︎

 


KIND LEATHER 



“Kind Leather will revolutionise the industry, changing the way leather is produced in the world and building a closer relationship with consumers” - Roberto Motta CEO of JBS
What is it? 
 JBS Couros launched this new project Kind Leather at Hong Kong’s APLF stage in 2019 and is a result of years of research and effort to develop authentically sustainable leather. By merging concepts such as sustainability, clean production and traceability JBS has built a new production concept that aims to promote a more transparent value chain, from farm-to-end- product.  With the 3 main goals: Responsible sourcing, Traceability and Eco efficiency Kind Leather, wants to revolutionize the leather industry and achieve environmental, social and economic welfare benefits.

Who makes it? 
JBS Couros is the company behind Kind Leather and is based in Brazil and is the world’s largest leather processing company with 21 manufacturing units and 5 distribution centers on 4 continents. JBS operates production platforms and commercial offices in over 20 countries and has a diverse product portfolio that includes dozens of instantly recognizable global brands.
The 3 goals 
 According to their website their 3 main goals are Responsible sourcing, Traceability and Eco efficiency.

Responsible sourcing is obtained with their own traceability system that has the purpose of monitoring and analyzing the more than 80 thousand cattle suppliers they work with, to ensure that they do not comply with deforestation or invasion of conservation areas as well as child labour and In addition to that they also have a robust animal welfare policy that adhere to the five freedoms, freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injusy and disease, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress.

The traceability of the Kind Leather process is underlined by its thorough end-to-end monitoring program, which gathers data throughout the leather production chain, from the farm-to-end- product.The system focuses on product sourcing and safety in all processes and it can trace the leathers back to the farms from which they were sourced. It offers a complete tracking record including technical specifications to support product integrity and traceability.

To reach Eco Efficiency Kind Leather introduces a new efficient use of resources and raw material by only using the most suitable parts of the hide for leather production ultimately ensuring only high-end products.  In addition to that they reduce waste of the remains by transforming it to other inputs for other sectors and by assessing and selecting the areas to process before the tanning stage the use of water, chemicals and energy is reduced with several environmental, social, and economic benefits.


Photo courtesy: kindleather.com


Environmental impact
Kind Leather’s production makes it one of the most sustainable projects in the industry. According to their website, wet-blue shipping CO2 emissions are reduced up to 65 percent, 46 percent less water is used and 42 percent fewer chemical products in its tanning processes. Additionally, nearly 30 percent fewer chemical products are used during the finishing stage.  And the entire process reduces trimming waste by 51 percent, and energy consumption by 20 percent compared with traditional methods.

There’s no question that consumers are asking more questions about the entire production cycle of the products they buy.
Kind Leather processing produces a quality product that is more sustainable, which is an increasingly important requirement across major consumer industries and for society as a whole.


Photo courtesy: furnituretoday.com