Denmark's SPOOR achieves OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN for hides

The international OEKO-TEX Association and Danish traceability pioneer SPOOR, part of Scan-Hide, have announced the next step in their strategic collaboration to redefine transparency in the leather industry. Through this partnership, the two organisations will drive forward a data-based approach that enables full traceability of leather products back to the individual animal farm, setting a new global standard for responsible sourcing.

Leveraging SPOOR’s cutting-edge tracking technology, this initiative ensures that every leather hide can be traced from birth through the tanning process to the final product. This traceability data is subsequently digitized within the OEKO-TEX Label Check, allowing consumers to effortlessly access and visualize the locations and stages immediately. By additionally certifying each involved production facility for environmentally conscious practices, responsible chemical management and the upholding of social responsibility standards, OEKO-TEX further advances its MADE IN GREEN label as a benchmark for sustainable and transparent leather. This collaboration is a major step toward a more responsible and environmentally conscious leather industry, offering brands the ability to provide consumers with verifiable insights into their leather products' origins and production processes.

Driving sustainability through data and transparency

With this partnership, SPOOR and OEKO-TEX are lifting the bar for transparency in the leather industry. Sustainability and circular economy principles are integral to SPOOR‘s business. Inspired by the food industry's traceability practices, SPOOR is now bringing a similar level of insight and accountability to the leather sector. SPOOR enables every hide is tracked from farm to finished product, ensuring transparency.

Consumers increasingly demand proof of sustainability, and by integrating SPOOR’s fully traceable hides with OEKO-TEX certification standards the international association and SPOOR are providing the industry with a powerful tool to meet these expectations.

A first-of-its-kind traceability solution for the leather industry

The collaboration will start as a pilot project to implement OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN as the label for leather supply chain transparency for products produced from SPOOR hides. In January 2025, SPOOR leather achieved the OEKO-TEX LEATHER STANDARD certification, which represents a crucial step towards the MADE IN GREEN label. A further significant milestone was the OEKO-TEX STeP certification of Scan-Hide in 2023. With the LEATHER STANDARD certification, this marks the launch of the first MADE IN GREEN pre-tanned leather label, offering full traceability back to the farm.

By integrating SPOOR’s traceability data with OEKO-TEX certification, brands can now offer consumers documented proof of origin for their leather goods. The SPOOR traceability system is built on unique identifiers assigned to each hide at birth, following it throughout its journey from the farm, through tanning at Denmark's last remaining tannery, to the final product. This innovative approach ensures 100% documented transparency, meeting the growing consumer demand for ethical and sustainable sourcing.

Pioneering a new era for leather industry transparency

Research indicates that transparency is a key factor in purchasing decisions, with consumers actively seeking products that align with their values. The integration of traceability technology and OEKO-TEX certification addresses this demand, allowing leather brands to confidently offer sustainable, high-welfare leather products.

OEKO-TEX and SPOOR’s proactive approach to enhancing transparency in the leather industry reflects the commitment to addressing sustainability challenges. By prioritizing traceability as a cornerstone of accountability, their joint solution aligns with and supports the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR).

"We believe that co-creation with all stakeholders in the value chain is essential for creating meaningful change," Birgitte Holgaard Langer, Business Development Director at SPOOR and Annika Sauerhöfer, Product Manager at OEKO-TEX agree. "Our collaboration is a milestone in our journey to set new industry standards and drive the future of responsibly sourced and transparent leather."

With this step, SPOOR and OEKO-TEX bring their existing partnership to the next level. As both parties continue to develop and refine traceability solutions, they invite brands to join this transformative movement towards a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable leather industry.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)