TFL provided an interactive fair programme for customers on tfl.com
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | September 2020
In 2020 the world has been turned upside down. The Covid-19-pandemic has influenced all of our lives in manifold ways. Economy worldwide has to struggle with the restrictions and become creative to find appropriate solutions for the new world we are living in. Also fairs and events are severely affected by this.
A lot of fairs will not take place at all in 2020 and maybe even 2021. There are numerous reasons for this. International fairs for example cannot take place due to travel restrictions. Also, a lot of exhibitors refuse to participate even if they could make the journey, knowing full well the risk is simply not worth taking. They choose to act responsibly putting their customers' and their own health first.
For local fairs that tend to feature smaller companies as exhibitors, putting the necessary and mandatory protective measures in place is often simply not workable or profitable, especially when considering that visitors will very likely and very understandably be fewer in numbers. Organisers expect losses in the double- to triple-digit millions. Hence, a huge challenge to be faced.
Nevertheless, there are also chances hidden in all of these trials and tribulations. One is to use the digital world and find online solutions to provide customers with information that serves them. It may be not as pleasant as meeting face-to-face, however, there is a huge potential to connect with clients in completely new way.
From 1st – 3rd September 2020, the time period during which the ACLE was supposed to take place - TFL provided its excellent advice on an online platform called ACLE 2020 #athome. In this password protected area which was exclusively available to TFL customers, clients were able to chose between various offers like podcasts, publications and a picture gallery. At the end the users could even take a pleasant quiz that showed how much knowledge ACLE 2020 #athome had imparted to them. This way customers are up-to-date with the latest trends, innovations and may, hence, plan their future production and articles accordingly. Despite having to practice physical distance, TFL keeps in touch with its customers because connection matters.
The full content of ACLE 2020 #athome is now freely available on tfl.com:
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Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | August 2024
It's August, summertime in Europe. Some of us have just returned from our holidays; most of us, at least in Italy, are preparing to pack up and head for a crowded beach somewhere in the Mediterranean. I firmly believe that time spent in the sun (or shade) is never wasted: what better opportunity to read a book, flick through a magazine or lazily scroll down the latest digital edition of a fashion magazine? (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2024
The climate crisis is hard to ignore. Sustainability is an urgent focus for car manufacturers and the shift to electrification is irreversible. OEMs are making the development of "low carbon" cars a key strategic priority and are investing heavily in R&D. In addition to the shift from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV), reducing the weight of cars has a strong impact on reducing emissions. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2024
Through my work at Leather Naturally - an international non-for-profit organisation educating about certified, responsibly made leather by providing trusted facts and inspiration for consumers, designers and brands - I met many young artists and designers deliberately choosing the material leather to work with. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | April 2024
Winter has passed, and as spring brings warmth back to our days, it's a special time for us motorcyclists. Finally, we can take our beloved rides out of storage and prepare our gear. That's something I particularly enjoy. I love the scent of my leather jacket, and every time I open the cupboard, I'm reminded that it's there, waiting for good weather so I can wear it. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | November 2023
Artificial Intelligence tools are invading our daily lives just as applications for our smart phones did 10 years ago. For many daily challenges AI tools are available. Be it writing tools, art- or image tools, transcriber tools etc. The useful they seem, the scary they are perceived from certain organisations. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | September 2023
TFL Wet-end leather technologist Felix Wengenroth spoke to Frank Recht who chairs the examination board for leather specialists at the Reutlingen Chamber of Industry and Commerce about training young people to become tanners, how it has changed and why the craft is still something very special. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | April 2023
I have worked in many industries in the past. I advised banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies, and worked for service providers and research institutes. But something I really like about the chemicals industry, above the other industries I experienced, is the down-to-earth attitude. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | December 2022
Just look around. Countries have started to implement protectionism, Brexit, supply chain problems created by Covid-19 and the aggression against Ukraine have all helped derail the wave of global integration that was triggered by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | October 2022
Historically, leather was human’s best friend in terms of protecting from harsh weather conditions and it is still the most fashionable material to date. So, what is the real deal with leather? – It is a common term which pops up in the global fashion industry, associated with luxury. Leather is one of the most sustainable and luxurious materials but unfortunately perceived as not environmentally friendly. What an irony! (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | September 2022
