About us
About us
Founded in 1969 by Gaetano Grotto, sirp has its roots in Cologna Veneta, near Verona, in the heart of the Italian tanning industry, the Arzignano leather district. The company was born out of its founder expertise in the field of italian leather tannings and dyes, and thanks to the intuition that had him venture to invest in transfer technology for leather finishing.
Today, sirp is a global landmark for the production of the highest quality design leathers, used in applications for leather goods, shoes, product and interior furnishing.
The history of sirp begins in the 1960s, when Gaetano Grotto, at that time the colors and dyes products rep for a French company in Italy, decided to set up his own company with two partners. The business developed rapidly and Cologna Veneta was chosen as the natural location for its production site due to the availability of natural resources, water, and local leather craftsmanship and expertise.
His vision took roots quickly thanks to the invention of transfer technology, prototyped and perfected on silicone rubber molds, that brought substantial innovation to the leather industry, transforming this finishing technology into an internationally recognized industrial process. After establishing full ownership of the company since the 1970s, Gaetano Grotto moved away from contract manufacturing and began to market the first sirp leathers developing and building customized machinery for their processing.
In the 1980s, sirp began to focus on leather goods and belt production, expanding its business internationally. By participating to the first industry trade shows in Hong Kong, the company reached strategic markets in the Far East and South East Asia, Europe and the United States. In those years, the focus of the company also expanded to the production of fashion items, with the creation of leathers for the production of hand bags and accessories.
In the early 1990s, the company also introduced paper transfer technology to its production capabilities, expanding the creative potential and finishing options made available to clients globally. Although the leather goods market was going through a challenging time in those years, sirp adapted and entered the interior design and furniture industry.
With the return of firm hand bags consumer trends in the 2000’s, sirp consolidated its position in the luxury segment, strengthening its partnership with the most prestigious main street fashion houses and brands.
Destiny is in its very name as sirp in Italian stands for Società Italiana Rifinizione Pelli, a managerially run, high-tech, finishing tannery, still owned by the Grotto family and fully embracing the future of leather, natural and recycled materials.
The Heart of Production
sirp core strength lies in its transfer technology capabilities. This technology has become the heart of the company's production. Over the years, sirp has continued to innovate, perfecting its leather finishing processes and introducing new technologies such as paper transfer finishing. The company is known for the high design quality of its products and for its ability to provide fully customizable leathers designed to specification.
sirp has always focused and constantly invested in innovation. The internal certified research and development lab has studied and developed new finishing binders and sustainable compounds anticipating today’s environmental trends and the growing sensibility towards sustainability of the fashion industry at large.
Attention to sustainability is a fundamental element of sirp philosophy. The company has invested, since its foundation, in a directly owned and operated water treatment plant, which allows water to be fully managed internally, sealing control of the residual water of leather processing. sirp is also committed to reducing emissions using water-based dyes and finishing compound developed both by its research department and in collaboration with the industry leading tanning and dyes producers and suppliers.
Looking to the future, sirp continues to invest in the research of innovative, low-impact tanning and finishing compounds, such as bio-based polymers, polyols and polysaccharides, to ensure increasingly sustainable and high-performance finishes for its leather production. The company aims at continuing to be the leader in finishing technology and innovation, preserving and designing the italian finest quality leathers and adhering to the strictest environmental standards.
Our mission is to inform and inspire fashion houses, product and interior designers every day, everywhere, by offering the most curated and trendy collection of textured leathers, and soft covering design finish natural and recycled materials.
