Wealth From Waste — P A Footwear

“Waste is not the end of a process. It can be the beginning of another product.”

Our Wealth From Waste programme pairs four decades of tannery and footwear practice with CSIR and university science. Residues from our tannery, effluent treatment plant, boilers and shoe factory become retanning chemicals, leather sheet, footwear components and consumer products, many of them used back in our own plants.

Waste→Science→Technology→Product→Validation→Value

8Waste-to-product technologies

2_grantedPatents 533484 and 577217 behind our technologies

2_appliedRATAN RLS and YN sheet

210_tWaste-derived retanning products used, Feb 2023 – Sep 2026

35–40_%Petro-based syntans replaced in relevant applications

2016Zero Liquid Discharge operational since

Chinnasami Anbumalar speaking at the British Footwear Association sustainability meet, 2025 — On the international stage · 2025Building a Sustainable Future: Sustainable Leather ProcessingChinnasami Anbumalar, Vice Chairman, P A Footwear, speaking at the British Footwear Association's annual sustainability meet.

Eight technologies

What each waste stream becomes

01PA Prodotto WFW 02VeganVirya 03RATAN RLS 04A2V 05“YN” Recycled Midsole & Outsole Sheet 06Recycled Retanning Chemicals 07BHA-Em 08BHA-SP

In plant useValidated, ready to scaleUnder R&D

01In plant usePAF in-house

Patent 533484ZDHC Level 3

PA Prodotto WFW

Tannery / ETP ZLD residue → retanning material

ZLD / ETP residue→Recovery & value-addition→PA Prodotto WFW→Retanning

ChallengeResidual streams from semi-finished to finished leather and ETP ZLD operations need responsible management and hold recoverable value.

InnovationPatented retanning compound that replaces part of conventional retanning syntans, cutting fresh inputs and the CO₂ that comes with them.

EvidencePatent No. 533484, granted 17 Apr 2024. About 83 t used in our tannery from Feb 2023 to Sep 2026. Bureau Veritas: ZDHC MRSL V3.1 Conformance Level 3 (approved 29 May 2026, valid to 29 Mar 2029).

Collaboration soughtLicensing, wider tannery adoption

02Validated, ready to scaleCSIR-NIIST (technology licensed by PAF)

PETA India 2024CSIR-NIIST

VeganVirya

Agricultural waste → plant-based sheet

Sugarcane bagasse→Material preparation→Plant-based sheet→Footwear & lifestyle

ChallengeAgricultural residues such as sugarcane bagasse need higher-value uses, and doing so helps reduce stubble burning.

InnovationPlant-based sheet material for footwear, bags, sandals and insoles, from CSIR-NIIST technology licensed by PAF.

EvidenceMoU No. 02 with CSIR-NIIST. About 95% plant-based content; Eurofins tested. CSIR-NIIST patent application 202411016392. PETA India Vegan Fashion Award 2024.

Collaboration soughtMaterial scale-up, performance testing, brand applications, manufacturing, commercialisation

03Validated, ready to scaleCSIR-NIIST

Patent appliedIISF 2024India Fashion Forum award 2025

RATAN RLS

Wet-blue shaving dust and trimmings → recycled leather sheet

Wet-blue dust & trimmings→Processing→Recycled leather sheet→Components & goods

ChallengeChrome-containing wet-blue shaving dust and trimmings are hard residues with few high-value uses.

InnovationConverts cow wet-blue shaving dust and trimmings into recycled leather sheet for footwear, bags and lifestyle products.

EvidenceMoU No. 03 with CSIR-NIIST; joint patent application 202511126693. Launched by Dr. Jitendra Singh at IISF 2024, Guwahati. Trials for softness, tensile and tear strength, wrinkle, 1.2–2.5 mm thickness. EU RSL testing completed. Award by India Fashion Forum (IFF): IMAGES Most Admired Fashion Innovation of the Year 2025, Circular Fashion Initiative.

Collaboration soughtScale-up, customer trials, material converters, brands, licensing, commercial manufacturing

Bag made with RATAN recycled leather sheet

Award by India Fashion Forum: IMAGES Most Admired Fashion Innovation of the Year 2025

04Validated, ready to scaleVIT Vellore

Patent 577217VIT Vellore

A2V

Boiler agro-waste ash → biodegradable dishwashing powder

Boiler agro-waste ash→Processing & formulation→A2V powder→Dishwashing

ChallengeChemical dishwashing powders pollute rural land and drains. Untreated discharge harms fish and frogs and leaves soil barren.

InnovationBoiler agro-waste ash turned into a biodegradable dishwashing powder. Inspired by the ash-based dish washing used by earlier generations, refined by PAF and VIT Vellore scientists. Our Save Frog, Save Fish initiative.

EvidencePatent No. 577217, granted 1 Jan 2026 to VIT Vellore; joint innovation of P A Footwear and VIT. Developed through laboratory research, field trials and performance testing.

Collaboration soughtFormulation optimisation, regulatory and safety validation, scale-up, consumer-product manufacturing, market partners

05Under R&DCSIR-NIIST

Patent appliedCSIR-NIIST

“YN” Recycled Midsole & Outsole Sheet

Shoe-factory scoring dust → footwear components

Scoring / buffing dust→Segregation & processing→Recycled sheet→Midsole / outsole

ChallengeShoe-factory scoring and buffing dust is a mixed residue with little conventional reuse.

