Chromate freedom
Right from the start, POLOLO consciously and consistently only uses purely vegetable-tanned leather.
When making leather, the tanning process is intended to make the animal skin more supple and durable. Traditional, but somewhat more complex and time-consuming processes with vegetable tanning agents can be used for this purpose - tanning with the heavy metal chromium is the quickest and cheapest way to achieve this goal: 85 to 90 percent of global leather production is therefore carried out using chromium tanning.
However, under inadequate production conditions, the useful chromium (III) used can be converted into harmful, toxic chromate, called chromium (VI), through oxidation. Tanners in so-called “low-wage countries” and those living next to such a factory are at risk of serious health damage. Those who wear products made from such leather are also affected. When it comes to shoes, especially for small children, you should pay attention to chrome-free leather if possible.
There are already 500.000 chromate contact allergy sufferers in Germany
Doctors estimate that there are already 500.000 chromate contact allergy sufferers in Germany and the number will continue to increase. Important to know: Sensitization caused, for example, by contact with chromate in leather shoes lasts a lifetime!
A chromate allergy is an overreaction of the body's own immune system: there is a risk of skin damage in the form of irritation, eczema and, in the worst case, ulcers. In the first phase there is a risk of confusion with athlete's foot, which is why the allergy may not be recognized straight away. If exposed to the skin for a long time, chromate can even have a carcinogenic effect.
85 to 90 percent of global leather production involves chrome tanning
Be on the safe side with vegetable tanning
Experts estimate that despite an EU regulation from 2014, around 20 percent of leather shoes sold in Germany still contain significant amounts of chromate, even though it is banned. However, since chromium VI residues are odorless, detection is only possible with complex laboratory tests.
Chrome-tanned leather is always gray at the end of the tanning process, so it is always necessary to dye such leather - this is not necessary with vegetable-tanned leather because the color of the tanning plant can be left as is (e.g. rhubarb dyes yellow, tara white). The coloring can therefore be done directly with the plant tanning agent, which is harmless to health. The consistent use of purely vegetable-tanned leather offers many advantages and avoids problems when evaluating the entire process chain.
POLOLO leather is tanned exclusively using plants - here as an example the tanning agent Tara plant
