Limburgs Leather

Limburgs leather

Leolux cooperates with IBI² and local companies towards an ecological leather that is degradable and traceable. In order to develop a sustainable product in accordance with the principles of the Blue Economy.

Intro

Corus leather comes from a Limburg Limousin cow. Their hides are locally processed, in a unique processing chain, which results in beautiful natural leather. Produced with probiotics, it is using less water and energy than "normal" furniture leather. In addition, it is fully degradable and traceable to the pasture where the animal has grazed.

In bold development processes challenges are inevitable. While searching for suppliers, we began exploring our own city, Venlo. Obviously, resources here were concise. Subsequentlly we tried to keep the chain as local as possible. The biggest distance between Leolux and a supplier was 125 km. (Leolux).

Client

Leolux

Cooperations

Limousin regionaal, Tomassen Vlees, Rompa Tanneries, provincie Limburg en Arvalis

Our role

Research & Ketens

Goal

Of course, Leolux has product development and production 100% in-house, but Hilco's design also comes from Limburg, just like the family business itself. Designer Patrick Belli grew up in the hills of Limburg. The materials come from the smallest possible circle around Venlo: foam, metal, the seat shell ... Special feature: the beautiful natural leather does not come, as usual, from northern Italy but from Limousin cattle in the immediate vicinity of Leolux. Therefore, Leolux set up a completely new production chain together with IBI, in cooperation with the cattle farmers and meat processors.

Collaborations

The collaboration came about at the initiative of IBI in cooperation with Leolux. Together we searched for the missing links in the chain within a radius of 125 km. Together with Limousin Regionaal, Tomassen Vlees, Rompa Tanneries we succeeded in creating this beautiful authentic leather. With thanks to the support of Arvalis and the province of Limburg.

Chains

We gain a great deal with this leather. Normally a hide travels around two thousand kilometers from the pasture to the Leolux factory. The transporting distance for our own leather decreased a lot. No less than 75%! From the Limburg meadow, to the leather processors and finally to Leolux: the whole journey is no more than five hundred kilometers. (Leolux).

100% locally

The armchair Hilco (in full Hilco Prime) is local to the core. Designer Patrick Belli hails from the south of the province, product development took place at Leolux in Venlo, as did all production. The high-quality raw materials all come from the region.

Corus leather comes from a Limburg Limousin cow. Their hides are processed on site, in a unique processing chain, resulting in beautiful natural leather. Produced with probiotics, it uses less water and energy than "ordinary" furniture leather. Moreover, it is fully degradable and traceable to the pasture where the animal has grazed. (Leolux).

The Blue Economy and circular processes

In the Blue Economy the only way of working is to use what is locally available. In this new chain, transport is reduced and leather is purchased locally.

The skins were previously sold along as a waste product. Because they have gained more added value in the new chain, with the Blue Economy they are viewed as a residual product. As a result, the skins have become a clear source for a product.

In the field of sustainability, Leolux is inspired by the Blue Economy. This theory reaches further than the environment alone, and also involves the regional economy. Leolux makes use of the expertise of IBI2, also co-initiator of the program to produce local leather. With the production of local leather, Leolux is making great strides: the hides travel three quarters less kilometers, which saves on particulate matter and CO2 emissions from trucks, the economy in the region is stimulated (cattle farmers, tanneries, suppliers) and production is also cleaner, because in the most polluting part of the process (the wet house / beamhouse), 15% of water and energy is saved through the use of probiotics.

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