about rhabarberleder
Rhabarber – an exciting raw material
The starting point for the development of rhabarberleder (rhubarb leather) was the search for an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional chrome tanning.
The renewable material rhubarb or rather rhubarb roots naturally contain ingredients called Tannins, which are suitable for tanning leather. In order to obtain the tannins, they need to be efficiently extracted from the roots. As part of our research and development and in addition to the identification of the best rhubarb plants (genotypes) and the optimization of cultivation we developed an industrially applicable extraction method suited to produce an efficient tanning extract in large quantities.
Even with growing rhubarb leather production the acreage required are marginal and there is no competition with common food crops.
we call it "rootmade"
The key question was whether a premium leather quality can be achieved with the new rhubar tanning. Today we can answer this question with „yes“. rhabarberleder convinces through a very special feel. The handle is soft, the smell extraordinary pleasant and you can see very well that the gentle tanning process and the rhubarb ingredients perfectly preserve the unique structure of each skin. rhabarberleder are unique items of a special quality that are made to last.The skins are dried very gently, so that hardly any Maßgewinn is achieved. But therefore the leather is perfectly „in shape“ even after years. In addition to the haptic qualities rhabarberleder also meet the market and customer requirements in terms of technical and and health-related parameters. The uncoated skins are breathable and due to the conscious forgoing of environmentally harmful heavy metal and chromium compounds low in pollutants and very kind to the skin. So even babies / toddlers and especially chrome allergy sufferers can easily use rhubarb leather and products made therefrom.
rhabarberleder – think environmentally conscious and sustainable
It was our ambitious goal to completely realize rhabarberleder „Made in Germany“ and still remain competitive in terms of prices. Today we can proudly say that all process steps from the cultivation of rhubarb, to the extraction of the tannin agent as well as the tanning itself is fully realized in Germany. Even the rawhides come from regional resources with short transport distances. The leather production with renewable raw materials and the tech- nological possibilities available in this country conserves natural resources sustainably and strengthen the local economy. Compared to conventional leathers rhabarberleder is highly biodegradable and when it rots only components that can be safely returned to the natural cycle are formed.
rhabarberleder – versatile and applicable across sectors
rhabarberleder can be used wherever innovative, high-quality materials are needed. Designers use the leather for their clothing, bags and footwear collections as well as trendy lifestyle products, such as iPad cases or camera belts. In addition, rhabarberleder inspires architects and interior designers who use the material for high-quality interior and furniture design. Also in the automotive and yacht building rhabarberleder are versatile and enthuse discerning and environmentally conscious customers.
rhabarberleder – leading the way
Compliance with high standards is a matter of course for us and therefore rhabarberleder is manufactored in accordance with the strict guidelines of the International Association of Natural Textile Industry e.V. (IVN) and the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF). Furthermore rhabarberleder was a finalist at the GreenTec Award.
rhabarberleder - portfolio