Lower per-hide tanning cost with new retanning range, Smit & Zoon claims
Leather chemicals manufacturer Smit & Zoon has brought to market a new retanning range called Optitan.
The company said the new range will reduce per-hide tanning costs for leather manufacturers, lower their environmental impact and “optimise tanning results” by offering high levels of performance in tightness, softness, fullness, dyeing, heat yellowing, and lightfastness.
There are four newly developed products in the range. Smit & Zoon said they have a high level of active content and, therefore, work well with a reduced application dosage. It is this that leads to a reduction in the per-hide tanning cost and in environmental footprint.
Factors that have contributed to this increase in efficiency include better use of space in containers and loading of trucks, making transportation of the products easier. Tanners will need to keep lower levels of stock of these products, fewer bags to store and handle and less packaging and plastic waste.
In addition, the company said levels of chemical oxygen demand, salinity, conductivity, and free monomers in wastewater all reduce with Optitan, as do volumes of total dispensed solids. The range is suitable for use in the production of leather for automotive, shoe uppers, bags, garments, and upholstery.
