Leather for

automotive

and upholstery

Project financed and coordinated by theProvince of Vicenza

Environmental product declaration

Vicenza Tannery District

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD®

International EPD® operated by The International EPD Consortium (IEC)CPC code: 2912 – Geographical application area: Europe, South America, Asia - Leather for automotive and interior design.Reference PCR: Product Category Rules – Finished Bovine Leather – Version 1.0_dated 2011-09-28VALIDATED PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION – REGISTRATION NUMBER: ..

Approval date: 08/10/2013 - Review: 1

[Environmental Product Declaration]

INDEX

1 COMPANY INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 2

2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................... 4

3 LCA STUDY ............................................................................................................ 5

3.1 Functional Unit ....................................................................................................... 5

3.2 The Boundaries of the System Analyzed ................................................................ 5

3.3 Use of Resources..................................................................................................... 6

3.4 Potential Environmental Impact ............................................................................. 7

3.5 Other Indicators ...................................................................................................... 7

3.6 Additional Information ........................................................................................... 8

3.7 EPD Comparisons within this Product Category ..................................................... 9

4 COMPANY AND CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION..................................... 9

4.1 Company Contacts .................................................................................................. 9

4.2 Audit Process .......................................................................................................... 9

4.3 EPD Validity ............................................................................................................. 9

4.4 Expiration Date ....................................................................................................... 9

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................... 10

6 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................... 10

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 2

1 COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A.

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP is a major Italian contributor to the leather tanning industry. The group’s

headquarters are in Trissino (VI), an area that boasts a long tradition in tanning, and that along with

the neighboring city of Arzignano make up the main leather processing pole in Italy and in Europe.

Founded in 1998 following the merger of six companies, RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. is at the

core of the group, concentrating all the key functions and services for the group.

With a production system and sales organization divided into divisions (Calbe-Brusarosco, Basmar,

Galassia, Pomari, Area Fashion and Area Design) and with more than 500 employees, today RINO

MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. produces more than 10 million square meters of finished leather per year,

with a turnover of more than EUR 200 million.

Production site(s) included within the boundaries of the system:

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP SPA, Calbe-Brusarosco division, located in via Quinta Strada, 55 36071

Arzignano (VI)

Established in 1955 as Gruppo Conciario Calbe S.p.A. by a number of tanning industrialists, the

company became part of the RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. in 1987.

It is located in the Industrial Area of Arzignano (VI), in the heart of the Venetian tanning area,

equipped with cutting-edge facilities and lines. The company is managed with the objective of

maximizing its potential, thanks to the modern lines that make it highly flexible in the continuous

diversification required to adapt to the continuous evolution of the market and the highly assorted

demands. The plant processes purchased raw cowhide and wet-blue leather.

Leather tanning has a complex process cycle that can be divided into three main stages that lead to

the production of two basic intermediate products for processing (wet-blue and crust) and then to

the finished product (finished leather). The descriptions of the processes performed at the

production site are summarized on the flowchart shown below.

The tannery holds certifications for the following international standards: ISO 9001:2008, ISO TS

16949:2008, and ISO 14001:2004, as well as the FriendlyStyle registered brand.

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 3

Since 2009, the Calbe-Brusarosco division has teamed traditional chrome tanning technology (wet-

blue leather), a portion of which is obtained from the waste recovery line located in another division

of the group, with chrome-free hides (wet-white leather). However, this study regards only the

chrome-tanned hides (wet-blue leather).

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 4

2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The product described in this declaration is “finished bovine leather”, understood to be the finished

product of the tanning process, ready to become a semi-finished material supplied for further

conversion in numerous manufacturing processes. The leather can be used as a semi-finished

product in a number of industries, including furniture, clothing, shoes, etc. As applications for

“finished bovine leather” vary significantly in the products provided to the final customer, no

functional specification has been defined for the product.

This declaration is based on the average production of “finished bovine leather” in the tannery

during period of reference (2012) and therefore the results are not applicable to a single specific

category of leather manufactured.

Raw hide can be considered a waste product from the butchering process, and the processes

undergone in the tannery can be considered as waste recovery. Following a conservative approach,

which is required by the PCR supporting this declaration, raw hide is considered a by-product of

cattle farming, and therefore the environmental impact related to this stage is considered.

Material and chemical substances contained in finished bovine leather (1 m2):

Dermal tissue 75 %

Water 15 %

Chemicals* 10 %

*Trivalent chrome, synthetic tannin, lubricants, dyes, pigments, and inorganic salts.

Chemical substances allowed in finished bovine leather according to current regulations:

* Detection limit A Germany, Eighteenth Amendment to the LBGV, August 3, 2010

B Japanese Law 112 for the Control of Household Products Containing Harmful Substances

C Regulation 1907/06/EC REACH

D Regulation 1907/06/EC REACH

Substance Unit of Measure Total Legal Limits

Content of Chemical Substances in the Leather

Hexavalent chrome ppm Absent < 3A

Formaldehyde ppm < 5 < 75B

Pentachlorophenol ppm < 5* < 5C

Azo dyes ppm Absent < 30D

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 5

3 LCA STUDY

3.1 Functional Unit

The functional unit is the production of 1 m2 of “finished bovine leather”, measured according to the

ISO 11646 standard.

