Towards a new era of zero-waste and socially responsible leather

Thanks to an innovation resulting from the work of Gilles Subra (IBMM) and Ahmad Mehdi (ICGM), we can finally tan leather without any harmful chemical effluents that harm the environment and living organisms!
Together, the Centre Technique du Cuir, CIRAD, CNRS, the National School of Chemistry of Montpellier, and the University of Montpellier will develop a technology that will revolutionize a millennia-old industry: this is so important for the entire French leather goods sector. They are working within the framework of an ANR (National Research Agency) Industrial Chair, which was inaugurated last thuesday.

This eco-friendly tanning process uses an abundant material, is economically relevant, and allows for the integration of new properties into the tanned leather. It also explores the valorization of co-products: the SICLE chair leaves no aspect overlooked.

There are patents, a public-private partnership, real research impact on the economy and employment, and a new demonstration that, within the Montpellier Méditerranée Metropole area, all sciences contribute to major ecological transition challenges—doing so with a commitment to going beyond laboratories to meet the needs of citizens.