it was quite a surprise at this stage in my career to be asked to give such an important industry lecture and a great honour. I thought COVID had killed it, but made it to Wisconsin for what was an outstanding symposium 62nd John Arthur Wilson Lecture, 2023. 117th Annual Convention Retelling “Viewing Leather Through […]
Definition of Leather
Legal Definition, BS 2780 Definition In the UK a definition of leather is set out in the British Standard Glossary of Leather Terms (BS 2780) and this definition is used as a guide in applying consumer protection legislation such as the Sale of Goods Act and the Trade Descriptions Act. In short, if a product […]
The progressive leather industry
POSTED ON JANUARY 16, 2018 Waste is a design error Two 40 foot containers are put together to form one module of the new plant I first met Dietrich Tegtmeyer of Lanxess right at the beginning of this century – when Lanxess was still part of Bayer. I was working for ECCO based in Dongen […]
Heading to Japan
After a week in Shanghai at the All China Leather Exhibition a trip to the traditional area of Japan (watch this video to see what I am going to be looking for) is quite contrast. Being in Shanghai at this time is to be absolutely at the leading edge of the commercial and technical changes […]
Water is not the best tool for tanning
It feels like we have been trying to replace water as the vital fluid in tanning fir decades. Dyeing with the Swiss Multimac machine was just a typical example of many ideas intended to avoid leather having to processed in an aqueous bath. The patent for this was applied for in 1986. I last saw […]
Freiberg Leather Days Talk
From Fashion Net Asia: At the recent Freiberg – Leather Days, held in Germany on April 25th and 26th, one of the invited speakers was Mike Redwood, Visiting Professor of Leather at the University of Northampton in the UK and one of the founders of the Leather Naturally! Campaign. Professor Redwood’s presentation gives a brief […]
Thoughts on Cuba
One or two who read this might know that this week I have provoked a flurry of letters in the Financial Times about Cuba. I went there in January on an extended trip which was mostly holiday but very much intended to try and get to know the country properly before it changes out of […]
The idea of free trade only works in the academic world
An alternative vision of trade in the 21st century A guest blog by RICHARD SMITH Richard is an independent commentator on the textile, leather and footwear industries. The topic ‘International Trade – New Challenges’ was of one of the panels at the World Leather Congress recently held in Rio de Janeiro on November 9th 2011. […]
UK Leather Federation New Strategy Launch
On Tuesday the 13th September the UK Leather Federation launched a new strategy document in a combined meeting with the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies at the House of Lords in London. Reg Hankey of Pittards spoke on behalf of the UKLF and gave an excellent speech. Here it is in full: The purpose of […]
Northampton Study, Bologna Party and the Calzatecnia Conference in Mexico
POSTED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2010 Two posts below The Northampton Study The Northampton Study is a project we have been working on over the summer to gather the opinions of generation Y about leather. This study was used in part for a paper on consumer power in the leather industry given to the Centenary Conference […]