Industry's First Water-Based Leather Grading Certification Standard Arrives!
China currently has nearly 2,000 synthetic leather manufacturers, most of which still use solvent-based resins. This results in annual emissions of over 200,000 tonnes of organic waste gas, more than 8 million tonnes of wastewater, and over 50,000 tonnes of hazardous solid waste, causing severe environmental pollution.
However, traditional leather and certain oil-water blended leathers may contain formaldehyde, VOCs, dimethylformamide, benzene and its homologues such as toluene and xylene. These substances are slowly released into the environment during use and prolonged exposure can pose serious health risks.
As national environmental policies tighten, the traditional leather industry is undergoing transformation and upgrading, moving away from the old "pollute first, treat later" model. Meanwhile, consumers demand higher performance and quality from synthetic leather, with growing awareness of health and environmental protection. Developing eco-friendly materials has become an inevitable industry trend.
Traditional synthetic leather
During this critical transition, many new products have emerged. Unfortunately, some suppliers still exploit regulatory gaps and limited consumer awareness to sell products of inconsistent quality. While consumers can make their own choices, the lack of industry standards remains a significant issue. This challenge not only hinders healthy industry development but also threatens consumer rights.
Furniture upholstered with synthetic leather
In contrast, industries such as formaldehyde-free panels and water-based coatings in China have already established mature green standards and achieved significant progress in international markets. The synthetic leather industry, however, lacks unified standards, leaving both manufacturers and consumers with unclear benchmarks for quality and performance.
To drive sustainable development across the industry, transformation and the development of green, low-carbon water-based leather products are essential. But establishing unified industry standards is the key to raising overall manufacturing quality and environmental performance.
Amid this chaos, a leader must step forward.
In response to growing market demand for environmental protection and to promote healthy industry development, the China Plastics Processing Industry Association Artificial Leather & Synthetic Leather Professional Committee, together with the China National Light Industry Council Furniture and Decoration Materials Testing Centre, Beijing Building Materials Testing Academy Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Changfeng New Materials Co., Ltd., jointly initiated the development of the "Technical Specification for Graded Certification of Hazardous Substance Emissions from Synthetic Leather" and the "Implementation Rules for Graded Certification of Hazardous Substance Emissions from Synthetic Leather" (registered with the CNCA), with Zhejiang Changfeng New Materials Co., Ltd. — the world's first 100% water-based synthetic leather manufacturer — as the initiating company.
This new technical specification adopts the grading model used in the panel industry, providing graded certification for hazardous substance emissions from synthetic leather used in furniture and interior decoration. It applies to products manufactured with non-woven, woven or knitted fabric substrates, using polyurethane resin as the primary raw material, processed via dry or dry-wet coating and finishing, for use in interior wall decoration, curtains and furniture surfaces. This initiative will significantly advance industry standardisation and drive new breakthroughs in synthetic leather products:
Looking ahead, the evolution of leather materials will follow a non-toxic, green and low-carbon path. For companies across the supply chain, producing and applying eco-friendly materials and achieving green transformation is not only about protecting the environment and responding to national policy — it is also the essential route to strengthening core competitiveness and successfully expanding into global markets.
As the first 100% water-based synthetic leather manufacturer, Zhejiang Changfeng New Materials Co., Ltd. has been dedicated to advancing the development and application of water-based synthetic leather. Our water-based leather products achieve zero solvent addition from raw materials to finished goods — non-toxic, odour-free, free from formaldehyde, toluene and DMF, with ultra-low VOC emissions. They are the preferred choice for healthy, green living spaces. These products are now widely used in furniture, automotive interiors and other sectors, and are exported to European and American markets, earning broad recognition and acclaim.
Changfeng water-based synthetic leather factory
By uniting industry forces with the China Plastics Processing Industry Association Artificial Leather & Synthetic Leather Professional Committee, the China National Light Industry Council Furniture and Decoration Materials Testing Centre, and Beijing Building Materials Testing Academy Co., Ltd., Changfeng has co-developed the ENF-grade water-based leather certification standard. This will not only help consumers make more informed choices when selecting synthetic leather products, but also enable Chinese water-based leather products to better meet global market demand for green, healthy materials.
Changfeng PURE water-based synthetic leather series
In 2025, the launch conference for the industry's first graded certification standard will be held. We invite you to join us in exploring and practising new pathways for green, sustainable development, and in building a cleaner, healthier industry ecosystem!