The product is classified according to the CPC (Central Product Classification) as “Other leather, of

bovine or equine animals, without hair on” - CPC 2912.

3.2 The Boundaries of the System Analyzed

The figure below illustrates the boundaries of the system:

The location of production involves the Calbe-Brusarosco division in via Quinta Strada, 55 in

Arzignano (VI).

The three upstream, core and downstream modules must be recorded separately in terms of the use

of resources, potential environmental impact, and other indicators, such as waste.

To facilitate interpretation, the data is shown in the tables below.

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 6

3.3 Use of Resources

The resource consumption is shown in the table per functional unit and it is divided between the

upstream, core and downstream modules.

Carbon and Oil are expressed both in terms of kg and in MJ

Of which the internal water consumption for the production process is equal to 109.42 liters Only involves the internal energy consumption related to the production process Not applicable

Finished Bovine Leather (1 m2)

Environmental Indicator Units Total Upstream Core Downstream

Non-renewable

resources

Materials including:

Gravel

Sodium Chloride

Limestone

Phosphate

Sulfur

Other

kg 8,01 0,94 6,66 0,41

kg 4,65 0,11 4,16 0,38

kg 0,96 0,28 0,68 0,003

kg 0,68 0,01 0,66 0,01

kg 0,46 0,46 0,00 0,00

kg 0,33 0,00 0,33 0,00

kg 0,92 0,08 0,83 0,02

Energy including:

Natural Gas

Oil*

Carbon *

Uranium

Other

MJ 376,29 117,19 251,61 7,48

MJ 176,09 59,71 115,82 0,56

kg

MJ

2,71

127,42

0,98

48,33

1,60

73,29

0,13

5,81

kg

MJ

2,34

40,11

0,08

7,11

2,23

32,55

0,03

0,44

MJ 32,46 1,84 29,95 0,67

MJ 0,21 0,20 0,01 0,00

Renewable

resources

Raw Hide kg 4,15 4,15 - -

Energy including: Biomass

Wind Generation, Solar, Geothermal

Hydro

MJ 21,58 0,38 21,06 0,14

MJ 6,93 0,03 6,89 0,02

MJ 0,50 0,01 0,49 0,01

MJ 14,15 0,35 13,68 0,11

Other

Water consumption**

l 573,48 24,40 545,27 3,81

Electric Energy Consumption

*** kWh 3,02 n.a.**** 3,02 n.a.****

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 7

3.4 Potential Environmental Impact

The data below is relative to the potential environmental impact per functional unit (F.U.) divided

between the upstream, core, and downstream modules (the values indicated in the table are from

the LCA study).

3.5 Other Indicators

The other relevant indicators per functional unit and divided between upstream, core and

downstream, are provided in the table below:

Finished Bovine Leather (1 m2) Upstream Core Downstream

Impact Category Total Farm/Breeder/Butcher Production/Conversion Distribution

GREENHOUSE EFFECT - GWP 100 (eq. kg CO2)

71,94 56,97 14,52 0,45

ACIDIFICATION (eq. g SO2) 573,62 459,04 111,42 3,16

OZONE LAYER REDUCTION (eq. mg CFC-11)

5,96 3,96 1,94 0,06

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG (eq. g C2H4)

32,48 18,06 13,70 0,72

EUTROPHICATION (eq. g PO4

3-) 456,96 432,90 23,38 0,68

Environmental Indicator Units Total Upstream Core Downstream

Waste Hazardous g 18,00 n.a.* 18,00 n.a.*

Non-hazardous g 536,15 n.a.* 536,15 n.a.*

Materials subject to recycling

- g 1.501,41 n.a.*

1.501,41 n.a.*

Other

Emissions (airborne)

including: NH3

NOx

SOV

SOx

Other

kg 23,27 9,13 13,71 0,44

kg 0,26 0,26 0,00 0,00

kg 0,21 0,16 0,05 0,00

kg 0,04 0,00 0,04 0,00

kg 0,10 0,01 0,09 0,00

kg 22,66 8,69 13,53 0,44

Emissions (waterborne)

including: Filtered COD

Chlorides

Sulfates

Other

kg 4,95 3,24 1,69 0,02

kg 0,05 0,00 0,05 0,00

kg 0,41 0,03 0,38 0,00

kg 0,47 0,01 0,46 0,00

kg 4,01 3,20 0,80 0,01

Chrome III ** g 45,84 n.a.* 45,84 n.a.*

Formaldehyde** g 31,16 n.a.* 31,16 n.a.*

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 8

* Not applicable ** Cited reference to consumption of chemical product in the process.

3.6 Additional Information

The weight average thickness calculated for the finished leather product was 1.16 mm. The

variability in the articles was highly limited as the thicknesses were between 0.9 and 1.4 mm; but, in

fact, almost all of the articles have a thickness from 1.1 and 1.2 mm.

