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Bader is a 153-year-old family-run premium leather supplier striving to combine traditional design and craftsmanship, with modern technology, sustainability and social responsibility
It’s sometimes hard to tell from mere words printed on a glossy page or digital snippets on social media channels, whether any large global organisation is truly eco-focused. But talking at length with numerous designers at Bader – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium leather for the automotive industry – it becomes quickly clear that they are passionate experts who firmly believe in the relevance of their products for sustainability-focused car brands and their designers.
That genuine concern for the planet comes from the top down at Bader. “For generations, environmentally conscious behaviour has been a cornerstone of our tradition,” CEO and fourth-generation member of the family business, Thomas Bader, explains. “We actively stand against environmental pollution. To us, nature is sacred, and we believe that waste has no place in it.”
Consumer views on leather are evolving. More and more, it’s being appreciated as a natural, recyclable material – an upcycled byproduct of the meat industry that’s crafted into a long-lasting, durable product built to stand the test of time.
If you want a special design, you have to be motivated and prepared to push the boundaries
“There’s a lot of demand for sustainability from our carmaker designers and also from their sales teams,” says Alexandra Dittrich, Bader’s global head of design. “So we have our own sustainability team, including an animal welfare manager who travels all over the world. Even though no cows are killed for their hides – they are a byproduct of the meat industry – we ensure they are treated with care under the best possible conditions.”
Those sustainability claims are independently verified too. Stefan Feustel, design manager at Bader’s North American operation says Bader meets and exceeds ISO standards and is one of the few leather suppliers to have ambitious CO2e reduction targets approved by the internationally recognised SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative).
Bader offers much creativity alongside its sustainable products as well and has had an in-house design department in Germany since 2000. The industrial design-trained Dittrich is its global leader who aims to further strengthen the team this year, in order to expand its role as a liaison point between car designers’ dreams and the manufacturing realities of Bader’s tanners and technicians.
“A car designer might want to combine two or even three different technologies onto one panel design, so not only perforation, but also stitching plus laser etching,” she says. “Different technologies have to be exactly placed and this is sometimes a well-accepted challenge. You have to use different machines and think about in which order to start. My job is it to get all our technicians at the table and discuss how can we achieve those aims. Afterall, if you want a special design, you have to be motivated and prepared to push the boundaries.”
With its truly global footprint – boasting multiple facilities across the Americas, Asia and Europe – Bader is well able to respond to regional design requests, while ethically sourcing its hides from certified farmers.
Lilana Nicoghosian is the chief creative design consultant for Bader’s North American team and recounts just such a bespoke approach.
“Being in the Detroit metro area, and with a trim shop onsite, it’s much quicker and easier to provide our design clients with custom solutions for their interiors,” she confirms. “For example, we provided a 2.0mm-thick leather for the interior for the Toyota Tundra 1794 Limited Edition truck which met all durability and wrinkle test requirements without lamination. We also helped the designers incorporate exposed edge details on the seats, while preserving almost all natural markings. This emphasised the craftsmanship and authenticity of the material, while meeting all testing requirements.”
A lot has changed, but its long-standing and still family-led commitment to quality and sustainable practices remains
Bader’s B-Green leather uses Cascara tanning powder made from upcycled dried coffee fruit shells and because of the company’s commitment to sustainability – what it calls its “Zero Waste Journey” – it has a subsidiary business, Avema, which upcycles natural byproducts and leather production residues to create innovative second-life products. These include bio-fertilisers, a natural fibre compound for injection- moulding and acoustic and thermal insulation.
With the aim to be a single-source provider for the best sustainable material options, Bader has added Circutex, a vegan and sustainable coated textile, to its product offering.
This alternative to vinyl has a textile base made from 88-100% recycled plastic waste and up to 50% bio-based polymers in its finishing, resulting in a PVC-free final product fully suitable for seating, door trim and steering wheel applications. With identical finishing, Bader’s leather and Circutex products ensure the harmonisation of materials and colours and ensure a seamless combination.
In simple terms, a lot has changed since 1872, when Otto August Bader started his German tannery business creating shoe leather from hides, but its long-standing and still family-led commitment to quality and sustainable practices remains.
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