The Turkish tannery Sepici is renowned in the sector for its vegetable-tanned leather, the result of research, technology, and significant collaborations such as the one with the Ecotan program. These are the words of Yesim Sepici Ersoy, owner and promoter of the pillars of sustainability and respect for nature that lay the foundations of the company’s development.

Sepici is a Turkish tanning company whose history dates back to 1930. Over the years, this tannery has stood out for its passion and dedication in leather processing, becoming today a point of reference for the whole sector. But what makes Sepici a unique and exceptional company is its production of vegetable-tanned leather: as a matter of fact, it was one of the first to invest in the R&D manufacturing techniques that use only natural substances instead of chemical products.

Thanks to this commitment, today the tannery is able to produce top-notch leather that respects the environment and satisfies the requests of the most demanding customers. Constantly investing in technology to improve the quality of its products as well as developing new processing techniques and new materials to meet the needs of an ever-evolving market, Sepici boasts a vast range of products, from leathers for shoes and bags to accessories.

The company also stands out for the quality of its complete aftersales assistance, guaranteed by a network of distributors and agents working all over the world. Reliability and ability to meet the most selective requests are the keywords of a customized and high-quality service. In short, Sepici is a tannery that combines traditional craftsmanship with research and technological innovation, showing that it is possible to produce in a sustainable way without giving up on quality and aesthetics.

Silvateam is among our strategic partners. Its Ecotan technology relies on natural tannins derived from plants combined with a new generation of biocircular polymers, thus reducing the environmental impact of the tanning process and the emission of toxic chemicals into the environment. The Ecotan leather produced in this way is a virtuous example of how technology can be used to develop excellent products that respect the environment and meet the needs of the market.

Can you provide a brief introduction about your company and its involvement in Ecotan leather technology?

“Our company was founded in 1930 and today third and fourth generation family members are working full time on the Board, side by side, with a professional team within a corporate structure. We are exporting to more than 30 countries and serving many global brands. We are a part of the renowned Leather Working Group, boasting a Gold certificate; we are also members of sectors’ major associations like Satra and Leather Naturally.

With our 1.2 million square feet of leather and 50 tons of sole leather monthly production capacity, Sepici is now a leading brand not only in Turkey but in the global leather sector. In 2013 we were chosen as the best tannery of Europe in a competition designed by World Leather magazine.

We have been cooperating with Silvateam since 1985 using their natural extracts for our sole leather production and for our full vegetable tanned leathers. So, we did have the necessary infrastructure to enter such a research and development complex project like Ecotan. I guess we were a natural candidate for this project – when Silvateam came up with this proposal we were both excited and ready to start. So we signed an exclusivity agreement with Silvateam in 2021 and begin our R&D activities, cooperating together to develop innovative solutions for brands. Finally, the recipe for leather, which can turn into organic fertilizer after being hydrolyzed, was successfully developed.”