It’s been over a year since Italy-based tannins producer Silvateam launched Ecotan, its innovative programme of next-generation bio-circular leathers that, at the end of their life cycle, return to nature as a fertiliser for organic agriculture, feeding the planet in a truly sustainable way. Tanned with formulations combining plant-based and synthetic tannins, these leathers are fully metal and glutaraldehyde-free, offering both tanners and brands a performing and sustainable alternative to traditional tanning methods.

While the project gained a lot of traction as a new way to close the loop, the need to disassemble leather articles, such as shoes, in order to separate leather from other components like plastic and stitching, made recycling quite a complex process to put in practice for brands. Now, Ecotan is changing the game as products are designed to be entirely recycled without being torn apart.

With its new Ecotan Shoes concept, Silvateam has joined forces with fashion designers who inspired a revolutionary design philosophy that promises to bring the first fully shreddable and recyclable leather sneaker to the market.