Valorisation of leather waste from automobile industry to develop innovative textile coatings

Main Article Content

Augusta Silva
Helena Vilaça
Jéssica Antunes
Ashly Rocha
Carla Silva

Abstract

The development of a new generation of coated textile solutions based on the incorporation of industrial natural leather waste from automobile cutting operations, conferring new functionalities with eco-design and fashion effects was studied. This work provides new insights to major consumer trends, including ethical, environmental, and sustainable attitudes, focusing on sustainability from a circular economy and industrial symbiosis perspective. Herein, leather wastes from the automobile industry were transformed using both mechanical and chemical processes. Subsequently, the recycled residues were used to develop new coating formulations and applied as textile coatings, to obtain a new generation of more sustainable-coated textile solutions. The coated substrates were fully characterised and a series of normalized tests were conducted to determine and assess their mechanical and functional properties. The newly developed solutions met and even exceeded the performance standards and specifications of the fashion, shoes and accessories, furniture and home textile sectors. With the elaboration and application of novel coating formulations, a series of prototypes were developed with enhanced and innovative material. The Life Cycle Assessment of these new textile products demonstrated that they hold a lower environmental impact in comparison to natural leather used for clothing and shoe applications. Hence, the valorisation of hydrolysed natural leather wastes by textile coating applications was successfully achieved.

Article Details

Author Biographies

Augusta Silva, CITEVE, Technological Center for the Textile & Clothing Industry, Vila Nova de Famalicão

Master Degree in Textile Engineering from Minho University in 2013, and graduated in Textile Engineering from Minho University in 1994. Innovation manager of textile printing and coating at CITEVE. Researcher at Chemical and Biotechnology Department at CITEVE. With more than 20 years of experience in applied and industry-oriented research and consultant, at least 6 patents and several published papers in books and journals.

Helena Vilaça, CITEVE, Technological Center for the Textile & Clothing Industry, Vila Nova de Famalicão

Degree in Chemistry (2008, UM), Master in Medicinal Chemistry (2010, UM) and PhD in Sciences- Chemistry (2015, UM). In CITEVE she is a Researcher and Project Manager at the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology. Her work is focused on textile functionalization using bio-additives, sustainability, circular economy, healthcare textiles, legislation on chemicals and their safe use. She has one international patent, nine peer-reviewed articles, one book chapter, and supervised several students.

Jéssica Antunes, CITEVE, Technological Center for the Textile & Clothing Industry, Vila Nova de Famalicão

Degree in Biothecnology (2021, UBI). She is a researcher at Chemistry and Biotechnology Department at CITEVE. Her work is based on textile recycling. Some of her research interests are sustainability, circular economy, biotechnology, and the development of new chemical and enzymatic recycling approaches.

Ashly Rocha, CITEVE, Technological Center for the Textile & Clothing Industry, Vila Nova de Famalicão

Degree in Life Sciences (2009, UofT), Masters in Medicinal Chemistry (2011, UM) and a PhD Candidate in Sciences-Applied Chemistry. She is a researcher at the Chemistry and Biotechnology Department at CITEVE. Her work is based on textile recycling, textile functionalization using chemical surface modifications, and development of innovative materials. Some of her research interests are sustainability, circular economy, and healthcare textiles. She has 4 peer-reviewed article and has supervised serveral students.

Carla Silva, CITEVE, Technological Center for the Textile & Clothing Industry, Vila Nova de Famalicão

Degree in Biological Engineering (UM 1996), Master in Industrial Biotechnology (USP-Brazil 1999) and PhD in Textile Chemistry (UM 2005). At CITEVE, she leads the Chemical and Biotechnological Department, having more than 20 years of experience in applied and industry-oriented research, more than 40 papers and 10 patents. Her research interests cover various topics, ranging from surface engineering, biotechnology, nanocoatings, processes optimization, processes sustainability and development of innovative materials, fibres and polymers.

References

Chojnacka, K., Skrzypczak, D., Mikula, K., Witek-Krowiak, A., Izydorczyk, G., Kuligowski, K., ... & Ku?a?y?ski, M. (2021). Progress in sustainable technologies of leather wastes valorization as solutions for the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 313, 127902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127902

Ebabu, W., Israil Hossain, M., El-Naggar, M. E., Kechi, A., Hailemariam, S. S., & Ahmed, F. E. (2022). Exploration of Functional Polymers for Cleaner Leather Industry. Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials, 32, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-021-02129-4

EcoDomo - Sustainable Leathers and Fabrication. (n.d.). Retrieved from Ecodomo: https://www.ecodomo.com/

Fabric Suplly Incorporated (n.d.). https://www.fabricsupply.com/products/embrace-recycled-leather/

Favini (2017). Remake. The up-cycled paper from leather residues. https://www.favini.com/gs/en/fine-papers/remake/features-applications/

Ferreira, M. J. (2012). Contribuições para a Gestão de Resíduos de Couro Curtido com Crómio da Indústria do Calçado. Retrieved from www.ctcp.pt

Gelatex. (n.d.). https://www.gelatex.com/

Körlü, A. (Ed.). (2020). Waste in Textile and Leather Sectors. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90014

?awi?ska, K. (2021). Production of Agglomerates, Composite Materials, and Seed Coatings from Tannery Waste as New Methods for Its Management. Materials, 14(21), 6695. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14216695

Li, Y., Guo, R., Lu, W. et al. (2019) Research progress on resource utilization of leather solid waste. Journal of Leather Science and Engineering 1(6). 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42825-019-0008-6

Moreira, S. C. P. A. (2008). Estudo da obtenção de Gelatina a partir de Raspa Wet-Blue da Indústria de Curtumes [Doctoral dissertation] Instituto Politecnico do Porto]. Repositório P.Porto https://recipp.ipp.pt/bitstream/10400.22/2405/1/DM_SilvanaMoreira_2008_MEQ.pdf

Pyle, C. (2012). What is Recycled Leather? Natural Upholstery Consultation. https://naturalupholstery.com/2012/09/what-is-recycled-leather/

Recyc Leather (n.d.). http://www.recycleather.com/

Santos, M. A. (2015). Patent No. BR 10 2013 028947 7 A2.

Usenbekov J., Seitov B.K., Nurbay S.K., Abenova I.R. (2020). Recycling of leather and shoe waste. The Journal of Almaty Technological University, 2020(3), 48-52. https://doi.org/10.48184/2304-568X-2020-3-48-52