abstract：Thanks to the updating of in-house processes in an Industry 4.0 key, the tannery from Ponte a Egola has obtained UNI 11427 certification for its leather with a green soul that maintains a high performance level

Forty years of history that have culminated in a distinct innovative turning point in an Industry 4.0 key, allowing GiElleEmme tannery, specialised in the production of leathers for soles, to be the first company in the world to obtain UNI 11427 certification and use the term “ecological leather”. A record that will allow the footwear produced with its leather to use the EU Ecolabel, the European Union's environmental quality label that identifies products and services, which although they are characterised by a low environmental impact throughout the product's full life cycle, in any case maintain high performance levels.

“Our leather is created to last over time. – explains Tommaso Lapi, CEO of GiElleEmme – It is a natural and resistant product that will not wear out quickly, like a biodegradable material. This concept, on which also the 11427 certification is based, fully embraces an idea of timeless fashion that is based on the value of the product, in countertrend to the out-of-control consumerism of ‘buy and throw-away’ fast fashion”.

GiElleEmme ecological leather is fruit of innovating one of the most traditional tanning processes with 4.0 technological solutions: a small revolution that has required a remarkable investment (4.6 million euros) to fine-tune automated systems that guarantee reduced waste, optimisation of time, and greater safety for workers. The improvement in production flows has allowed for a clear savings in costs and consumption, cutting back by -55% on electrical energy, -27% on water, -28% on chemical products, and with -73% fewer CO2 emissions, going well beyond the requirements of the certification. Another added value is the circularity of the company’s production process: only 2% of production discards can be considered waste, with the rest being reused as a by-product and put to new use. At the same time, GiElleEmme ecological leather is exclusively sourced in Europe from companies selected for their eco-friendly policies, with complete traceability.  

Many guarantees are offered to those who choose ecological leather with the aim of creating a leather shoe that is 100% green.  （Source: By the ARSUTORIA）