Thomas “Tom” Schneider, aged 70, has passed away. Following complications caused by a road accident in which he had been involved, the founder and CEO of the ISA TanTec Group died on 18 January. The company announced the news, specifying that he passed away in his home country, Germany.
Farewell to Tom Schneider
The leather world is mourning the loss of an innovator. After studying biology and chemistry, Tom Schneider (pictured, from isatantec.com) completed his technical training at the Lederinstitut Geberschule in Reutlingen. His career first took him to Australia and then to Taiwan, where he helped to found Prime Asia. Together with his wife, he founded ISA TanTec in China in 1993. From 1999 onwards, the company grew rapidly, becoming a group with five production facilities (two in Vietnam, and one each in China, the United States and Italy) and around 1,700 employees.
A legacy in tanning
In 2004, he introduced the Lite label (low environmental impact) for ISA TanTec’s collections based on reducing the use of energy, water and chemicals. In 2020, he developed a new range of materials made from 100% bio-based sources, launching the CSOM – Creation Of Sustainable Materials division. At the time, he made it clear that he was not seeking an alternative to leather, but an alternative to plastic. Tom Schneider was actively involved for many years in committees and networks within the tanning industry, particularly on sustainability issues (sources: leatherbiz.com and shoez.biz).
