Behind the scenes of the last tannery in the Dordogne

“When I took over the management of Chamont, there were about sixty tanneries in France. Today, there are only 22 left. Now it is the only one in the Dordogne and one of the few who work exclusively with vegan productsThe chief remembers. Chromium has proven ubiquitous, but it has caused pollution and recycling problems. It works with tannins from chestnut trees, mimosa and capracho wood in South America.

Leathers prepared in Portugal

In 2006, the company invested heavily in a biological water treatment plant. But the most polluting part of leather preparation (sweetening, degreasing and peeling) has occurred since 2011 in a factory purchased in Portugal, connected to a large sewage treatment plant.

The crust is fermented with tannins and water from Dron, hence the importance of its quality

From now on, there is no longer an unpleasant smell around the tannery in Saint-Pardoux, and less than 100 cubic meters of water is used each week. The skins are fermented for at least a week in huge wooden casks with tannins and water from Drun. Hence the importance of its quality, as Marek Seuss emphasizes.

“When I took over the management of Chamont, there were about sixty tanneries in France. Today, there are only 22 people left,” Marek Seuss recalls.

high end

The veneer then goes through various stages of mechanical work, drying, and glazing, before being dyed about ten different colors and obtaining a final coat according to the internal formula. These leathers must have qualities that allow them to be maintained while retaining their beauty. Skins of large cattle, the largest of which are more than 2.5 meters long, are selected without defects. This could be caused by traces of barbed wire, animal wounds or even caesarean sections… Chamont is a stakeholder in this sector With livestock breeders and slaughterhouses To promote perfect skin.

Each year, the tannery produces approximately 15,000 square meters of high-quality leather. Half goes to the workshops of CWD, the company’s largest shareholder since 2013, and the other half reputable clients. However, Hermès is not yet one of them, because these leathers cannot be used in leather goods.