Personal interaction was very rare during the last two years. Business-wise the solution was video conferencing, which worked very well and even Face-to-Face meetings could take place in some form. Nevertheless, I still believe that personal interaction cannot be replaced. Possibly, a mix of of virtual and face-to-face encounters will be the future solution as we have seen that travelling is not always necessary and some issues can also be solved online, but from time to time it is just priceless to meet in person. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | July 2022
Summertime is holiday time for many of us. But especially during these few weeks, there's a lot to think about when it comes to cybersecurity. Whether it's booking your trip online, web surfing on the go, or sharing your latest holiday snaps on social media. Always keep in mind: The bad guys are never on vacation! (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2022
A lot has happened since the 1st June 2021 and the new TFL is still in the process of finding itself and to grow together as a new, successful team. This is completely natural and normal when experiencing a change – the merger of two successful companies in the leather industry - like we did last year, as change doesn’t happen within a day, it is a process that can be supported by many factors. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | April 2022
Leather is the core business of TFL, but do you actually know how leather is manufactured? To fill this gap the Leverkusen Lab Team took the most pragmatic approach available, a “tour de cuir”. At regular intervals the colleagues in Leverkusen give tours around the process of leather manufacturing. From business partners to school classes, the technical staff was always able to teach everyone something they hadn’t yet known about this material. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | March 2022
As of 2022, the “anti-gaspillage” law is effective in France. Approved in 2020, this pioneering rule forbids the destruction of unsold products of the fashion industry. The principle applied here is the same that already fully regulates the French national food industry, and it is definitely a campaign against waste: if you overproduce, it is illegal to destroy the remnants. The possible alternatives are either recycling the goods or donating them to charity. In any case, the idea behind it is to foster the sustainable production of goods. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | February 2022
Wearing leather makes you stand out from the crowd, it makes your look unique and exquisite. However, there are a few pitfalls you may want to avoid when wearing leather. So be on your guard against the following easily-made-mistakes. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | October 2021
From November 3rd – 5th the international R&D community of the leather industry meets again for the IIIVI. IULTCS Congress in Addis Abeba/Ethiopia. It is the every-two-years recurring event, where latest technologies and new ideas get exchanged in the field of tanning, leather machinery, environmentally friendly process changes, etc. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-situation it will be a hybrid form, which means only a small group of participants can be present, but all presentations and discussions will be available by internet access. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | July 2021
When researching material to create a new article, I stumbled across these quotes on leather and felt compelled by them. We tend to discuss leather from a technical point of view, but these quotes go to show that leather is so much more than that. It creates memories, talks to the senses and in some cases is a companion for many years. Enjoy the read! (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2021
I like to compare bringing two businesses together with a couple getting married, thus, bringing two families, family cultures and habits together. Do you remember when you first met your partner's family? Everything was new and you first had to get an idea of how they look at things, what their very individual "family rules" are and how they live different traditions etc. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | April 2021
I confess: I like my vegetarian friends. I like their lifestyle, the way they care for themselves and honesty I also like their food. I even like to cook for them sometimes - vegetarian, of course. Veggies are ok, but I will always fall for a charcoal grilled juicy T-bone steak. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | February 2021
Shoes are an intrinsic part of everyday life. Be it sneakers, high heels, pumps, sandals, trekking shoes or boots – they come in any form and are used for a big variety of purposes. Also, they are a main part of fashionable and trendy outfits. However, shoes were first invented by man for protective reasons only and a lot earlier than one would assume. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | December 2020
Fashion is fun, fascinating, a piece of art and an intrinsic part of society. A glamorous world bringing fresh wind to everyday life and exciting new trends every season. As attractive this may seem, there is also the other side of the coin. Regarding sustainability fashion is straining this planet remarkably. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | October 2020
Working in the TFL R&D Screening department, we often see recurring topics which come on our table with stubborn regularity and want to get solved. For all those who are already some decades in this business (like me) often think by themselves: Oh no, here we go, they want to re-invent the wheel again. And here I need to pull the break, also in my own thinking. The negative taste in "don't re-invent the wheel" is so wrong! Especially if we take a look at the development of the wheel itself. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | August 2020
Twice a year TFL releases the famous "collection of articles" based on trends and inspirations gathered and developed by a group of technicians from the different countries of our big TFL world. However, TFL is a chemical company which makes this hard work very complex. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | July 2020
As bars, restaurants and public areas are closed in many parts of the world; we are all staying home this summer and enjoy our own places. We have already seen a trend of paying more attention to one’s own small world during recent years, if we think of urban gardening and an increased trend of slow food and cooking. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2020
