WE MAKE ETHICAL LEATHER
Not a single animal has died for this leather
Elk is a wild animal that has been a part of Finnish nature since the Stone Ages. Elk does not require care or resources from humans, as they live free in the wilderness. The king of the forest has no natural predators, so authorities must control its population. The number of elks is calculated annually. Based on this data, the Finnish Wildlife Agency grants hunting permits that help keep the elk population at a target level.
Wildlife population control is necessary to guarantee the continuity and vitality of the species. Overpopulation would cause malnutrition, increase the number of fatal vehicle crashes and cause damage to forests.
The hunting season is limited from September to December. Finnish tradition guides hunters to respect their prey, and the Hunting Act prohibits causing unnecessary pain and suffering to animals. In addition, every hunter must pass a theory exam and a practical test to ensure that they are familiar with respectful, ethical hunting practices. The Hunting Act also protects our nature: hunters move in the wilderness on foot: the use of vehicles or machinery in hunting is forbidden.
Genuinely ethical leather is made from the hide of free and happy animals. Our leathers will never be mass produced; they are unique natural products. The wilderness can be felt and seen in our leather and maintaining its natural character is a matter of pride for us. In practice this means that there will be minor natural imperfections such as scratches and light abrasions visible in the finished product.
WE MAKE ECOLOGICAL LEATHER
Responsibly produced leather is a more ecological choice than fake leather
Most vegan leather is made from plastic, especially from polyurethane, PVC or polyester. All of these materials are made from fossil fuels and they are not biodegradable. The lifespan of products made from real leather is significantly longer than that of products made from fake leather. With good care, leather ages beautifully and can last from one generation to the next, developing a unique patina effect.
There are different options for tanning leather, the most usual ones being chrome and vegetable tanning. Vegetable tanning is a thousands of years old method, it requires sound knowledge of traditional handicrafts. By combining these skills with modern production design, the ecological footprint we create is as small as possible. In vegetable tanning, the tannins come from natural sources such as tree bark instead of chemicals.
We only chrome tan products when the use of the end product requires i.e. exceptional heat resistance or waterproofing. Chrome that has been generated during the tanning process is precipitated and it is delivered as a solid mass to an authorized further processing plant. We take responsibility for the chrome tanning process; in order to ensure the quality of production, we regularly test finished leathers in independent laboratories.
With correct and expert handling, both tanning methods are safe for the environment and the employees. Ecological leather is the end product of responsible and environmentally friendly production.
Green and sustainable production
We believe in resource efficiency in all our activities. We aim to use energy, water and raw materials as efficiently and ecologically as possible during our production process.
We invest in new technology for our machinery and challenge our production design with constant development.
- We don’t use coal or heavy fuel. We only use green electricity in our production. In all our activities, we pay attention to minimizing energy consumption; even the factory lighting has been switched to LED lamps.
- All water used during our production process is collected and treated in the company's own water treatment facility. We have been issued an environmental permit and our company activities are supervised by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
- We only use water-dilutable chemicals, and all the chemical products we use are REACH compliant.
- We use community eco-labelled and biodegradable packing materials, whenever it is possible.
- All organic sludge and solid waste is turned into biogas in a nearby biogas facility. With our waste, almost 200,000 greener kilometres can be produced for natural gas vehicles, which reduces the use of fossil fuel. Just like other renewable fuels, the carbon dioxide emissions of biogas in traffic use are calculated to be zero.
- We prefer to make purchases from local businesses.
0% waste in raw materials
From the hunted animal, nothing goes to waste. Hunters use the meat, but processing of the hides is often too much work for one person; without an external buyer, these hides would be left to rot in the forests.
We buy all hides from hunting clubs - even the ones that are not fit for tanning. The best skins are chosen for leather production and the ones with bigger surface flaws we use for our dog bones and treats.
100% of the raw material is used. Find out more about our dog bone production here.
Our own carbon sink
Forests are Finland’s most significant renewable resource and an important part of our national wealth.
We compensate environmental impacts with our carbon sink and growing and maintaining our own forest is a part of our contribution in preserving the environment.
Our lands include coniferous pine forests where lingonberries grow in red clusters in the fall and thick spruce wood where moose and other forest animals can wander unseen. The beard moss that grows on trees is a clear sign of pure, unpolluted forest air.
