Lineapelle New York, which was planned for January 2021, had to be cancelled due to the ongoing global health emergency and it will be rescheduled later in the year.

Starting on January 20th until March 16th, we held a series of LIVE webinars under the name “SUSTAINABILITY TALKS”  to address a range of issues related to leather and sustainability: transparency, traceability, circularity, safety, social accountability and certifications.

The topics could not have been more relevant as we have entered a new era where sustainability will be impossible to separate from responsibility of companies and individuals in the future.

Through these informative webinars we aimed at providing the tools for a real understanding and appreciation of leather, which is a natural and renewable material and an authentic example of circular economy.

The videos of the entire series of “Sustainability Talks” can be viewed below. Do not miss this unique opportunity to find out more on leather and sustainability.

We wish to thank Sustainable Talks with N&N for their precious support in moderating the webinars.

The Sustainability Report of Italian Tanning Industry 2020. A new approach to sustainability commitment

Speakers:  Fabiana Orlandi (UNIC - Italian Tanneries) - Maurizia Contu (UNIC - Italian Tanneries)

The 2020 edition of the Sustainability Report of the Italian Tanning Industry takes up the approach of the previous one, built "around" the sustainable development goals of the UN 2030 Agenda and it updates it on the wavelength of the European Green Deal, which aims to decarbonize the EU area by 2050. This new approach shows the strong commitment of Italian tanneries to sustainability, that dates back to long time ago and have already reached important results in the minimization of environmental impacts and in the contribution to a virtuous model of sustainable development.

Special guest: prof. Fabio Iraldo, Full Professor of “Management on Innovation, Sustainability and Healthcare” at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa.

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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Leather, a unique material: terminology and transparency for consumers

Speakers:  Alessandra Siena (Lineapelle Training) - Maurizia Contu (UNIC - Italian Tanneries)

Communicating transparently means giving the consumer the possibility to know the real qualities of the products on sale and lead them to make informed purchasing choices. That is the reason why correct terminology and descriptions of articles and materials are an issue of fundamental importance and constitute base for a level playing field.

The properties of leather, which make it a unique material, will be described and the current regulation on the use of the correct terminology for leather products will be presented.

Special guest: Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, Secretary General COTANCE (European Confederation of Tanners)

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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Circular economy and the Green New Deal

Speakers: Fabiana Orlandi (UNIC - Italian Tanneries) - Francesco Pepe (UNIC - Italian Tanneries)

The starting point of the tanning process is a by product of the food industry. Furthermore, thanks to the symbiosis created in the tanning clusters, the Italian tanning industry has developed an economic system that can transform and value scraps and waste into new materials and products. An example of excellence that contributes to circular economy goals.

Special guest: Franco Cavazza, Technical Director at ILSA, chemical company and provider of agricultural inputs

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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Chemicals management and safety of products

Speakers: Elisabetta Scaglia (UNIC - Italian Tanneries) - Fabiana Orlandi (UNIC - Italian Tanneries)

Chemical substances have increasingly been a subject of concern and attention from fashion, both for manufactured and imported articles. A proper chemical management system is the key to properly know, understand, and manage the potential hazards and risks associated with chemicals used in the tannery.

Special guest: Maurizio Masi, full professor in Applied Physical Chemistry at the Department of Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta” of Politecnico di Milano

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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Sustainable management of raw material: Traceability, animal welfare and key ethical issues

Speakers: Maurizia Contu (UNIC - Italian Tanneries) - Sabrina Frontini (ICEC - Institute of Quality Certification for the Leather Sector)

Having a high level of control over the upstream supply chain is increasingly a strategic issue for tanneries. Traceability has become the key instrument to guarantee a sustainable management of raw materials, in terms of animal welfare, respect and responsible sourcing. To achieve this, a lot of initiatives are underway.

On deforestation, the DCFL project was pioneered by ICEC (Certification Institute for the leather sector) and NWF (National Wildlife Federation), and Italian tanneries have already been certified.

Special guest: Rafael Andrade, Corporate Engagement Specialist at National Wildlife Federation – NWF (US NGO)

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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The sustainability of exotic leathers

Speakers:  Christy Plott (Sustainability Consultant at Louisiana Department of Wildlife) - Daniel Natusch (Chair, IUCN SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group and Macquarie University, Australia) - Mathias Loertscher (CITES delegate for Switzerland and Chair of the CITES Animals Committee) - Cathelijne Klomp (LVMH) - Matthew Kilgarriff (Richemont's CSR Director)

The production of exotic leathers is mainly made of reptile skins (snakes, crocodiles, lizards), which represent a consolidated niche of the tanning industry, with some very specific and particular dynamics. The perception of the sustainability of the exotic leathers' supply chain is unfortunately often flawed by biased, incomplete, simplistic, downright misinformation not supported by scientific evidence.

The webinar aims to illustrate the reality of this particular supply chain, thanks to the contribution of technical, scientific and legislative experts in the segment.

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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Certifications: how to provide reliable guarantees on sustainability

Sabrina Frontini (ICEC - Institute of Quality Certification for the Leather Sector)

The main processes of certification in the leather sector. Environmental, ethic-social, economic and product certifications. 

Sustainability certified according to international and ICEC standard.

Moderators: Sustainable Talks with N&N

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