As I have described in my first blog article in June 2019,, the major discussion in the leather industry is how to become “greener & sustainable”. The Covid-19 crisis "opened the door" for the (leather) fashion industry to avoid trash. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2020
While writing the draft for this blog the pen I used literally fell apart (this is not made up…). It was one of those pens you get for free as promotional gifts at fairs, hotels, conferences etc. Meanwhile I got a large collection at home. This little ‘incident’ happened as we go through a crisis not seen since world war II, a crisis which may give us time to reflect what things are really important and matter and what things went wrong in the past. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2020
I have joined TFL’s marketing communication team about fourteen years ago as a trainee. Since then our task fields, work processes and the ways we communicate have changed quite heavily. Our profession seems to be dominated by a fast pace and overstimulation. In spite of that or maybe exactly because of that, the old basic formula in marketing is more actual than ever before: “Give people what they really want.” (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | April 2020
We are facing very challenging times. By "we" I do not refer to an isolated group like Europeans or Asians, by “we” I’m talking about mankind as such. We are all living with a global pandemic and many countries are being shut down and running pandemic plans. Life did change tremendously for each and every one of us during the past weeks. What are the values we can rely on during these difficult times? (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | March 2020
The new decade started it off in a rather challenging way. The leather market already being under quite some strain due to the developments during the past years, will also be affected by the Corona crisis – as the entire economy will be. Some newspaper articles already proclaim an end to globalisation, others foresee major changes in world economics. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | February 2020
Myths are easily created, especially around things that are so familiar that people tend believe they know all about it. But more often than not, those myths are leading us in a completely false direction. Let’s have a closer look at some leather myths, because we believe that with leather you are always on the right track. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | December 2019
Veganism is a practice… the practice of abstain from using animal products. Could vegan shoes be part of that practice? Vegan leather and faux leather are just two different names for the same material. They describe shoes, boots or jackets that look like leather but are made from artificial leather. No animal hides or skins are used in the production of the leather alternative. Is vegan or faux leather a more sustainable option? (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | December 2019
Chilly winds and frozen landscapes are heralding the coming Christmas season bringing with it lots of festivities and cosy get-togethers. Our homes are being transformed with beautiful decorations creating that special atmosphere that makes you somehow wish it could be Christmas every day. Find here inspiration for the ultimate christmas articles made of leather (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | October 2019
Leather has become an irreplaceable item of our daily lives long ago. Most people associate leather with shoes, fashion, car interiors and motorcycle gangs. However, leather offers so much more and can be found in a lot more places than one may assume at first glance. Find below some examples where leather is found (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | September 2019
70% of all purchase decisions in the supermarket are spontaneous. This is due partly to our own impulsiveness but also the result of the work of marketing and sales experts who use their findings to design shops accordingly. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | August 2019
I have been working at TFL since 2013 as a fatliquor chemist in the R&D department. During these six years with TFL, requirements for automotive leather underwent a big change which of course had a big impact on our work and development projects. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | July 2019
Identification with the company is a very important motivation factor for employees. Also identifying with its purposes, brand and brand values the organisation stands for. Employees need to feel that they’re part of something big and meaningful in order to stay motivated and perform above average. (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2019
Art has been vital to human beings from the beginning of time. Ever since the first humans have evolved, they started decorating their cave walls with primitive paintings, used plants, flowers and petals to express themselves (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | June 2019
A couple of years ago the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in partnership with the World Economic Forum informed that by 2050 plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish and that only 14% of plastic packaging, the biggest source of plastic pollution in the oceans, is recycled (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2019
Since the beginning of mankind leather played an important role and it stayed throughout history although facing keen challenges over the centuries. But the challenges these days are different (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2019
Still curious after 35 years working with leather? Florian is telling us why he is still fascincated of our industry and how extremely far the technology went in the last ten years (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2019
Leather has played such a significant role for humans and their daily lives for such a long time, that it has even managed to invade our language. Manuela had a look into the dictionary for us (...)
Main Reaction - The TFL Blog | May 2019
Regular cleaning with appropriate cleaning agents is a good start - but there is so much more you can do! Observe our hints and enjoy your sustainable product for a lifetime (...)