Environment

Our vision is that through our inheritance of craftmanship and the use of natural raw materials produce a premium product with the least environmental impact possible. To achieve this, we work every day according to our core values of sustainability and craftsmanship as well as our sustainability policy. Our sustainability work took a serious turn 35 years ago and we describe here some important events over the years. After 150 years of experience our knowledge of vegetable tanned leather is unmatched. We always embrace innovation and actively participate in our customer´s product development so you and your consumer can rely on premium quality.

Authenticity & Craftsmanship

As a quality-driven company we value knowledge in each part of our organization. Since 1873 we have developed a truly unique “hand feel” and a knowledge base you will not easily find elsewhere. We promise to you, our customer, to share this knowledge with you by consistently delivering premium quality in both material and craft.

Sustainability

It is really very simple. The earth was here before us, not the other way around. It comes naturally to us to run our business according to industries best practices and with great respect for both the environment and people. We take responsibility for our part in nature’s cycles and will continually seek for new ways to increase our knowledge and improve the sustainability of our processes.

Commitment

After 150 years of experience our knowledge of leather is unmatched. We enthusiastically embrace innovation and actively participate in our customers’ product development so you and your consumer can rely on premium quality.

TÜV

Vegetable tanning gives a natural and aesthetic leather. But more importantly, it enables us to have our leather certified by TÜV Rheinland. This means that our leather is tested and approved not to reach limit values for harmful substances.

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35 years of environmental work

Vegetable tanned leather has been our focus since 1873. About 35 years ago we set new goals to produce leather that is as natural as possible and with the least possible environmental impact. This work still continues. Here are some of the highlights

Environmental Timeline

1988

A pure vegetable tannery

Long before sustainability is demanded from the end consumer, Tärnsjö Garveri makes a corporate decision to continue only with the traditional and sustainable vegetable tanning method. Today, approximately five percent of all leather produced world wide is vegetable tanned.

1988

Water-based colors

Tärnsjö Garveri makes a corporate decision to begin to phase out chemicals with a high environmental impact. Tärnsjö Garveri switches to using only water-based finish colors.

2005

Certified leather

Tärnsjö Garveri begins testing and certifying leather at the quality institute TÜV to ensure that the products are free from harmful substances

2007

From waste to resource

All waste from the leather raw material begins to be taken care of and delivered as inputs for, among other things, district heating, biogas, soil improvement and food.

2012

Local sourcing

Tärnsjö Garveri decides to only use Swedish hides in order to have control over the raw material and due to the strict Swedish animal welfare legislation.

2014

Greener electricity

Tärnsjö Garveri switches to using only fossil-free electricity.

2014

Full traceability

The company becomes the first tannery in the world to be certified by OCS for full traceability and can thus offer leather labeled Organic Leather.

2015

Sustainable suppliers

A corporate decision is made to select only sustainability-certified suppliers of tanning agents.

2016

The energy project

Tärnsjö Garveri carries out an energy survey through a regional energy network, which forms the basis of an ongoing work to reduce energy consumption and air emissions

2019

Fossil-free

A new fossil-free energy plant is installed, which reduces the company´s carbon dioxide emissions by 93 percent.

2022

Selection of tanning substances

Tärnsjö Garveri phases out some tanning agents and only continue with those that are grown and certified. The company has been working for many years to develop a new sustainable local Swedish tanning agent.