From the raw hide to ecopell
The transition of a cattle hide from being a by-product of the meat industry to the soft and smooth ecopell leather requires a lengthy production process full of effort.
The combination of traditional tanning and the most modern technologies gives us a chance to achieve both, with the highest possible protection of the environment.
And this is the way, that ecopell comes to exist
Delivery of hides:
German cattle hides are delivered fresh from the slaughterhouse to the tannery.
Beaming:
The raw hides are washed in water in large revolving drums, with the addition of tensides (wash-active substances) to get rid of the remaining blood, dung, fat, and dirt, clinging to the hides. One drum can hold about 150 hides. The tensides used are biodegradable in normal watertreatment-statuibs at 99%.
Lining:
This serves to remove the hair including the hair roots, for which the hides are treated with a combination of enzymes, lime and natriumsulfide. (Thanks to the use of enzymes, the quantity of natriumsulfide can be diminished by 30%). For each drum load there remains about 300 kg of dry hair (disposed of by composting).
Fleshing
The hides without hair are now free from remaining flesh. The flesh removed is used in the production of animal food.
Splitting
To obtain a hide of the required thickness, the hides, now called pelts, are split on a band saw.
Neutralisation
As a preparation for adjusting the ph-value (degree of acid) is brought to the required level using carbondioxyd and ammoniumsulfate.
Bate
Enzymes are used to open the pores of the hides for better penetration of the pertaining substances. Cattle hides are a by-product of the slaughterers.
Pickling
The hides are now treated with salt, sulphur acid and formic acid as a supplementary preparation for pretanning.
Pretanning
Pretanning is done by using glutardialdehyde and extracts of the fruit of the tara plant. Glutardialdehyde is the main reason for the wonderful softness of ecopell. This substance is bound to the fibres so well, that free parts of it can only be found in minimal traces when the leather is tested.
The extracts of the tara plant were used already in the year 400 before Christ, in Peru for dyeing and later also for tanning.
Shaving
This process brings the hides to the required thickness. The shreds from shaving are biodegradable except the minimal charge of sulfide.
Tanning
The tanning of the hides is effected by the use of natriumbicarbonate (known as expanding agent for baking), extracts of the tara plant, the rhubarb and parts of other plants (cultivated raw material). About 80 to 85% of the tanning substances are bound to the fibres. The rest flows away with the used water to the water treatment station.
Dyeing and greasing
Small quantities of synthetic and mostly native greases and oils together with formic acid and ink (free of heavy metals) are filled into the tanning float.
Drying and streching of the leather
Tacked on frames (under tension for gain of surface / vegetable tanning does not allow as much gain in surface as chrome tanning) the hides go through a drying oven.
Milling
After about 12 hours in the milling drum the hides get an incredible softness not found elsewhere.
Electronic measuring machine
The size of the hides is determined by measuring their outlines using a light beam and printed on each hide in square decimeter.
Selection and control of tanned hides
After a careful inspection of its quality and type each hide gets the ecopell quality stamp. Only now the vegetable tanned leathers are shipped to our customers.
During all stages of production the main concern is to protect the environment as much as ever possible by using relevant processes, harmless raw materials and as few as possible from all resources and energy. That is why ecopell is produced in Germany under application of a strong law for environmental protection. Short transport ways help to use less energy, too.
For the processing of 1.000 kg raw hides (about 25 to 30 hides) to ecopell leather only 25 m2 of water are used. That is about half of what is necessary for other methods of tanning.
Certainly we can be proud of what we have achieved. But we also know that we still have to accept compromises. For being able to offer ecopell in the required high quality at prices seeming reasonable for today´s market.
So, we continue to work on and develop even better ways to produce ecopell. Together with competent partners we try to find new treatments for used water from vegetable tanning. The inks for dyeing are so far no optimal solution, also because of difficulties in always obtaining the required resistance to fading caused by UV-rays. Here too, we search for new substances and methods to even improve ecopell.
All this is undertaken for the protection of our environment.
ecopell is produced in Germany under application of tough legislation for environmental protection.
