The philosophy on which it bases itself is simple, using the moisture found in leathers to obtain products similar to those tanned using traditional processes, while also maintaining the very same quality, features, stability, and lead times. Moreover, there is a significant savings in water and in the discharge of wastewater: in fact, there is a savings equal to 600 fewer tons in tanning sewage produced each year, which is the equivalent of 40 full truckloads.

“The process involves only what we currently have on hand”, confirms Thomas Gøgsig, Head of Applied Research at Ecco. “There’s no need to invest in new equipment or look for new special chemical substances. It’s enough to use what is already available in the tannery, just in a different way”.

DryTan technology will allow Ecco to propose products that are always green and eco-friendly: Ecco Leather tans 1.25 million hides each year for footwear and leather goods brands that reach more than 2,230 flagship stores in 90 different nations and more than 14,000 multibrand stores.

In Italy, in 2018, Ecco inaugurated four stores – in Milan, Treviso, Faenza and Turin – after opening six wholesale stores in 2017. It ended 2017 with a profit of 184 million euros out of a 1.27-billion euro turnover.