04 May 2021

In our latest webinar, we took a deep dive into LWG’s new requirements for incoming traceability in Protocol 7. Improving traceability in the leather supply chain is a key priority for the Leather Working Group. As such, we introduced new requirements and strengthened our existing criteria in Protocol 7, which was launched this February.   The revised Incoming Material Traceability section assesses a leather manufacturer’s ability to trace their incoming material back to the specific slaughterhouse or region of origin. On top of that, the section provides a breakdown of country of origin and information on the traceability...

04 May 2021

Every year, LWG opens a full membership survey to allow our members to provide insight, answers and the feedback on LWG’s work and future plans. The 2021 LWG Member Survey opened in February and was open for four weeks, gathering 336 submissions from LWG member companies, representing a 36% response rate – our biggest response to date.  Challenges for the Leather Industry  In terms of challenges to address, LWG members felt that the growing presence of non-leather alternative materials (synthetic, plant-based, bio-fabricated, etc.), recovering from the impact of COVID-19, and the environmental footprint...

04 May 2021

Guest Writer: Dietrich Tegtmeyer, LANXESS GmbH New regulations for Bisphenols & Skin Sensitizing Chemicals under discussion at ECHA Changes in regulations and restrictions are an ongoing topic for several decades. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), as the organization in charge for Europe, has a strict, interactive, and scientific based process in place, which must be followed before new restrictions potentially get in place in restricted substances lists, such as REACh Annex XVII. These cases are both relevant for the leather industry and have been started for the two cases of Bisphenols and Skin Sensitizer Chemicals. Although it may be 2024 – 2026 until...

04 May 2021

Sign up for one of our webinars on the updated Production Data and Outgoing Traceability sections in Protocol 7.0 on 5/6 May.  In the next set of informational webinars on the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0, the Leather Working Group will focus on two sections: Production Data and Outgoing Traceability.   Formerly known as “Tannery Data”, the revamped Production Data section gathers information on the material bought, processed, and sold by a leather manufacturer, ultimately designed to connect the leather supply chain in...

29 April 2021

Data-driven insights and digitalisation, supply chain transparency and traceability, collaboration, and enhanced consumer marketing were on the top of the agenda at the 2021 LWG Virtual Member’s Meeting.   The Leather Working Group (LWG) hosted its spring member meeting over two duplicate virtual sessions on 27/28 April 2021, open to representatives of all member companies from across the global leather supply chain.   Members who missed the meeting can access the meeting slides and recording by logging in to the Member Area.  LWG Membership...

19 April 2021

Learn more about how the Leather Working Group is actively working to improve traceability within the leather supply chain. 19 April 2021— For Immediate Release Download a PDF Copy Transparency and traceability within supply chains are critical, it allows actors positioned in different points in the value chain to have assurances that materials are responsibly sourced, with socio-environmental safeguards required by the marketplace, and they can provide their customers with reliable sustainability claims. Enhanced transparency and full traceability of all types of raw materials is a fundamental building block to ensure that inappropriate exploitation of...

06 April 2021

Join one of the Leather Working Group training webinars to learn more about the new traceability requirements in Protocol 7.0  The Leather Working Group will host two traceability-focused webinars on 19/20 April to provide more information on the new Incoming Material Traceability section of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0, published in February 2021.   Protocol 7.0 introduced a major change to how leather manufacturers are assessed and scored based on the level of traceability they can achieve and are able to demonstrate to an LWG Auditor. In response to growing demand for higher levels of transparency in the leather supply chain, LWG has...

06 April 2021

LANXESS becomes the next Supplier Representative on the LWG Executive Committee.  The Leather Working Group is pleased to announce that LANXESS has been voted in to join our Executive Committee — the decision-making body of the group. As a Supplier Member of LWG, LANXESS has been elected to represent the supplier sector, from chemical companies, to test houses, to machinery manufacturers, and more.   The previous supplier position on the EC was held by Stahl Holdings, represented by Michael Costello. Stahl was elected in 2017 and served a full 48-month term, during which time they led the LWG Supplier Sub-Group (SSG)...

06 April 2021

Improving chemical management in the leather industry with the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0  After the launch of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0 (P7) in February 2021, the Leather Working Group hosted a set of webinars on chemical management in P7 on 24/25 March to provide tanneries more information on the new audit criteria.  Protocol 7.0 integrates the requirements of the LWG Chemical Management Module (CMM), making all chemical management criteria mandatory across all audits. As such, leather manufacturers are expected to demonstrate effective chemical management policies and systems,...

06 April 2021

The Leather Working Group (LWG) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new auditor based in Taiwan.  The Leather Working Group is pleased to welcome a new member of the LWG Auditing Team, Robert Sheng-Tsai Yu. He has joined us as an approved LWG Auditor, and will be working alongside the other LWG auditors and the LWG Team to deliver on-site and remote audits of leather manufacturers, traders, subcontractors, and commissioning manufacturers. Prior to his approval as an LWG Auditor, Robert has gained significant industry experience through working closely with various leather manufacturers in Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia in a consulting capacity...

31 March 2021

With growing demand for more environmentally friendly products and services, more businesses turn to sustainable leather made by responsible manufacturers. Today’s consumers are more mindful than ever before, and they expect the brands they purchase from to provide more —they want environmentally friendly products from ethical, transparent brands. And this trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.  As a result, the leather industry has been wrestling with the impact of leather production on the environment and how to address the challenges faced by most global supply chains in the modern age. But this isn’t a new consideration – global brands and...

01 March 2021

Join the Leather Working Group for our spring Virtual Member Conference this April! In lieu of our regular spring meeting — usually held in Hong Kong to coincide with the APLF Leather Fair — we will hold a Virtual Member Conference on 27 and 28 April 2021 via Zoom. The virtual session will run twice, first on Tuesday 27 April and the second on Wednesday 28 April 2021. Both sessions will cover the same content, to allow members across different regions and time-zones to attend.  The LWG Virtual Member Conference will give members a chance to learn more about LWG’s ongoing projects and...