From Conformance to Systemic Change: A Case Study from the Leather Chemicals Sector

The leather and fashion industries face growing regulatory pressure, MRSL/RSL requirements, and increasing expectations for environmental transparency. While chemical regulatory compliance has improved significantly, it has also revealed a limitation: compliance alone does not explain or reduce environmental impact.

Across the supply chain, decisions are still often made without quantitative insight into how chemical formulations and processes affect water use, energy consumption, emissions, and waste.

The question shared by many in the sector is: Once compliance is in place, how can environmental improvements be measured and prioritised?

To address this gap, FGL International chose to move beyond basic regulatory compliance, working more closely with tanneries to understand how chemical choices affect day-to-day operations, process efficiency and environmental performance at the site level. In 2023, launching the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Programme for selected wet-end and finishing chemical products, in order to:

• Quantify environmental impacts using primary production data.
• Identify critical hotspots within formulations and processes.
• Support targeted reduction strategies at a tannery level.

Initial assessments focused on a selection of representative products, such as retanning agents, fatliquors used in retanning processes, and finishing products, allowing FGL to compare alternative formulations and application scenarios. Even at this early stage, the analyses highlighted clear differences in impact factors, particularly regarding water consumption, energy requirements, and packaging.

Production processes were modelled, and an internal Life Cycle Assessment simulator was developed. This allowed them to:

• Generate reliable, product-specific environmental data such as energy use, water consumption, wastewater quality
• Support tanneries with “what-if” scenario analyses.
• Optimise tanning recipes to reduce water consumption, energy use, emissions, and chemical inputs.

This approach shifted sustainability discussions from qualitative claims to evidence-based trade-offs, enabling more informed choices across the supply chain.

The Life Cycle Assessment results led to formulation and process updates, including the development of optimised powder formulations to replace traditional liquid products in re-tanning processes.

Comparative assessments between optimised powder formulations and standard liquid formulations indicated that alternative product designs can significantly influence environmental performance across several areas, including packaging, transport efficiency and resource consumption. Examples below:

• Significant reduction in plastic packaging by at least 30%.
• Greater efficiency in transport, thanks to the possibility of transporting more product and less water for the same transported weight.
• Elimination of solvents (VOCs) and in can preservation (biocides), necessary in standard products to preserve the product.
• Reduced water consumption, processing time and total chemical usage by at least 30%.

While the exact impact varies depending on application conditions, the results consistently showed that formulation choices can directly affect both environmental footprint and operational efficiency at a tannery level. The results obtained confirmed the possibility of reducing environmental impact while maintaining product quality performances. 

These outcomes reinforced a broader shift already underway in the sector: chemicals are not only inputs to be restricted, but variables that directly influence process efficiency and environmental performance when supported by robust chemical management and impact data.

Summary

The use of life cycle data helped connect chemical compliance with process optimisation at a tannery level, demonstrating how measurement can be translated into practical improvement. Although this case focuses on a specific set of products and processes, the approach can be applicable across different chemical categories and manufacturing contexts, provided that reliable data and collaboration along the value chain are in place.

The Key takeaways are: 

• Compliance is a necessary foundation, but measurable impact reduction requires data and prioritisation tools Life Cycle Assessment enables prioritisation and informed technical and environmental decision-making.
• Chemical suppliers can contribute most effectively when integrated into process optimisation.
• Data-driven, incremental changes can lead to meaningful systemic improvement.

Looking ahead, FGL International is continuing to expand the use of life cycle data across its product portfolio, participate in collaborative sustainability initiatives, and work with research institutions on the development of more sustainable leather systems. 

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_{About FGL International}

_{FGL International SpA is an Italian company specialising in eco-sustainable chemicals for tanning, covering the entire production cycle with wet-end and finishing solutions for upholstery, footwear, and apparel.}

_{Headquartered in Castelfranco di Sotto, near Santa Croce sull’Arno (Tuscany), with a branch in Arzignano (Veneto), the company operates research and development laboratories, an experimental tannery, and well-stocked warehouses for rapid delivery worldwide. FGL International SpA, supported by an ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and 14001-certified Integrated Management System, emphasises flexibility, innovation, and low environmental impact through technical support.}

_{The company prioritises sustainable growth for tanneries and stakeholders with local expertise.}