Aviation leather supplier Muirhead has revealed plans to unveil its chrome- and heavy metal-free FreeTAN tanning solution at Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) 2024.
The Scottish manufacturer has fully replaced its existing tanning chemistry with compostable technology, marking a significant stride in its commitment to eliminating the use of fossil fuels, oil-based elements, and heavy metals from all its operations and products.
The resulting product, FreeTAN, is free from heavy metals, chrome, and glutaraldehyde. This not only reduces its environmental impact but also helps customers meet their environmental and performance standards.
FreeTAN also benefits from a non-toxic, halogen-free fire-retardant treatment. Overall Muirhead claims the product is the lowest environmental impact aviation leather available on the market.
Stephen Hems, innovation manager at Muirhead, said of FreeTAN: “Tanning is a crucial part of leather production, whereby raw hides are treated in drums to transform them into our high-performance material. For over two decades, we’ve invested heavily in new initiatives to develop future-proof tanning systems that deliver unparalleled consistency and high technical excellence without relying on chrome salts and glutaraldehyde.
“These ground-breaking technologies are a vital next step in our journey to increase the bio-based renewable carbon content of our leather to 90% and above. However, this marks just the beginning. The leather of the future is 100% bio-based, entirely chrome-free, heavy metal-free, aldehyde-free, and fully biodegradable.”
Carbon reduction initiatives at Muirhead have yielded a claimed Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of 8kg CO2e/m2, helping its customers to reduce their own carbon impact directly. Muirhead’s circular manufacturing process incorporates energy recovery, water reuse, renewable energy, locally sourced materials with 100% traceability, and a unique take-back scheme for end-of-life leather. All the company’s raw hides are sourced from responsible farms with the highest standards of animal welfare and zero deforestation.
Myles Hobbs, aviation director EMEA and The Americas at Muirhead, added: “Our free FR technology is a highly efficient flame-retardant treatment, refined over the years through rigorous testing and development, free from many harmful substances, like heavy metals, fluorocarbon and bio-accumulative chemicals. These, together with the world’s lowest Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for leather, make Muirhead FreeTAN with free FR a leader in the supply of the lowest-carbon aviation leather available today.”
Other recent sustainability news at Muirhead include the opening of its £14 million, ‘hyper-efficient’ Super Tannery for producing low-carbon leather products.
