A new innovative and sustainable material is taking the fashion and lifestyle world by storm: it’s called Ecotan and is produced by the Italian company Silvateam.

Silvateam, with offices in over 60 countries and a turnover of more than €250 million, has established itself as a global leader in the production of natural ingredients. Founded back in 1854 in the Monregalese valleys, in the province of Cuneo (Northern Italy), Silvateam extracts tannins from various raw materials, including chestnut, quebracho and tara. Drawing inspiration from nature, the company has developed Ecotan, an innovative sustainable tanning technology that skillfully combines tannins with biopolymers free of harmful substances for both humans and the environment. This creates biocircular leathers that meet the growing consumer demand for products in harmony with nature.
“A recent study by PWC Italy, presented by the University of Prato, highlighted the shift we are experiencing towards consumption models that are much more environmentally conscious; a remarkable 60% of the interviewed Millennials claim to buy from companies with genuine green values,” remarks Alessandra Taccon, Ecotan Project Director. “All of this should incentivize our industry to rethink the traditional chemistry used in leather tanning.”

The ecological approach extends beyond fashion leather production; it can also meet the most stringent requirements for automotive interiors and furniture. In collaboration with partner tanneries, Silvateam has extensively demonstrated that the Ecotan technology allows for the development of high-quality leather articles that combine technical performance with the beauty of materials and a wide range of colors and finishes. Furthermore, the Italy based company has introduced the concept of safe leather, free from allergy risks and skin reactions, a crucial characteristic for product categories like those for children. “Thanks to the tannins’ ability to inhibit bacterial proliferation, we can produce breathable, hygroscopic leather that prevents the formation of unpleasant odors, an extraordinary benefit for shoe inlining and soles, for example,” emphasizes Alessandra Taccon. “And the sustainability cycle is closed by designing a “biocircular” program for Ecotan leather that can be recycled and transformed into organic fertilizers, returning to nature the substances we originally took on loan.”