Royal Smit & Zoon

💦 Achieving superior water resistance in leather starts at the beamhouse stage. Here, fiber structure, chemical penetration, and process control make all the difference. 🔹 Why fiber structure matters A well-opened fiber structure ensures better chemical penetration and water resistance. While compact leather is firmer, it requires more processing time due to increased capillary pressure during flexing. 🔹 Optimizing soaking and liming Using appropriate soaking agents, liming, and deliming auxiliaries enhances the process. However, less is more when it comes to non-ionic auxiliaries (like emulsifiers and degreasers), as they can compromise waterproof properties. Instead, enzyme-based solutions (like lipases) provide a more effective and sustainable alternative. 🔹 The critical role of deliming Thorough deliming removes residual calcium ions, preventing interference with hydrophobic fatliquors and ensuring even distribution. Follow this with thorough washing to eliminate surface-active agents that might impact final waterproofing. 🔹 Tanning & fatliquoring considerations Avoid electrolyte-stable fatliquors in pickle and (chrome) tannage, as they negatively impact water resistance. Instead, carefully selecting raw materials and wet-blue hides helps ensure consistent, high-quality results. 💡 Key insight Successful waterproof leather production is about precision at every stage—from fiber opening to chemical selection. A well-planned beamhouse process sets the foundation for premium, high-performance leather. 📌 Get more insights and practical tips about the other steps in the waterproof leather making process from our Waterproof Leather Making Guidelines. Download the guideline here: https://lnkd.in/efT9Ejgg

💦 Achieving high-quality waterproof leather involves more than just selecting the right fatliquor… 🧐 Making waterproof or water repellent leather requires meticulous attention to various leather processing parameters. At Royal Smit & Zoon's we have come up with some practical guidelines, based on comprehensive insights into this intricate process. Some important insights: 🔄 Adopt an holistic approach: Effective waterproofing encompasses proper running times, temperature control, thorough washing, and polyvalent metal fixing. ↗️ Optimize the process: From initial beam-house operations to neutralizing and retanning, each stage plays a pivotal role in enhancing water resistance. *️⃣ Product Selection: Choosing appropriate soaking agents, liming auxiliaries, and avoiding certain surfactants can significantly impact the leather's waterproof qualities. For a deeper dive into producing superior waterproof leather, download the full Guidelines here: https://lnkd.in/efT9Ejgg

🗣️ In May, our CEO Marc Smit will host a talk at the 119th annual ALCA Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Marc will be the speaker of the 64th Arthur Wilson Memorial Lecture, which is a fixture at the American Leather Chemists Association’s annual convention. At this convention, leather industry leaders gather to discuss a wide array of leather technologies, ranging from tanning to finishing, as well as environmental issues. 🤝🏻 In his speech, Marc will address the audience with an urgent message: it is time to collaborate and unify as partners and media in the leather industry. Only if we act together, we can counter market developments, demonstrate the beauty and sustainability of genuine leather, and create a leather industry that is viable and future-proof. 🌿 Spreading our knowledge about sustainability & leather tanning, processing and manufacturing at conventions like these, is an important part of Royal Smit & Zoon’s pledge to create a sustainable leather value chain, together.

🥳 3,000 days without incidents! Our plant in Amersfoort celebrates a big milestone today: 3,000 days without incidents. We are proud of our colleagues, who are putting their best foot forward every day, when it comes to safety. As we say in Dutch: We werken veilig, of we werken niet! 🦺 In other words: we either work safely, or not at all. This goes for all types of safety, from physical safety, to social and information security. In order to achieve this, we encourage an open culture and sharp eye for safety. We also have identified ‘safety’ as on of the location’s KPI’s, underlining the importance we attach to it. Needless to say, the cake was completely safe to eat. Except for those on a self-imposed diet, maybe… 😉

