An opportunity to address Italy’s youngest TV audience. To tell them about the circular excellence of Italian tanning. And of the Leather Manifesto presented during COP26: “Guys, choose natural materials, and be wary of synthetics”. Dani Group managers spoke on the morning of January 5th during Ci vuole un fiore – Italia Green, on RAI2, a format to tell the story of ecological transition and sustainability through a journey through Italian excellence.
Unveiling tanning to young people
“Leather is an art. It is an Italian supremacy that is reflected in the finished product: shoes, bags, furniture, cars – are the words of Giancarlo Dani (in the photo, left) -. Leather is a heritage that must be preserved and perceived for what it is, a circular product”. As we were saying, the Rai 2 format was an opportunity to talk about tanning made in Italy. Valerio Mazzasette, general manager of the Veneto-based group, explained that leather “is the pride and joy of Italian industry”. Speaking of Dani, he adds: “We are located in the Chiampo Valley district, we have 1,200 employees in four plants, one of which is in Tuscany. We have been committed to sustainability for over 10 years: our watchword is let’s do it, aiming for results with a transparent method”.
Sustainable meaning…
In what sense is Italian leather sustainable and circular? Paolo Valdegamberi, technical manager of the Dani Group’s research and development area, explained it to the Rai 2 audience. “We are a full-cycle tannery, and part of a supply chain. This allows us to have absolute control of our product, from the raw material to the final processing: we take care of every single step, which we can certify and customise”. It is not only the passage through the drum that is important, but also everything that comes before and after: “We manage to produce the same amount of leather as a few years ago using 20% less water,” continues Valdegamberi. “We purify 100% of our waste, we use environmentally friendly tanning agents, we calculate our environmental impact and we compensate for it with reforestation or social projects”.
“Choose natural materials”
With this in mind, Giancarlo Dani can return to the stage set by COP26 for the Leather Manifesto and the debate on sustainable materials. “It was an opportunity to ask the United Nations to defend the tannery and discourage the use of synthetic materials. There is no second planet, we have to protect our own”. The entrepreneur concludes with an exhortation: “Guys, be wary of anyone who wants to sell you a synthetic shoe or a dress that wants to look like leather. Let’s defend natural products: there are no islands of leather in the oceans, but there are islands of plastic”.
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