One thing should be said in advance: We only use hides that are a byproduct of meat production and we completely avoid using leather from endangered species.

The leathers we use come exclusively from reputable tanneries and come mainly from Italy. There we do not buy from dealers, but directly from manufacturers with whom we have been working for many years. The origin of the leathers is therefore known to us. Furthermore, our leathers are regularly tested physically and chemically for harmful substances. If you want to know more about our pollutant monitoring click here.

Besides Italy, we also source a smaller percentage of our leathers from other countries, e.g. Portugal or India. Here, too, we are mostly dealing with long-standing supplier relationships. Our cooperation is characterized by a relationship of trust – but also by compliance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct. This is regularly checked by our own employees on site or by commissioned inspection bodies.

Leather is considered a high-quality natural material and a durable material for clothing and shoes. For some models of our new brand Pius Gabor we use organic leather for the upper material. Our organic leather is metal-free, vegetable-tanned and chemically harmless. And it is compostable according to ISO standard 20200:2004. The standard, which is actually used to prove the biodegradability of plastic, was modified to ensure its applicability to leather as well.

The majority of the tanneries from which we source our leathers are certified or validated according to:

LWG (Leather Working Group)

The Leather Working Group (LWG) is an initiative where different stakeholders, such as brands or tanneries, have joined forces to make conditions in tanneries and intermediaries more transparent and sustainable. To achieve its goals, the Leather Working Group has developed an audit protocol for sustainable and responsible leather production. Ratings are awarded to suppliers in the categories Gold, Silver and Bronze. Some tanneries that are suppliers to Gabor Shoes AG are members of the LWG and can prove this through certificates.

EMAS (EU Eco-Audit)

The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), also known as the EU Eco-Audit, was developed by the European Union. Similar to ISO 14001, companies are responsible for their own environmental impact. Fundamental to the improvement process is a comprehensive environmental inventory, known as an environmental audit. Organizations are required to “initiate the establishment and implementation of environmental policies, objectives, and programs, as well as effective environmental management systems” (DGQ, 2019). As with ISO 14001, the environmental policy must include a commitment to compliance with all relevant environmental regulations and to continuous improvement. In addition, companies must communicate about their environmental impacts in order to receive validation under EMAS. Companies, service providers, administrations, etc., but also other types of organization including supranational organizations can be certified.

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a standard for the implementation of an environmental management system with the aim of improving environmental protection and reducing environmental impacts. It is based on an environmental policy, which includes a commitment to comply with binding obligations and a continuous improvement process. Companies, businesses, enterprises, but also authorities or institutions can be certified according to ISO 14001.