Frequenty asked questions

What you want to know

Why use Litehide?

• Can lower the cost of finished leather with no impact on quality.
• A more sustainable leather. Provides an opportunity to market an environmental product.
• Gives a differentiating factor against industry peers.
• Gain better control over supply chain and shorten production cycle.
• Allows for greater transparency and traceability.

Will there be a tradeoff with quality?

• No, Litehide does not impact the quality of the hide in anyway. Litehide provides like for like quality when from the same source.
• In fact, as Litehide is shipped de-haired, it will allow an industry first of early grain verification, and hence a much more accurate pre-grading of the quality of hide before shipping.

Will it cost more?

• No, it should cost less due to the cost savings achievable through lower transportation cost, no spoilage, reduced wastage.
• The amount of savings depend on whether you buy leather made from Litehide, or Litehide directly. Also, every brand’s supply chain, leather requirements and cost structure is different.

What advantages are there over current practices?

• Salt use is eliminated from transportation meaning there is a much lower environmental impact and much lower effluent load.
• Litehide is non-perishable giving improved inventory management and hence supply chain management. Also eliminates the issue of spoilage.
• Litehide is stored in a untanned condition, hence allowing greater production flexibility with leather manufacturing as and when required.

How do we implement Litehide in our supply chain? We currently only buy salted hides/wet blue/finished leather?

• Customers can simply requesting their current leather agents/tanners to adopt Litehide for manufacturing own leather orders.
• Leatherteq will assist tanners to order sample Litehide pieces to your specifications, advise on rehydration and tanning.

Where do I buy Litehide from?

• Leatherteq has authorized specific meatpackers/tanners under license to manufacture Litehide. We are able to provide most types of hides and thickness. Please contact us for more details.

Am I limited to making one type of leather from Litehide?

• No, you are free to use any tannage. We have tanners in different continents making leather from Litehide using chrome, vegetable or chrome-free tannage.