In its quest for environmental excellence, Mégisserie Richard, a purveyor of fine leather for luxury fashion, is set to integrate Qualus‘ Sferes™ into its production processes at its tannery located in Millau, France.
This decision comes on the heels of a successful year-long pilot that demonstrated significant reductions in water and chemical use during retanning, with a 40% saving in water and a 15% reduction in chemicals. Moving to full-scale production with Sferes, Mégisserie Richard aims to elevate its current Leather Working Group (LWG) silver rating to gold, underscoring its commitment to water conservation. Sferes technology is already benefiting tanneries in Asia and Latin America, catering to sectors such as footwear, fashion, and automotive leather. By adopting Sferes, Mégisserie Richard is not only the first in France but also sets a precedent in sustainable innovation within the luxury leather industry.
Geoffrey Talpe, the CEO of Mégisserie Richard, highlighted the firm’s sustainability ambitions, remarking, “Our company is fully committed to achieving Net Zero and we are constantly in search of innovations that will enable us to deliver this goal. We have taken numerous steps in that direction in recent years and Qualus’ Sfere technology helps us to continue to further improve the environmental footprint of our tannery while maintaining the unique quality of our products.”
Echoing this sentiment, Vikrant Pratap, CEO of Qualus, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are proud to have the opportunity to work with such an iconic tannery and to be able to provide a technology that meets Mégisserie Richard’s exacting standards, supporting it in its drive to lead the luxury industry in not only the uniqueness of its products but also the sustainability of its operations.”
About Mégisserie Richard
Mégiserrie Richard was founded in the mid-19th century as part of the Richard Glove Factory to manufacture high quality leather for its renowned luxury gloves. Today the tannery specialises in lambskins for high-end luxury products: bags, shoes, garments and accessories. In 2013, Mégisserie Richard obtained the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) certification, a recognition from the French State of companies with artisanal and industrial savoir-faire. Being fully committed to environmental improvements, the tannery has been a Leather Working Group certified supplier since 2020, earning a Silver rating in its most recent audit in 2022. For more information visit www.megisserierichard.com.
About Qualus
Qualus provides a patented system to reduce both the environmental footprint and cost of leather production, helping tanneries and brands accelerate their journey to Net Zero. The company has operations in India, Mexico and Brazil, and leather made with its system is now in the supply chains of leading footwear, luxury and automotive brands. For more information visit www.qualus.com.
