BAR develops cheap, biodegradable leather tanning degreasing agent

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) is developing a cheaper and biodegradable leather tanning degreasing agent made from pig’s bile and paraffin from pig’s eyes to enable the local industry to conform to organic leather processing standards of foreign markets.

BAR is overseeing a project of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)on the replacement of nonylphenol ethoxylate, a non-biodegradable degreasing agent used in the tanning of pig skin.

The government aims to make the local leather-goods industry competitive to the environment-friendly processing standards of markets like Europe.

“We are always interested in innovations that displace our imports because that generates jobs. This work of the Animal Product Development Center (APDC of BAI) is also a way for us to shift to the use of raw materials that find harmony with nature,” said BFAR director Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar.

A degreasing agent removes the fat from the dermis of the skin. To maintain the softness of leather, the skin should be able to retain 2.5 percent to three percent of fat.

Non-removal of fat in the skin causes discoloration and uneven distribution of color. This will also cause mold growth in wet leather. After the fat is removed, chemicals are added to the material to make it durable. Finally, it is treated with either fish oil, pig liquor oil or synthetic oil.

The degreasing agent takes up 20 to 25 percent of the cost of a tannery.

APDC is studying the possibility of replacing nonylphenol with a combination of bile and paraffin. The other component of the research explores the possibility of using only bile as a degreasing agent. 

The Philippines presently imports nonylphenol ethoxylates from Taiwan and China, among other countries, at P220 per kilo.

APDC officer-in charge Dr. Eduardo Torne said substitutes such as paraffin wax made from animal fat is cheaper at P90 per kilo in the commercial market and even lower at P50 per kilo if bought in bulk. Bile is also considered a cheap substitute, being waste material in pork processing.

“These are natural substances, so we can go organic with these degreasing agents,” Torne said.

Nonylphenol ethoxylates are surfactant mixtures used as detergents, emulsifiers, wetting and defoaming agents.

Use of this chemical is currently restricted in Europe, while the United States has banned it. Italy has also stopped using it.

“There’s a problem now on the acceptance of products in the European market. Even the US has also been looking for alternative degreasing agents,” Torne said. 

The local leather-goods industry employs around 40,000 workers.

Data from BAR showed that the country’s leather exports reached $141.57 million in 2003 with the United States as a major market. Other markets were Japan, United Kingdom and Canada.

Exports of leather gloves made up 48 percent of the export volume, followed by travel goods, 41 percent, and bags and belt, 11 percent.

Local tanneries also manufacture leather upholstery and furniture accent.

Around 80 to 90 percent of the country’s leather requirements are sourced from the town of Meycauayan in Bulacan and Valenzuela City. 

Torne said the project could help small leather makers. In Valenzuela, there are only five to six large tanneries out of 70. The other tanneries are cottage enterprises.

The Tanners Association of the Philippines lists 51 members. Among the members are shoemakers Otto, Gibi, and Bristol.

“We have many small tanneries, and they are who we want to help,” said Torne. 

He said some of the local leather craftsmen were initially hired by Chinese firms as supervisors but were eventually replaced by Chinese managers once the Filipino craftsmen have imparted their technical knowledge.

“We have workers here that some Chinese have hired, but after making them supervisors and learning from them in one to two years, they were already replaced by other Chinese,” he said.

With the proliferation of synthetic leather, many believe that the leather industry is a sunset industry, but Torne believes there is still a market for natural leather.

The BAI has been able to develop/convert fish skin into leather. The process is now used by the industry to turn fish skin into bags, sandals, and wallets especially for designs and accents in leather.

APDC plans to further conduct a phase two of the project to determine the environmental impact of the potential degreasing agents.

China is currently the world’s major source of leather-goods taking up $16.1 billion of global exports or 25 percent as of 2003, while Italy accounted for 20 percent of export.  

Among the importers, US accounted for the largest imports at 33 percent. Other importers of leather were Germany, UK, France, and Hong Kong.

He noted that the Philippines’ leather-goods exports had been declining. 

“During the period 1999-2003, exports of the industry peaked in the year 2001 when these reached $274.8 million. From then on, exports dropped over the next two years at a rapid pace, -38.6 percent in 2002 and -16.1 percent in 2003.”

This slowdown was attributed to the limitations on the use of industrial engineering methods by local leather manufacturers and ageing facilities. Manufacturers also have little access to mechanized drying facilities and testing centers.

Competitors, on the other hand, have been raising their exports. These are China, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Madagascar.