We are always on the lookout for new, environmentally friendly solutions. For shoes materials and our production process as well. But we have always done some things differently – and better. We have never used pollutant chromium salt to tan our leather, for example. And just what do we mean by chrome-free tanning?
When hides are tanned, tanneries stabilize the structure of the hide to turn it into leather. As a result of the tanning process, leather becomes durable and weather-resistant. And then it is suitable for daily use. Normally, tanning is done with chromium salt.
From the very beginning, Snipe refused to use chromium salt in its tanning process because it is not harmful to the environment and some people have an allergic reaction to it. Snipe tans its leather with titanium!
And this has many advantages. The Snipe tanning process uses titanium in salt form. This has the following advantages in comparison to chromium salt:
- Safe and does not irritate the skin, used in the medical sector
- Biodegradable and non-polluting
- Hypoallergenic
Titanium is non-toxic, so the Snipe tanning process has eliminated most of the pollution that traditional tanning processes (including vegetable tanning) cause. Waste that contains titanium can be used as fertilizer or as the basis for animal fodder.
The COD Test (chemical oxygen demand) is typically used as an indirect measure of the organic pollution of water and is a good indicator of water quality. The waste water resulting from tanning with titanium complies with the COD Test guidelines and is not harmful to rivers and streams or the life they contain. Because titanium is non-toxic! It is also used in the medical sector. Many areas of medicine use titanium for screws that remain in the body after operations, for example. The human body does not reject titanium.