PRODUCTS & S ER V ICES
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059
Genuine leather has a lot to offer the aviation industry, including
durability, perceived quality, and environmental sustainability.
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
SEPTEMBER 2019
eople are often opposed to
leather or products
manufactured from real leather,
despite the fact that leather is a natural,
highly durable and therefore sustainable
product. It is also one of the oldest
examples of recycling or upcycling, the
latter meaning converting waste/
by-products into something valuable.
Even in prehistoric times, humans
used the hides of hunted animals to
make tools and bags, as well as using
animal skins to shield themselves from
the weather. Our ancestors also learned
to preserve these hides; indeed the
practices of the tanning industry date
back to the beginnings of humanity.
Tanning has grown in importance
since valuable and useful materials
are created as a by-product of the
meat and dairy industry.
It is important to note that pelts and
leather are not the same thing. In the
pelt production industry, animals are
kept and bred only for this purpose. By
contrast, the leather industry depends
on the food industry for materials, and
the food industry in turn relies on human
consumption to thrive. Raw hides are
a by-product of the food industry, which
the leather industry upcycles or recycles
into premium materials. If these hides
were not upcycled, they would be
discarded as waste, putting greater
strain on the environment.
The well-being of animals and
species-appropriate husbandry are of
great importance to everyone, and strict
laws for animal protection are in force
Europe-wide. The well-being of animals
is also a top priority of the leather
industry. Only hides from healthy and
uninjured animals can be processed into
high-quality leather.
Leather production is subject to strict
environmental restrictions. Tremendous
Wollsdorf Leather explains the advantages…
P
THE REAL DEAL
Leather also boasts superb
dimensional stability, as well as elasticity.
It is hard-wearing, tear-resistant and
skin-friendly. Each leather hide is unique
and slightly different in terms of colour,
texture and touch. The characteristic
smell of leather is a hallmark of its
genuineness and quality; something that
materials consisting of plastic or other
synthetic fibres cannot imitate or replace.
Leather production is a perfect
example of upcycling and manufacturing
sustainable and valuable products.
The Wollsdorf Leather Group has
been producing bovine leather for the
aviation industry for more than 30 years.
The group can offer warranty periods of
up to eight years for aviation leathers,
both for lightweight and standard
weight products.
advances are being made with regards to
technology, research and development,
whereby modern, responsible tanneries
are becoming more and more
environmentally responsible. Wollsdorf
Leather’s environmental standards of
are applied at all its sites worldwide.
THE ADVANTAGES OF LEATHER
Leather offers many positive qualities.
For example, leather is one of the most
durable materials available and is
therefore sustainable. Compared to faux
leathers, genuine leather lasts much
longer. Moreover, oil is used in the
manufacturing of fake leather, and
therefore such materials can be a bad
alternative for the environment.
Leather is also breathable and heat
insulating, and owing to its unique fibre
structure, it can provide protection
against wind and water. In addition,
the high water permeability of leather
enables water and air to penetrate
through the hide.
121
Wollsdorf Leather
boasts the first
CO2-neutral
tannery
in Austria
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