🇮🇹 Ciao Milano! Bringing Zeology leather to Milan Design Week. From April 7-13, Royal Smit & Zoon will be present in Milan. On April 7, our colleague Florian Schrey will talk about ‘Shifting Hues and Sustainable Materials: exploring the latest trends in automotive color and eco-friendly production’ at the Color, Material & Finish exhibition (CMF). Inside the PHYD Hub, we will be showing the automotive industry what Zeology leather can mean to them…🚘 🛋️ During Milan Design Week, we will also introduce a wider audience to the merits of Zeology leather with our outside booth in Via Tortona, from April 7-13. En route to the various locations of the Salone del Mobile and its satellite events, thousands of design enthusiasts will pass by. We hope to welcome you in Milan, at Florian’s talk or at our booth ☀️ Read more about our presence at CMF here: https://lnkd.in/e-tKzXgP

Unexpected ingredients 🐄 Did you know you can find upcycled elements of cows in a wide array of everyday products? From tennis racket strings to shampoo and from adhesives to petfood? You are most likely using products containing bovine elements on a daily basis! Even if you’re a vegetarian… As long as people are eating meat, cows will be slaughtered. At Royal Smit & Zoon we applaud the fact that various industries do their best to repurpose all parts of the cow which are not used for meat consumption, rather than discarding them. A large chunk of the waste from the meat industry, is the cow’s hide, which is upcycled into leather. Cow’s hooves and horns can be used as ingredients for plant food, conditioner and even plywood 🧐 Bones can serve as raw material for charcoal and fertilizer. Internal organs can be repurposed for instrument strings, vitamins and medical materials, among other things. Next time you’re hitting an ace with your new tennis racket, thank the cow 😉 Read more about how nothing goes to waste: https://lnkd.in/edA9JerD

🎇 First things first, we wish you a Happy New Year! 🧧 From March 12-14, Royal Smit & Zoon will be present at the APLF Leather exhibition in Hongkong. Following our presence at the IILF in Chennai in February, we will be presenting Zeology leather at APLF. In our booth, visitors have the opportunity to experience Zeology leather first-handedly. We invite you to come admire, feel and smell this top quality leather. Moreover, we will be glad to explain to you why Zeology leather is unique, as it is completely compostable at its end of life. ♻️ We hope to welcome you at our booth at 3D-Con01! Read more about our presence at APLF here: https://lnkd.in/e3tVXbDU

🏅💪🏼 We're proud to announce that Royal Smit & Zoon has retained the prestigious EcoVadis Platinum Rating for the second year in a row! 🌍✨ This places us in the top 1% of 150,000+ organizations worldwide, highlighting our commitment to sustainability. “Our EcoVadis Platinum score reflects how deeply sustainability is integrated into our business. It’s a great reward for the hard work and dedication of our people and confirms our position as a sustainability leader in our industry ,” says Marc Smit, CEO. Together, we continue to create a sustainable leather value chain. 🌿 Please find the press release here: https://lnkd.in/e69yiCe8

👐🏼 Come experience Zeology leather at India International Leather Fair From February 1-3, Royal Smit & Zoon will be present at the 38th India International Leather Fair (IILF) in Chennai. 👜 At IILF, we will showcase Zeology leather for you to touch, look at and smell. So that you can recognize that Zeology leather really offers all the best characteristics of leather. While at the same time being completely unique, as it is completely compostable at its end of life. ♻️ We hope to welcome you at our booth at H2-05-A! Read more about our presence at IILF here: https://lnkd.in/gpWxT9cV

🔎 Low-bisphenol & Optitan ranges in the spotlight at PMLS From January 26-28, Royal Smit & Zoon agent Badre Alam Traders will be present at the Pakistan Mega Leather Show (PMLS) in Lahore. Come to the booth to learn more about our low-bisphenol range and our Optitan premium retanning range. 👐🏽 We hope to welcome you at our booth in Hall 2, stand 4 & 5! Read more about our presence at PMLS here: https://lnkd.in/eZk-pAg6