Quebracho

Tannin

Quebracho

Tannin

Overview

Quebracho colorado (Schinopsis lorentzii and Schinopsis balansae), commonly referred to as quebracho, is an evergreen tree that grows wild in South America in dense sub-tropical forests. It can be found in Argentina, in the provinces of Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fé, as well as in Bolivia and Paraguay. These regions host several forests naturally rich in quebracho.

Argentina: forest management and reforestation

The provinces of Chaco and Formosa in Argentina are the regions with the highest density of quebracho colorado. In 2007, the Ley de Bosque Nativo, a law designed to protect and promote native forests, established guidelines for the responsible management of forests including those rich in quebracho.

The amount of quebracho wood used for tannin production is 250,000 tons per year. Through a selective thinning practice carried out every 40 years, just 0.1% of the quebracho specimens per hectare are selected for harvest. This practice ensures that the amount of wood collected remains much lower than the volume that grows during an entire year.

There is also an ongoing replanting program, carried out as part of a collaboration between tannin producers and the owners of the woodland. It focuses on seedling planting and best practices to manage the forests.

PEFC certification

Silvateam is the first company offering leather tanning products to be rewarded with the forest certification PEFC for its production of quebracho tannins (Certificate number 006971)

This certification is proof of the company’s commitment to the protection of forests and of the communities that rely on those same forests for their livelihood.