Centre for eco-responsible innovation in leather, fur and related products.
Écofaune boréale is a Canada-wide centre for applied research and knowledge transfer on the sustainable use of natural fur and leather, and of some products derived from natural felt and woolfell.
The centre carries out applied research that combines the valorisation of animal hides, technological development, technical assistance, knowledge transfer, dissemination of scientific information and the acquisition of innovative social practices, thereby helping socioeconomic players in the fur and leather industry to reposition themselves in the current global market and its value chain. More specifically, in the areas of leather, fur, derived products, tanning, finishing and equipment.
Écofaune boréale works to promote the social acceptability of animal products, the protection and management of ecosystems, the sustainable use of resources, the establishment of an environmentally responsible tanning industry in Quebec, the circular use of organic waste from slaughterhouses, the production of Quebec and Canadian goods, the importance of Indigenous traditions, the creation of partnerships between key players in the industry, innovations in tanning processes, and the revival of the high-end down and wool industry. The centre also works to reduce local markets’ dependence on imports and increase local production so supply chains can better adapt to local suppliers and innovative companies can export innovative products.
The centre contributes to the transformation and evolution of a traditional economic activity that is in decline into an innovative, growing global alternative through the integrated development of scientifically valued wildlife resources and the mobilization of partners at all stages of the value chain.
- Clean technology
- Consumer durables
- Education
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
|
Equipment |
Function |
|---|---|
|
Circular flesher |
Manually removes flesh and fat from animal skins and thins them. |
|
Flesher with roller |
Evenly removes the flesh and fat from animal skins with a blade roller. |
|
Flesher with brush |
Removes flesh and fat from animal skins with a rotating brush moistened with a water jet. |
|
Paddle vat |
Moisturizes, washes, and tans hides. Equipped with rotating blades, the equipment gently stirs the hides mechanically. |
|
Wet drums |
Spinning drum filled with water and tanning agents to tan hides. |
|
Dry drums |
Spinning drum equipped with paddles on its inner walls and filled with sawdust to clean fur and soften leather. |
|
Lab drum and mini-drum |
Spinning drum filled with water and tanning agents to tan hides. The drum is equipped with paddles on its inner walls and produces an intense mechanical action. |
|
Pressure-type hydraulic extractor |
Wring out water from hides and skins by means of compressor rollers. |
|
Hydroextractor |
Wrings water from skins after various baths. |
|
Hide stretcher (blades) |
Stretches and softens hides and pelts (leather and fur). |
|
Hide stretcher (rollers) |
Stretches hides (leather). |
|
Skive machine |
Thins leather with sharp blades that bring it to a uniform thickness. |
|
Needle felting machine |
Makes felt from wool, down or hair, using hooked needles. Needle and feed speeds are adjustable. |
|
Shaver |
Evenly shaves hair (such as beaver hair.) The fur retains its thickness, free of guard hair. |
|
Dehairer |
Removes guard hair and its roots, leaving only down. |
|
Fur lusterizer |
Shines and puffs up fur. |
|
Ironing machine for fish skin and other scaly leather |
Cleans and irons fish skin leather and other scaly leather with a hot iron. |
|
Combing roll machine |
Comb and card hair and wool to remove deep-seated knots and impurities. |
|
Dehydrator |
Efficiently dehydrates materials. |
|
Skinning equipment |
Skin whole animal as it hangs. |
Private and public sector research partners
- Centre d’études des procédés chimiques du Québec (CÉPROCQ)
- Centre des technologies de l’eau (CTE)
- CTT Group
- TransBIOTech
- Centre de production automatisée (CPA)
- Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle (CTTÉI)
- Biopterre
Additional information