Location: Fiermailano Rho. Date: October 2nd to the 4th. Objective: to tell the identity of “the leather material”. Its circularity. The event during which all of this will be possible will be the 97th edition of Lineapelle, during which, for the first time, there will be a space entirely dedicated to this goal (Pavillion 14). The name: The Leather (re)cycling Exhibition.
The objective
The project consists in a straight line that continues after the seminar that took place at Lineapelle this past February: The Circularity of Italian Leather – 360° sustainability, organized by UNIC – Italian Tanners. While the event proved to be a fantastic platform for telling (all around) great experiences of the sector and start a debate on the topic, now the bar has gotten higher. “The area – explains Lineapelle -, is dedicated to the tanning segment’s circular economy, which takes the waste of the meat industry and makes one of the finest materials, used to make fashion accessories. It will host and explain the processes that are part of the segment’s circularity. In fact, starting from potential waste byproducts (shawings, trims, fleshing, sludge), tanners make food jelly, collagen for cosmetics and integrators, bio-stimulants/fertilizer for the agriculture segment, material to pave roads, pet toys and much more”.
The circular challenge
At Lineapelle, visitors will be able to get to know which ones are Italy’s tanneries that are most active in the recuperation of otherwise wasted material”. As highlighted by UNIC, “what makes Italian tanning an incredible example of circular economy isn’t simply just the way in which it takes the wasted material of the meat industry and turns it into a beautiful instrument. It is also about the way in which it manages its waste. 76% of these (the percentage can actually increase to 84% if we consider all production waste) is getting recycled and re-used, to make materials for other processes, fertilizers with much agricultural value, proteins and/or collagen for food production”. Lineapelle 97’s choice to start this initiative is designed as a “cultural challenge, to show the sustainable efforts of Italian companies active in the industry”.
