Using natural products to bring out the best in natural materials

Enzymatic degreasing solutions from Novozymes helps leather manufacturers gain a competitive advantage.

If natural fat is not properly removed during sheepskin production, it can give rise to a number of faults in the leather. To ensure a high-quality product, Pakistan-based Leather Field switched to enzymatic degreasing solutions from Novozymes and gained a competitive advantage.

Effective and dependable results with enzymes
Degreasing is one of the most critical processing steps in sheepskin production, and fat removal can be a difficult job for the surfactants and solvents often used, leading to variations in quality. Degreasing with lipases eliminates the need for harsh solvents and surfactants – and dry cleaning. Lipases can reach a degreasing efficiency of up to 90% and can be added at various stages of leather production. Different lipases can also be chosen for specific jobs. Novozymes NovoCor® ADL is an enzymatic tool designed for use on small skins, which typically contain 30–50% fat. Leather manufacturer Leather Field quickly discovered the lipase’s ability to effectively and dependably remove residual fats without any fatty spews.

NovoCor ADL to the rescue
Leather Field is one of the largest leather and sheepskin apparel manufacturers in Pakistan, with a production output of around 14,000 m2 of leather per day. The company has made its mark by supplying first-rate products to top international brands in the US, Europe, and the Far East. With customers demanding outstanding quality and eco-friendly leather treatment, the need to eliminate fatty spews cannot be ignored.

In late 2009 Leather Field started receiving complaints about fatty spews on their sheepskin products as a result of solvent- and surfactant-based degreasing. These complaints were not taken lightly. “We pride ourselves on being a supplier of superior-quality leather apparel, so we naturally took the problem seriously,” says Aftab Ahmed, Chief Technician at Leather Field. The company decided to try enzyme-based technology. “NovoCor ADL really came to the rescue! It is the only reliable solution for us; not only can we guarantee our customers that they will not experience fatty spews any more, but the overall consistency and quality of the leather is substantially improved. That’s a big deal to us, and to our customers,” explains Leather Field Chief Executive Officer Ajmal Cheema.

Farewell to natural fats
“While surfactants may remove some fats from the skin, they are not effective enough to live up to our standards for fat levels. Whichever means we use, it is crucial that we end up with less than 5% residual fat,” explains Aftab Ahmed. “That’s why we continuously analyze the fat content left after degreasing with NovoCor ADL. It has time and time again proved to leave only 2–4%. That is low enough to secure no subsequent fatty spews on leather products, and that gives us a competitive advantage that is hard to match.”

The switch to NovoCor ADL meant that Leather Field’s degreasing process became more consistent. It also improved the tactile properties of the final leather. Better softness, improved grain quality and look, and enhanced physical properties such as tear and tensile strength were all observed. “In the end, that means less damage to our leathers, which in turn means reduced trimming during leather processing. The improved yield and great quality that the enzyme achieves actually saves us money and helps us retain and attract valuable customers,” concludes Aftab Ahmed.