Making chestnut and quebracho extracts even more performant by making chemically modified tannins. That was the goal of the Life “I’m Tan” project, the results of which were presented on July 17, after four years, at an event organized by Silvateam in Vinci, Florence. The company carried out the project in partnership with tannery INCAS (for the application part), Crossing and CRCF (for the chemical part) and Consorzio Aquarno (for the wastewater quality study).
The project
This project started in September 2021, with financial support from the European Union under the LIFE program (LIFE2O ENV/ IT/000759). “I’m Tan” aims to improve traditional tanning and re-tanning processes through the development of “a new generation of high-performance natural tannins”. The activity focused on scaling-up the production of the modified tannins through prototyping in an operational pilot plant environment. Satisfied with the results achieved so far, Silvateam plans to apply the developed technology on an industrial scale “up to a marketable product in the short term”, state a press release.
Performance
“These innovative extracts are the result of a state-of-the-art process that includes purification and chemical modification steps”, Silvateam explains. The applied technology has improved the performance of natural tannins (particularly chestnut and quebracho), their color, and simplified wastewater treatment. “The by-products resulting from the new process can also be applied in other industries, improving the sustainability performances of the entire production chain”.
Supply chain sustainability
The event involved various supply chain stakeholders, with the objective of making them reflect on sustainability: from chemical analysis to associations to brands. Fulvia Bacchi, general manager of UNIC – Italian Tanneries, spoke on the intrinsic link between tanning and environmental sustainability. Gustavo Adriàn Defeo, scientific director of CTC Group, presented “the biobased content of innovative Life “I’m Tan” tannins and the prospects for the application of the EN16848 standard”.
This was followed by the panel discussion “Sustainability, innovation and identity for timeless leather”. Defeo was here joined by Francesco Sapienza, sustainable materials and data manager at Kering; Daniele Gardini, R&D leather manager at Poltrona Frau; Paolo Bruno, strategic advisor Garsport; and Alessandro Bruni, professor in strategic development at the Faculty of Management Engineering at the University of Pisa.