In terms of the raw hides, 81,11% of the hides come from European countries's cattle farms which

are considered intensive farms, while the remaining 18,89% are from USA and New Zeland from

extensive cattle farming.

The average distance traveled by the finished leather, from the production division gates to the

average client platform, is equal to 6,460 km.

In terms of the electric energy, the data for the country mix for Italy was applied using the process:

“Electricity, medium voltage, production IT, at grid/IT U”, from Ecoinvent 2.2.

In terms of the cut-off criteria applied for the chemical products, please refer to the PCR.

Specifically, the active substance and average percentage is considered for:

1. Mixtures that do not contain hazardous substances with total mass consumption ≥ 1.5% of

the overall weight of the chemical products consumed during the year of reference.

2. Mixtures that contain one or more hazardous substances classified as hazardous to the

environment, mutagenic or carcinogenic, with total mass consumption ≥ 0.01% of the

overall weight of the chemical products consumed during the year of reference.

3. Mixtures that contain one or more hazardous substances classified as hazardous for all other

types of hazards not indicate in point 2) with total mass consumption ≥ 0.05% of the overall

weight of the chemical products consumed during the year of reference.

The mixtures excluded by these cut-off criteria are grouped together, summing the quantity of the

non-hazardous and hazardous substances with those for the two respective mixtures with greatest

consumption during the same step, as indicated in the PCR.

Other hazardous chemical substances used in the CORE processes

Units Total

Calcium Hydroxide g 54,48

Formic acid g 54,41

Sodium sulphide g 52,23

N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone g 45,70

Acetic acid g 40,54

Sulphuric acid g 29,89

2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol g 25,99

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 9

3.7 EPD Comparisons within this Product Category

Remember that the EPDs which belong to the same category but developed according to the

different programs might be not compared.

4 COMPANY AND CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

4.1 Company Contacts

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and this EPD were performed by Cecilia Fochesato, Daniele Omati,

and Lino Chiarello in the Quality, Environment, and Safety Department at RINO MASTROTTO GROUP

S.p.A., in collaboration with the Giada Agency of the Province of Vicenza and Aequilibria di Pernigotti

Daniele. The company contact information follows:

Cecilia Fochesato – Environmental Manager – E-mail: c.fochesato@rinomastrottogroup.com

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. via dell’Artigianato, 100 36070 Trissino (VI)

Tel. 0445 969696 – Fax 0445 969681 www.rinomastrottogroup.com

4.2 Audit Process

PCR Revision Performed by: Aequilibria di Pernigotti Daniele. E-mail address:

dpernigotti@aequilibria.com

Independent audit of the declaration and

data according to ISO 14025:

SGS Italia S.p.A Via G. Gozzi, 1/a - 20129 Milan Tel: 02 73931 Fax: 02 70124630 www.it.sgs.com

This EPD and reference PCR are available on the Swedish Environmental Management Council Internet site - www.environdec.com

4.3 EPD Validity

The EPD is valid for a period of 3 years.

4.4 Expiration Date

16/04/2015

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. – EPD® 10

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY

LCA report for finished bovine leather – RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A. Case Study - Calbe-

Brusarosco Division

Product Category Rules - Finished Bovine Leather – Version 1.0_dated 2011-09-28

Database: Ecoinvent 2.2; Buwal 250; LCA Food Industry data.

Cradle-to-Gate Environmental Assessment of Enzyme Products Produced Industrially in Denmark

by Novozymes A/S; Per H. Nielsen et al.; Int J LCA 2006 (OnlineFirst): 7

Environmental Report UNIC 2012

6 GLOSSARY

Acidification: Lowering of the pH in the soil, in lakes, or in forests due to the introduction into

the atmospheric of acidic substances, with consequent damage to living organisms (ex. “acid

rain”).

Greenhouse Effect (GWP 100): global heating effect on the atmosphere, calculated for the next

100 years due to the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),

nitrous oxide (N2O), etc.

Eutrophication: Reduction of oxygen present in waterbodies and necessary for the ecosystems

due to the excessive content of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous.

Thinning of the ozone layer: Degradation of the stratospheric ozone layer which acts as a barrier

against ultraviolet solar radiation due to the action of highly reactive compounds which originate

as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) or chlorofluoromethanes (CFM). The substance used as a reference

for the ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) is trichlorofluoromethane, or CFC-11.

Photochemical Smog Formation: Formation of ozone on the earth’s surface due to release to

the atmosphere of unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in the presence of solar

radiation. This phenomenon is dangerous for living organisms, and it is often present in large

urban centers.

Wet blue: Wet leather after chrome tanning (intermediate state of processing)

Crust: Tanned, lubricated and dried leather, before finishing.

RINO MASTROTTO GROUP S.p.A.

Via Dell’artigianato, 100

36070 Trissino (VI) - Italy

Tel: +39 0445 969696

Fax: +39 0445 969681

www.rinomastrottogroup.com