Research and innovation both play an important role in Conceria Settebello’s activity, not only when it comes to long-term planning, but above all, through concrete, measurable actions. This is why we have always been involved in research initiatives, both on our own and in conjunction with other companies and bodies. Our goal is to constantly improve the quality of our products, supply chain sustainability and social responsibility. We have received funding from the Tuscan Regional Government and the Italian Ministry for Universities for projects developed for European programmes. Our first R&D initiative, financed by the Tuscan Regional Government, was in 2007 and was called “IDRA.CO PLATFORM FOR OPTIMISING WASTE WATER IN THE TANNING SECTOR”. Then followed two projects financed by MIUR in 2008 and 2011, then ACQUA 360 and AUTANNERY in 2014 (both financed by the Tuscan Regional Government with MUIR falling under Call for Proposal RS2014 and ACQUA 360 under Call for Proposal in Innovation), and another two projects financed by the Tuscan Regional Government in 2017 and 2020 respectively named MITICO (Call for Proposal RS2017) and ISTRICE (Call for Proposal RS2020). The themes of these various projects range from optimising production processes and reducing energy consumption to developing new tanning systems and adopting new technologies in order to reduce environmental impact. Alongside innovation designed to improve efficiency and help the environment, we also invest in research in stylistic and technical areas, ensuring we keep abreast of market trends and demand, in order to offer our clients high-quality leather that is always in fashion.
Our commitment to products and processes that minimise any impact on the environment is based on an exclusive and highly original concept. We installed an innovative proactive system that monitors our environmental performance by means of a series of real-time controls of energy and water consumption, of workplace air quality and water and air discharges.
Essentially an advanced IoT system customised for our tannery, it consists of a network of sensors managed by a software platform which transmits a complete and live picture of environment performance indicators that can be correlated to specific batches of items produced. It also acts as an excellent diagnostic tool that can be used not only for monitoring purposes, but also to optimise the different phases by identifying critical points and allowing intervention on the spot.
The Settebello in-house laboratory is key to our R&D activities, and is staffed by a highly qualified team who work with cutting-edge technology and tools to carry out chemical-physical tests on hides, chemical products and various environmental elements.
The aim of the AUTANNERY project, promoted by Conceria Settebello, was to develop a new line of finishes through the introduction of new technologies within the tanning industry. The starting point was the Smart Factory concept, both in terms of machinery engineering and IT management.
International and EU eco-toxicological regulations and the technical specifications of global fashion’s leading players are in constant evolution, with increasingly strict requirements when it comes to green products and eco-sustainability. MITICO represents a highly innovative response to this. It aims to develop the production process of a new ecological and highly biodegradable tanning agent from specific biomass, resulting in the creation of metal-free hides.
The idea behind ACQUA360 is to build a pilot plant for the purification and refinement of domestic waste water, with the aim of producing a sufficient quantity of process water to supply three tanneries that represent the Tuscan production sector. These tanneries would then test the water through every stage of their processing cycle to understand if it can be used for 100% of their manufacturing potential.
The ISTRICE project’s purpose is to create a proactive monitoring system of the tannery’s environmental performance by developing a real-time control network of energy and water consumption, of workplace air quality and water and air discharges.
The project is about investing in essential business activity equipment in line with 14.0 standards, such as a drum and chemical product mixing system.
The aim of this project is to create a brand that communicates the concepts of sustainability of its production and participation in fairs, and as such to draw attention to this exclusive aspect that adds value to the fashion sector.
Conceria Settebello spa
Via XXV Luglio, 32, 56029 Santa Croce
P.Iva 00205010507
CF 00125360503
