Chemical management specialist Oeko-Tex has collaborated with traceability technology provider SPOOR to create a new transparency platform for the leather industry.
By means of this collaboration, the two organizations will advance a data-driven methodology that permits complete leather product traceability down to the specific animal farm, establishing a new worldwide benchmark for ethical sourcing. This program guarantees that every leather hide can be tracked from birth through the tanning process to the finished product by utilizing SPOOR’s state-of-the-art tracking equipment. The OEKO-TEX Label Check then digitizes this traceability data so that customers can easily view and visualize the locations and phases right away.
OEKO-TEX enhances its MADE IN GREEN label as a standard for sustainable and transparent leather by also certifying each production facility for environmentally conscious procedures, responsible chemical management, and the keeping of social responsibility norms.
To establish OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN as the label for leather supply chain transparency for goods made from subpar hides, the partnership will begin as a pilot project. SPOOR leather obtained the OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD accreditation in January 2025, marking a significant advancement toward the MADE IN GREEN designation. Scan-Hide’s 2023 OEKO-TEX® STeP accreditation was another noteworthy achievement. With the LEATHER STANDARD accreditation, the first MADE IN GREEN pre-tanned leather label is introduced, providing complete farm-to-farm traceability. Brands are now able to provide customers with verified proof of origin for their leather items by combining SPOOR’s traceability data with OEKO-TEX® certification. Each hide is given a unique identifier upon birth, which serves as the foundation for the SPOOR tracking system.
“We believe that co-creation with all stakeholders in the value chain is essential for creating meaningful change,” said Birgitte Holgaard Langer, Business Development Director at SPOOR, and Annika Sauerhöfer. Supporting his statement product manager at OEKO-TEX® said. “Our collaboration is a milestone in our journey to set new industry standards and drive the future of responsibly sourced and transparent leather.”
By taking this action, SPOOR and OEKO-TEX® advance their current collaboration. Both sides encourage brands to become part of this revolutionary shift toward a more open, accountable, and sustainable leather industry as they develop and enhance traceability solutions.
