said Tegewa wants its members not to have to take part in “excessive testing”, but for their to be enough control to stop manufacturers from “free-riding” as well.
Something that would help, he added, would be an independent, third-party certification body in the leather supply chain to give tanners and finished product manufacturers and brands reassurance that verified products are compliant. “The leather industry should establish such a certification body,” Dr Schröder commented, “to act as a competent partner to leather chemicals manufacturers. It’s something that’s required, but we have not been able to find such a partner. We hope one of the institutes that work in the industry will have it on their radar, but a very high level of leather chemicals expertise is required and they would all need to improve on that.”
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