World Leather Podcast

Our conversation, in its entirety, with new COTANCE president, Manuel Ríos Navarro, which took place at Lineapelle in Milan in September 2021. Here, Mr Navarro, who is chief executive of Valencia-based double-face and nappa producer Inpelsa, explains in detail his view of the current situation of the leather sector in Spain, in Europe and globally, and explains what his main priorities will be in...

Federico Brugnoli explains why his thinking around lifecycle assessment (LCA) has changed and why he thinks it’s not advisable to try to use a single number to present the carbon footprint of leather.

Dr Luis Zugno, president of IULTCS, talks to World Leather about his 45 years in the industry, his reflections on a turbulent first year at the head of the leather chemists’ and technologists’ body and his hopes for the 2021 and beyond. Asked about areas in which he would like to see innovation in the future, Dr Zugno delivers a detailed list of ideas that, taken together, constitute a real progra...

In this episode, we present our recent interview with Tom Schneider, the founder of ISA TanTec. In discussion with World Leather editor, Stephen Tierney, Mr Schneider discusses the impact of covid-19 so far on his company and on the leather industry in general. In the podcast, he also gives his opinion of what 2021 is likely to hold. Later in the conversation, Mr Schneider explains in detail why I...

The saga, so far, of LVMH’s on-off-on-off attempts to acquire New York-based brand Tiffany’s.

Since 2008, Andreas Kindermann has been chief executive of Wollsdorf Leather, a specialist producer of leather for steering-wheels, furniture upholstery and aircraft interiors, with its headquarters in Austria. He steered the company back to growth following the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, opened sewing and cutting plants in China and Croatia, established or redeveloped sales offices in...

On launching a new sustainability initiative in June 2020, Scottish Leather Group (SLG) made public six commitments that it says will help it establish a “a zero-impact, sustainable manufacturing platform for leather”. 

Tanning group PrimeAsia has leather manufacturing facilities in Huangjiang in China and in Ba Ria-Vung Tau in Vietnam. These tanneries have a combined production capacity of around 11 million square-feet of finished lifestyle and athletic leather per year, which the group supplies to dozens of global footwear brands. In this interview, chief executive, Jon Clark, offers some reflections on the eff...

In late 2019, the president of Portugal’s main leather industry body, APIC, Nuno Carvalho, published an article in the main national newspaper strenuously defending the industry against unfair criticism over environmental standards at its main production centre, Alcanena. He felt the days of simply waiting for troubles to pass over had to come to an end. Mr Carvalho discusses the circumstances tha...

A discussion among  members of the World Leather team over the impacts the coronavirus or Covid-19 outbreak had had on the global leather industry by mid-March 2020.

Reflections on ‘Veganuary’ and meat substitutes and how they could affect leather production in the years ahead.

The first in a new series of in-depth interviews with visionary industry leaders is a conversation with the honorary chairman of the Scottish Leather Group.

In this second edition of World Leather’s new podcast series, the team examines in depth the announcement from Tuscan exotic leather manufacturer A&A that it will launch “a tanning system with zero environmental impact” within a year. Taking part are the magazine’s technical editor, Mat Abbott, and associate editor, Shari Shallard, talking to editor, Stephen Tierney.

News and conversation from World Leather magazine, the global leather industry's most authoritative publication.

An introduction to an important section that we'll start publishing in World Leather from 2020. Taking part are editor, Stephen Tierney, and deputy editor, Clare Grainger.