Remember Erin Brockovich? Known by many from the biographical movie in which she was portrayed by Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich fought against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company after finding evidence that the groundwater in her local area was seriously contaminated with a metallic chemical, chromium VI, causing cancer among the residents.
Chromium used in 90 percent of the world's leather production
All leather is tanned to make it more durable and less susceptible to decomposition. Unfortunately, the most common tanning methods in the leather industry worldwide are chrome-based although natural alternatives exist. In fact, stats show that chromium is used in 90 percent of the world's leather production despite the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns that chromium metal can cause danger to eyes, skin and the respiratory system.
Half of imported leather goods cause hazard to human health
Even worse, while there are different forms of chromium, a frequently used form in leather tanning is trivalent chromium which according to the European Union can oxidise into chromium VI - the exact same metallic chemical Erin Brockovich found and fought - under certain conditions. In 2011, a study from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that almost half of imported leather goods contained chromium VI. Even if chromium VI is only present in small amounts in the leather, it can cause dermal allergies and asthmatic reactions. Ingestion of chromium VI can also cause irritation or ulcers in the stomach and intestines, while chronic inhalation of chromium VI compounds increases the risk of lung cancer. Unsurprisingly, Green Cross Switzerland and Pure Earth announced chromium VI one of the six largest threats to human health in 2015.
Vegetable tanning is a sustainable alternative
Chromium is not just bad for humans. It’s bad for the environment too. That’s why Vakigrad along with an Italian tannery have developed a leather tanned with vegetable extracts from bark, leaves and root vegetables which we use for all our leather goods. This vegetable tanning process is significantly slower than chrome tanning. But the result is a unique leather that meets our requirements to timelessness for style; product quality for longevity; and cleaner materials.
