Beet pulp can help Smit & Zoon make more sustainable leather chemicals
09/12/2019
Working with a specialist food and bio-based research centre based at Wageningen University, and with Cosun, a processor of beet pulp, Smit & Zoon has found that pectins from sugar beet pulp are suitable as bio-based ingredients in the production of leather.
These pectins serve as substitutes for non-biodegradable polymers in chemicals for the wet-end production process. They can also influence the characteristics of finished leather, for example its colour intensity, the company said.
On announcing the success of the project, Smit & Zoon said: “Our goal is to be one of the leading companies [moving] towards a more sustainable supply chain in leather. We believe that on that road, even a drop makes a difference.”
This exercise was part of broader research Smit & Zoon is conducting into replacing petroleum-based ingredients with bio-based alternatives, helping to make the leather chemical sector more sustainable, reducing CO2 emissions from production and reducing non-degradable and toxic substances.
Share this story:
