We interviewed Jeff Ye, founder of the Chinese tannery Argonaut, and found out how the company’s philosophy is focused on respect for nature and on the production of sustainable, high-quality leathers and leather articles. Relying on a vertical supply chain, the company has become a reference point in the leather goods sector thanks to the collaboration with Silvateam who developed the Ecotan technology. Let’s find out together how Argonaut is promoting a sustainable style in the fashion world.

In ancient Greek mythology, the Argonaut was meant as a hero who was not afraid of difficulties and had the courage to fight for what he believed in. This legend inspired the company Argonaut, founded in 2007 in Foshan, a city located in the Guangdong province in southern China. Argonaut is not a traditional tannery but an industrial group that gathers the whole supply chain in a vertical logic, ranging from tanning chemicals, to vegetable tanned leather, to the R&D laboratory, to the production of shoes, bags and other own-brand leather goods to a network of branded retail stores. Thanks to the learning and working experiences at the university and in Italy, the founder Jeff Ye and his team have always had vegetable tanned leather as the main focus, which represents the most ecological and sustainable choice. In 2007, Argonaut became a partner of Silvateam (A. FORTE), world leader in plant extracts. Collaborating with Silvateam, Argonaut has been able to develop high-level footwear and leather goods, becoming a reference partner in its sector in China.

Since then, the company has expanded and started to open a showroom in Guangzhou in 2008 and flagship stores in Guangzhou, Beijing and Foshan in 2010. In 2013, Argonaut built its own tannery in Zhaoqing city, specializing in the production of full- veg, high-quality leather, which is now renowned in the sector for its prestigious “Jeff” style.
Argonaut’s philosophy is “Come from Nature and Go back Nature!”, with the aim of harmonizing man and nature and promoting a healthy lifestyle for people.
In a world increasingly caring about the environment and sustainability, Argonaut stands out as a virtuous example of how it is possible to produce and do business while respecting nature and people.

What does it mean for you to be Ecotan’s first partner in China, in a market that is predominantly made up of companies that still use chromium?

“As pioneers of the Ecotan project in China, we firmly believe that we are at the forefront of our industry. We believe that for any industry that wants to achieve constant development, it is essential to continuously update its processes and keep up with technological innovations, overcoming old traditions. Luckily, I had the opportunity to join Silvateam in 2005, gaining knowledge of chemicals and leather manufacturing processes at Mondovì headquarters and Silvateam Guangzhou. Subsequently, after founding Argonaut, we became agents of Silvateam’s brand A. FORTE in China, keeping on learning and relying on the skills of Silvateam, a winning company boasting 170 years of experience in the sector.”

Your company is also a manufacturer of bags and shoes: what is the synergy between the designer and the tannery?

“As regards of this matter, we believe that tanneries must act as operational partners of the designers. As a matter of fact, stylists create and design new products in line with the positioning of the brand, and need adequate support to best express their creativity, always choosing the most suitable leather. Furthermore, tannery engineers must possess advanced professional skills, including an international vision and a strong sensitivity to the elements of fashion. That’s why tanneries can collaborate with stylists to understand their specific needs and develop new ideas efficiently, in order to launch them on the market and satisfy the needs of target customers.”
Argonaut therefore represents a successful case story: by controlling the entire supply chain and above all the distribution network, it is able to quickly spread innovation to the market through products that feature an attractive design while protecting the environment.