Portugal bans the term ‘vegan leather’ in marketing
Portugal has banned use of the term ‘vegan leather’ and other leather prefixes in marketing because they are technically incorrect and misleading to consumers. A new Leather Decree in Portugal defines the term leather (“couro”) and outlines the options for its commercial use.
Under the new laws, expressions such as vegan leather, synthetic leather and pineapple leather will be prohibited and potentially subject to fines and criminal proceedings for offenders.
Source: The Apparel Insider
Indian leather exports to exceed US$6 billion in 2022/23
The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) has announced its expectation that Indian leather and footwear exports will rise to more than Rs448 billion (US$6 billion) in the 2022/23 financial year.
Source: International Leather Maker News
Leather Naturally publishes Guide to Modern Leather Making
Leather Naturally has announced the publication of the Modern Leather Making Guide (MLMG), a comprehensive tool that anyone can consult to learn how modern leather is produced.
The guide has been created for a wide range of audiences, from designers and developers to students from the sectors of fashion, interiors, automotive and retail, to help them understand how leather is made.
The MLMG features in-depth and informative content on hide properties, modern leather processing, chemical management, test methods and leather types, together with a visualization of a modern tannery.
To download free copy, please visit: https://www.leathernaturally.org/Modern-Leather-Making-Download
Source: International Leather Maker News
Germany wants exporters to check on human rights, environment
Bangladeshi suppliers need to operate with necessary transparency to enable their German sourcing companies to comply with a new supply chain law that obliges the latter to actively perform due diligence to prevent human rights and environmental abuses within their global supply chains.
The German enterprises will be subject to penalties of up to €8 million or 2% of their annual global turnover if any of their foreign suppliers violates the rules.
Moreover, if an administrative fine is imposed above a certain minimum level, enterprises may be excluded from public procurement for up to three years.
As a consequence, they will insist on having all the relevant norms and standards followed by all of their partners along the supply chain, according to a letter by the German embassy sent to Bangladeshi exporters associations last week.
The bill is similar to a move initiated in the United Kingdom to tag the fashion industry more strictly with ESG environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues to stop “greenwashing” by apparel and footwear industries. Greenwashing refers to practices by companies or organizations to project an environmentally responsible image.
Passed by Germany’s parliament last year, this law, which will enter into force in 2023, will initially apply to companies with 3,000 or more employees. From 2024, this threshold will be reduced to 1,000 employees.
Source: The Business Standard
Bangladesh eyes $12b leather, leather goods export by 2030
The government is planning to boost the country’s export of leather and leather goods to US$ 12 billion by 2030, officials said.
The time for fulfilling the target has been fixed between 2021 and 2030, and the timeframe would be coordinated with the export policy. The projection has been fixed through detailed discussions with the stakeholders concerned, they added.
A view-exchange meeting on leather export outline, with Ministry of Commerce (MoC) Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh in the chair, revealed the export target. Mr. Ghosh said, “We have tentatively fixed a $10-12-billion export target for the country’s leather and leather goods by 2030.“ He expressed hope that the export target would be possible to achieve by the set time. He, however, said the sector needs to increase the volume of foreign direct investment (FDI).
“We have to emphasize compliance issues also, and improve quality of products for taking the sector to a new height,” he added.
Source: The Financial Express
Leather Naturally (LN) and Leather Working Group (LWG) join forces
The two leather industry non-profits have announced a reciprocal membership agreement. They will collaborate more closely to help consumers overcoming certain misconceptions about leather.
To do so, both memberships agree on the importance of targeting consumers with corrects facts and figures about leather. In addition, efforts must be made to define more clearly what is sustainable leather and where it can be sourced from, such as from an LWG certified tannery.
Source: World Footwear
