Six months after its launch, over 50 tanneries have embraced Zeology

In only six months, more than 50 tanneries all over the world have discovered and embraced the benefits of Zeology as the sustainable alternative for leather tanning. Users see the success of this solution in several aspects: it gives them better quality leather, it causes less waste, and the biodegradability is unsurpassed.

We at Nera, the company where Zeology is developed, and our parent company Smit & Zoon are very pleased with these results. After launching this breakthrough product in October last year, Zeology has rapidly conquered the world of tanning. The adoption varies between initial trials up to running full production. Zeology leather is already produced in Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas.

With this broad group of tanneries and brands, Zeology tanned leather is now used as the basis for shoes, bags, automotive and several other leather articles. The most requested article is white (sport shoe) leather, as Zeology allows the tanneries to avoid the greenish or yellowish tone that traditional tanning yields and produce actual white leather instead.

Fast adoption thank to commercial and environmental benefits

Knowing that Zeology has been a R&D project for years, it is extra rewarding to see the product adopted so fast and so broadly. The industry is clearly seeing the commercial and environmental opportunities that Zeology is bringing them. One aspect that we keep hearing from users is around the fact that Zeology tanning yields very tight leather. Through this tightness, less of the hide is cut off as unusable material, reducing the amount of waste while more of the hide can be used for the final leather article.

Since the official launch in October 2020, we have discussed the opportunities of Zeology with dozens of brands. Next to the general sustainability aspects, our conversations have touched upon Zeology’s bright colors, its white leather, and its ability to make leather biodegradable.

Properly made and sourced leather is a truly sustainable material. Hides and skins are mostly a by-product that is dependent on the meat and dairy industry. Transformation into leather is the best use for those hides. Tanning this leather with Zeology only makes it more sustainable. Zeology adds to the efforts the industry is taking to create a product that is both natural and long lasting – leather is unique in its ability to combine beauty, comfort, and practicality.

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