Dyestuff in Ecopell...

Ecopell leather is colored with synthetic dyestuff without using any heavy metals. Every new developed tone is first examined in terms of its environmental compatibility. One of the criteria is absence of heavy metals. The results of the tests for harmful substances are listed in the datasheets of our leather.

The basic tanning agent for all colored Ecopell-leather is Tara. All colored leather become lighter with time. How fast the brightening happens depends on the light-fastness of the leather. It is stated on every leather datasheet. Leather with a light-fastness of level 1 has a very low light-fastness, leather of level 6 has a very high light-fastness. Level 6 however cannot be reached yet with naturally maintained leather. For the time being the highest light-fastness is reached with black leather with level 5.

Ecopell leather is not colored in the natural colors:

• Tara 361
• Valonea 363
• Bahamas sand 369 (Mimosa)
• Belugaweiß 360 (synthetic tanning)

It also depends on the characteristics of the different tanning agents if leather darkens (Mimosa) or brightens (Rhubarb) within a short period of time.

• ‘Tara’ and ‘Valonea’ stay fast to light for a long time and become slowly brighter.
• Olifant 183 leather carries an oxidation layer using peroxide of iron. Depending on the quantity of the used peroxide of iron the resulting tone varies from grey to almost black.
• Belugaweiß 360 leather gets even more white under the influence of light.

Vegetable tanning agents are still in the state of research and development. These tanning substances offer many options but for the time being the costs are very high and unfortunately economically hardly to realize.