Eco-Technology for Leather Production - A Reference Guide

 No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the Hong Kong Hide & Leather Traders’ Association Limited.

THE HONG KONG HIDE & LEATHER TRADERS' ASSN., LTD.
Unit B, 3/F., Capital Commercial Building,
446-448 Shanghai Street, Kowloon
Telephone : (852) 2388 7644
Fax ：(852) 2783 0804
Email : info@leatherassn.com
Website : www.leatherassn.com

First published 2005
Printed in Hong Kong. All rights reserved.

Implemented by



Funded by

Innovation and Technology Fund of HKSAR Government


Acknowledgements

This reference guide would not have been possible without the valuable contributions of the following individuals and organizations in the respective areas.

The Hong Kong Hide and Leather Traders' Association wishes to record its deep appreciation to all of them.

Information and Advice

Mr. Tommy Fong and Ms. Wendy Lai of Hong Kong Footwear Association Limited
Mr. William Tsang of HK Leather Shoe and Shoe Material Merchants Association Ltd.
Mr. Tang Yau Choi of China Leather Industry Association
Mr. Henry Chow of The Association of HK Gloves Traders Ltd.
Mr. Derek Lee of Fongstar Handbag Co., Ltd.
Mr. Lawrence Wong of Leather & Trading Co., Ltd.
Mr. Spencer Yeung, Mr. Alex Kwong and Ms. Ann Lam of SGS Hong Kong Ltd.
Dr. Samuel Wong of Bureau Veritas, Consumer Products Services (HK) Ltd.
Mr. Walter Lui and Mr. Ricky Yan of TFL Hong Kong Ltd.
Gap Inc.
Kingston Tannery
Sun Holy Manufactory Ltd.
Girraween Ltd.
Wah Kiu Leather Co., Ltd.
Cheong Fat Leather Co., Ltd.
Dr. Boehme Chemical Co. (Germany)
Codyeco spa (Italy)


Financial Support

Innovation and Technology Commission, HKSAR Government


Project Team

Mr. Wong King Hang
Hong Kong Productivity Council


Kong Kin Fai - Chairman, The Hong Kong Hide and Leather Traders' Association Limited


CONTENTS

Introduction Introduction

Section 1 Introduction to Leather Production Process
  1. Beamhouse Process
  2. Tanning Process
  3. Finishing Process
  4. Consumptions of Water and Chemicals of a Tannery
Section 2 Sources of Waste
  1. Salted Stocks
  2. Soaking
  3. Unhairing and Liming
  4. Fleshing and Splitting
  5. Pelt Deliming and Bating
  6. Pickling and Chrome Tanning
  7. Sammying and Shaving
  8. Neutralisation, Re-tanning, Dyeing and Fat Liquoring for Chrome Tanned "Wet-Blue"
  9. Vegetable Tanning Process
  10. Summary of Pollution Loads Discharged in Efluents from Individual Processing Operations
Section 3 Government Regulations and Commercial Production Requirements on Discharge Level of Pollutants from Leather Production
  1. Regulationof Discharge of Pollution Load from Leather Production in China
  2. Discharge Standards for Tannery Waste Waters for Several Countries
  3. OEKO - Standard
  4. German SG Mark
  5. ICT Eco - Toxicity Guidelines
  6. Regulation / Requirement and Test Methods for Restriced Substances
  7. Methods for Determining the Amount of Hazardous Substances in Leather Product
  8. Determination of the Performances of Car Seat Leather
Section 4 Cleaner Technology for Leather Production
  1. Rawstock Preservation
  2. Beamhouse processing
  3. Tanning Operations
  4. Post-tanning operations
  5. Finishing Operations
  6. Waste Minimisation and Good House Keeping
Section 5 Chrome Free Leather Processing Trials
  1. Experimentation Plan
  2. Details of the Processing Procedures of the Experimentations
  3. Application of Chemicals for Eco-Leather Production
  4. Testing Results of the Effluents Collected at Various Stages of the Experimentation Process
  5. Testing Results of Leathers Produced from Experimentation
  6. Shrinking Test Result of Leathers Produced from Experimentation
Section 6 Conclusion
  1. Market for Eco-Leather Products
  2. Production Practice
  3. Modification of the Manufacturing Process for Eco-leather
Appendix Analyis of Survey of "Eco-technology for Leather Production"