03 August 2020

The ZDHC MRSL 2.0 was updated in June 2020 to include new statements on heavy metals, most notably for metal complexed dyes. This change is related to the fact that a reliable test has not yet been developed to distinguish between heavy metals that are complexed in dyes and those which are present as an impurity.   LWG officially endorses the ZDHC MRSL and requires conformance to the it during the course of an LWG Chemical Management Module (CMM) audit. To clarify, LWG requires conformance to the version of the MRSL in place at the time of a CMM audit. When ZDHC MRSL Version 2.0 has been fully implemented...

03 August 2020

*Please note, nominatons are now closed for this round of EC elections* The Leather Working Group (LWG) has opened nominations for two positions on the LWG Executive Committee (EC). Two current EC members will come to the end of their terms in September 2020: Clarks International (brand representative) and Sadesa (leather manufacturer representative). As such, we welcome nominations from our Brand Members and Audited Leather Manufacturers.  The LWG Executive Committee is the leading governance body of the group, comprised of representatives from across the leather supply chain. Also, the group requires the inclusion of at least one small leather manufacturer and one...

03 August 2020

The most recent addition to the LWG webinar series featured a virtual seminar on risk assessments and emergency planning within leather manufacturing facilities, within the context of the LWG Environmental Audit protocol.   Mark Lucas, LWG-approved auditor and member of the LWG Technical Sub-Group (TSG) delivered the webinar in two sessions: the first on Wednesday 29th July and the second on Thursday 30th July 2020. LWG aims to provide all webinars in at least two separate live sessions, to allow for members across multiple different time-zones to attend.   Section 12 of the LWG Environmental Audit Protocol...

03 August 2020

Guest Contributor: Georgina Mawer, Eurofins BLC Leather Technology Centre  The presence of Chromium VI in leather goods remains under the supply chain spotlight. It is mentioned in weekly RAPEX reports (EU), ongoing discussions under the proposed EU sensitizer regulations and in recent 60-day notices under the California Proposition 65 law (US). Products containing excessive levels of Chromium VI continue to be withdrawn from the market, recalled from end users, and rejected at borders, impacting manufacturers and retailers in terms of cost and reputation.  Chromium – The Facts  Chromium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals,...

03 August 2020

The Leather Working Group (LWG) hosted a webinar for members of the LWG Animal Welfare Group (AWG), as well as interested parties across the LWG membership.  Launched in 2016, the AWG was created as a separately funded educational forum for members of LWG to discuss animal welfare within the context of the leather manufacturing industry. The group is informational only and provides members with access to high-level overviews of agricultural and sourcing practices in various countries.   The webinar was well attended by AWG members and some potential new members also joined to learn more about some of the insights gained...

06 July 2020

As Covid-19 continues to impact global trade, the Leather Working Group recognises that reductions in production output may have a negative impact on the energy and water usage performance of tanneries.    Whist this situation persists, a temporary allowance will be granted to tanneries undergoing an audit during this period. Tanneries will be able to exclude some of the poorer performance months when the scoring is determined in the energy and water sections.  The allowance is only applicable to P6.7.0. The applicability of the allowance will be reviewed by TSG at least every six months. As a result, we are pleased to issue Version 6.7.0 of the LWG...

06 July 2020

Version 3.0.0 of the LWG Trader Audit Protocol becomes the mandatory protocol for the auditing of all part-processed and finished material traders.   Following the initial launch of V3.0.0 in December 2019, LWG provided a six-month introductory period, where currently certified traders could choose to be audited using either the previous version of the protocol (V2.0.3) or the new version of the protocol.  The introductory period ended on 30th June 2020, henceforth all trader audits will be conducted against Version 3.0.0 of the LWG Trader Audit Protocol.  To be eligible for this audit, Traders must:  have a...

06 July 2020

We are pleased to announce that Christina Trautmann, Operations Manager for LWG, has been invited to speak at the virtual Sustainability Seminar jointly hosted by Buckman, World Leather, and Leatherbiz scheduled for later this month.  The inaugural seminar will gather members from across the leather supply chain to discuss key drivers for sustainability, with a focus on how the global landscape is shifting as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  LWG will outline the goals of the group and provide a perspective on the impact of the current public health crisis on our membership, which includes over...

06 July 2020

Authored by Mark Lucas, LWG Auditor  There is a myth that the Romans rendered the lands around Carthage infertile after their victory in the third Punic War by spreading salt on the land. Whilst there might have been symbolic scattering, the cost of salt in 146 b.c. would have been prohibitive. Nevertheless, the tale, although apocryphal, is indicative of how the curse of salt on the environment has been recognised for centuries.  Leather manufacture can result in substantial discharge of salt, some of which is associated with the salt used when pickling in preparation for tanning. However, the major impact is associated with preservation, which then leads to an emission...

06 July 2020

Following the launch of the LWG Webinar Series, we are pleased to announce that our next webinar will focus on the risk assessment and emergency planning for leather manufacturing facilities, within the context of the LWG Environmental Audit Protocol.   Delivered by Mark Lucas, LWG Auditor and member of the LWG Technical Sub-Group, this webinar will go into detail on creating effective risk assessments, health and safety of facility workers, H2S detection and emergency planning.   We will run the Risk Assessment & Emergency Planning webinar twice, allowing members based in different time-zones the opportunity to join the session...

06 July 2020

In an effort to ensure our group continues to respond to our members’ concerns, we issued a survey on industry-wide impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak in April 2020. Over the four-week response period, we received input from 229 LWG Member Companies, representing almost 30% of the total membership. The breakdown of responses is as below:  149 Leather Manufacturers  33 Suppliers  25 Traders  22 Brands/Retailers  Impacts & Recovery  95% of respondents reported a moderate to severe impact on business operations, including a majority advising that their order volumes have decreased by over 30%. On...

06 July 2020

The LWG Animal Welfare Group (AWG) will host an online webinar for all AWG Members on Tuesday 28th July 2020 at 09:00-10:00 BST.   The webinar will cover a couple of animal welfare related topics, including a status report on the development of the animal welfare best practice guide. There will also be some time for a Q&A at the end, where we will answer any questions you submit during the webinar.  To register for this webinar, please email the LWG Events Coordinator to request an invitation.  This webinar is principally only available to members of the AWG subgroup,...