The leather used to make the Return to Nature bags has been tanned and finished for Anya Hindmarch using pioneering techniques developed by some very special partners. We worked with Scan-Hide, whose Swedish farms offer some of the highest standards of animal welfare in Europe and can offer traceability to the animal and its field. Scan-Hide then tanned the hides using an innovative new tanning method call ‘zeology’ by Nera Tanning. Zeology replaces chrome (which hinders biodegradability) with zeolite in the tanning process. Finally, working with family-run German tannery Richard Hoffmans (est.1899 ) the leather is finished with liquid silk. All of these things mean that the leather can biodegrade at end of life and will not add to landfill, unlike much modern leather, which is often PU coated. The result is a supple, natural-looking leather that smells how leather used to smell.

Biodegradability is the process by which the leather get decomposed by micro-organisms into simpler components such as carbon dioxide, water, and ammonia.

Compostability is the capacity of an organic material to be transformed into compost through the composting process. Compost is the result of disintegration and aerobic biodegradation. Mature compost is similar to fertile soil and its high proportion of organic substances means it can be used as a fertiliser. Compostable products are biodegradable, but with an added benefit – that is, when they break down, they release valuable nutrients into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants.

Our intention was to challenge ourselves to create a bag that cannot add to landfill. Like all our collections, the Return to Nature bags are intended to be worn and used for a lifetime and passed down as special pieces through the generations. While Anya Hindmarch bags do not generally end up in landfill, we feel that building a responsible  ‘end of life’ to products is an important subject to explore.

The leather that we have used to make the Return to Nature collection was submitted for testing to assess its biodegradability. The tests – BS EN ISO 20136:2020 Leather – Determination of the degradability by microorganisms and BS EN ISO 20200:2015 (modified) – were carried out by Eurofins BLC. One test found that our leather had relative biodegradability of 89.2% when compared with untreated collagen’s 100%. The other test showed that 100% of the sample disintegrated after 45 days in heated conditions. The results of Post ISO 20200 (Modified) Compost Analysis – EcoTox Analysis and Post ISO 20200 (Modified) Compost Analysis - Plant Response Testing to showed the bags are also compostable.

You can read the full reports here and here.

The bags are made to last and would only biodegrade if you were to specifically compost them.

This is a natural leather. And like a good pair of shoes, it needs to be polished and protected. We suggest using the specially developed Chambers Wax to keep it protected from rain spots and water marks, and to feed and enhance the leather. When you apply the wax the colour will darken for an hour or two and then as the wax is absorbed it will return to the original colour. But this bag will age naturally and become more beautiful with wear and use.

The full lifecycle of the bag and its carbon footprint is being calculated. We have to go through the first full production cycle before we can do this. We have worked hard to minimise this bag’s carbon footprint but we will also offset these bags with a UN endorsed carbon offset project, so it is carbon neutral.

We worked with some valuable partners to create these special bags. Scan-Hide’s Swedish farms provided exceptional quality skins from Swedish farms; Nera Tanning, who offer Zeology, a sustainable alternative to existing leather tanning agents; family-run German tannery Richard Hoffmans, and Chambers, who worked with us to develop a wax for the bag.

As a business, Anya Hindmarch is committed to creating consciously, and finding ever more responsible ways to make our bags and accessories. We have shown this commitment by signing the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. We use recycled materials as much as possible – nylon, satin, felt, canvas. We have also moved away from the traditional fashion calendar to avoid encouraging overconsumption. Collections such as I Am A Plastic Bag, which reuses recycled plastic bottles, our Waste Not Want Not campaigns, and Return to Nature are further evidence of this commitment. We believe that perfection is the enemy of good, so we are working fast throughout our business to find better ways of doing everything. Follow our responsibility journey here.