ENVIRO HIDE WINS GOLD – A ‘GREENER’ NEW LEASE-OF-LIFE FOR LEATHER

Leather waste could become a thing of the past, thanks to disruptive world first chemical-free
technology that utilises leather off-cuts and waste to produce reconstituted leather.

Enviro Hide by EmTech tonight won Gold for Product Design, in Australia’s International Good
Design Awards for Design Excellence, 2022.

There are many industries and consumer products, where leather is the preferred choice for its
natural quality, look, feel and durability, but it traditionally comes with high levels of wastage and at
great cost to the environment

Enviro Hide by EmTech is a sustainable, circular economy product, that could be
transformative for furnishing, automotive, aviation and fashion manufacturing. Enviro
Hide uses 90% less water than leather production, is 20% stronger than split leather and
it passes all chemical tests around the Australian Government’s mandate on the use of
harmful chemicals in manufacturing.’

Through a unique award-winning process, leather waste is re-constituted to form new lengths of
Enviro Hide repeatedly, thus minimising the high water and chemical impact of creating lengths of
leather from raw animal hide.

Enviro Hide is durable, lightweight, soft to the touch, low maintenance and long-lasting. It can be
made in any length, colour, or embossed texture. The product is 70% of the weight of traditional
leather and 20% stronger than split leather.

Leather’s Global Environmental Impact

The value of the global leather industry exceeds $110 billion AUD a year and it is expected to grow
with increasing populations and urbanisation.

Toxicity and waste from the leather industry is a significant global environmental problem. It is
estimated that one metric ton of animal hide is converted into only 200 kg of usable leather product –
just 20%. The solid and liquid waste includes about 250 kg of non-tanned solid waste and 200 kg of tanned waste, (comprising 3 kg of the carcinogenic heavy metal, chromium) and 50,000 kg of
wastewater effluent (comprising 5 kg of chromium).

Design-led Approach to Sustainability

Australian Furniture Association CEO, Patrizia Torelli commented: “It is great to see one of our AFA
Members recognised for designing a circular economy game-changer that reduces the high environmental
and wastage costs of leather for manufacturers worldwide.”

The Good Design Awards Jury commented: “It's vital that our designers have access to sustainable and
environmentally sensitive options that can stand up to the job. It's fantastic to see progress in this area.”
Dr. Brandon Gien, Chair of the Australian Good Design Awards said: “The Good Design Award is a
valuable independent endorsement of professional design quality. It tells the world this project not only
represents design excellence, but it also surpasses the criteria for design innovation and design impact.”

The reconstituted leather product has also obtained the prestigious Global Green Tag Platinum
Product Health Declaration Certification.

Green Tag CEO David Baggs says that Enviro Hide demonstrates how the linear economy can be
eliminated. “More and more products, including furnishings, end up in landfill and are harmful to the
environment.”

Research into Enviro Hide has been verified by independent, internationally recognised testing labs
around composition, performance standards and chemical analysis. Prototype safe manufacturing
processes were tested over two years, with detailed audits of qualifying manufacturing facilities.

Australia’s Peak Design Awards

Winners, including Enviro Hide, were announced on Friday 16th September at the 2022 Australian
Good Design Awards. The Good Design Awards are the highest honour for design and innovation in
the country and reward projects across 11 design disciplines covering more than 30 categories and
sub-categories.

The 2022 Good Design Awards attracted high-quality design projects from Australia and around the
world. These innovative projects were evaluated by more than 70 Australian and international Jurors,
including designers, engineers, architects and thought leaders. Each entry was evaluated according
to a strict set of design evaluation criteria which includes Good Design, Design Innovation and Design
Impact.