InnovationRecycled midsole, runner-board and outsole sheet developed with CSIR-NIIST.

EvidenceUnder R&D. MoU No. 04 with CSIR-NIIST; joint patent application.

Collaboration soughtMechanical, abrasion and durability testing; production trials; component makers; footwear brands

06In plant useCSIR-CLRI know-how

CSIR-CLRIZDHC Level 3

Recycled Retanning Chemicals

Chrome shaving waste → ASN, PSN, MSN and PCrSN syntans

Chrome shaving dust→Hydrolysis to protein→ASN · PSN · MSN · PCrSN→Retanning

ChallengeIndian tanneries process about 8,00,000 t of hides a year and generate about 8,000 t of shaving dust that must be disposed of.

InnovationRetanning syntans made from hydrolysed shaving protein with CSIR-CLRI know-how, replacing syntans imported from Italy, Germany and Spain. The process creates no effluent or solid waste, and the precipitated chrome cake becomes PA PRODOTTO PcRSN chrome syntan.

EvidenceMoU No. 01 with CSIR-CLRI. 35–40% of conventional petro-based syntans replaced in relevant applications. About 127 t used from Dec 2023 to Sep 2026. Bureau Veritas: ZDHC MRSL V3.1 Level 3.

Collaboration soughtProcess optimisation, scale-up, chemical-industry collaboration, wider tannery validation

07Under R&DM/s Bharat Printing Inks, Chennai

Trademark filing

BHA-Em

Tannery finishing effluent → interior wall emulsion

Finishing effluent→Treatment & recovery→Water fraction→BHA-Em paint

ChallengeTannery finishing effluent needs controlled treatment; a suitable recovered water fraction can be put to use.

InnovationInterior wall emulsion developed with M/s Bharat Printing Inks, Chennai, using recovered water from the finishing-effluent stream.

EvidenceUnder R&D. Current priority is performance, safety and BIS / NABL validation before wider claims.

Collaboration soughtNABL testing, product validation, regulatory compliance

08Under R&DUnisafe Enterprises

Under testingUnisafe Enterprises

BHA-SP

Sanitary-napkin cutting waste → chemical spill kit

Unused napkin offcuts→Sorting & processing→Absorbent media→BHA-SP spill kit

ChallengeSanitary-napkin factories generate clean, unused cutting waste during production. This absorbent non-woven material usually ends up as waste.

InnovationA chemical spill kit made from these unused production offcuts, developed with Unisafe Enterprises. It shows how we look beyond our own factory to other industries' waste.

EvidenceUnder R&D and testing with Unisafe Enterprises. Made only from clean, unused production waste.

Collaboration soughtAbsorbency and performance testing, safety validation, industrial-safety and spill-response partners, manufacturing scale-up

BHA-SP chemical spill kit

Impact in our tannery

209.96 t of waste-derived chemicals used

Plant records, Feb 2023 to 30 Sep 2026, in tonnes.

PA Prodotto WFWPowder · since Feb 2023

83.4 t

ASNLiquid · since Dec 2023

42.8 t

PSNLiquid · since Apr 2024

34.2 t

MSNLiquid · since Dec 2023

34.2 t

PCrSNLiquid · since Dec 2024

15.3 t

0306090

From ZLD / ETP residueFrom chrome shaving waste

Milestones

How we got here

1987P A Footwear established
2016Zero Liquid Discharge operational
Feb 2023PA Prodotto WFW in regular use in our tannery
Jan 2024CSIR-NIIST MoU; VeganVirya wins PETA India award
17 Apr 2024PA Prodotto WFW Patent No. 533484 granted
Dec 2024RATAN RLS launched at IISF 2024, Guwahati
2025Recycled retanning chemicals in routine use; RATAN RLS wins the India Fashion Forum award, IMAGES Most Admired Fashion Innovation of the Year: Circular Fashion Initiative
2025Vice Chairman speaks on sustainable leather processing at the British Footwear Association's annual sustainability meet
1 Jan 2026A2V Patent No. 577217 granted
29 May 2026PA Prodotto WFW: ZDHC MRSL V3.1 Level 3 (Bureau Veritas)
27–29 Oct 2026ESTIC-2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

At a glance

Portfolio

Waste stream	Technology	Output	Stage	R&D partner
ZLD / ETP residue	PA Prodotto WFW	PA Prodotto WFW	In plant use	PAF in-house
Sugarcane bagasse	VeganVirya	Plant-based sheet	Validated, ready to scale	CSIR-NIIST (technology licensed by PAF)
Wet-blue dust & trimmings	RATAN RLS	Recycled leather sheet	Validated, ready to scale	CSIR-NIIST
Boiler agro-waste ash	A2V	A2V powder	Validated, ready to scale	VIT Vellore
Scoring / buffing dust	“YN” Recycled Midsole & Outsole Sheet	Recycled sheet	Under R&D	CSIR-NIIST
Chrome shaving dust	Recycled Retanning Chemicals	ASN · PSN · MSN · PCrSN	In plant use	CSIR-CLRI know-how
Finishing effluent	BHA-Em	Water fraction	Under R&D	M/s Bharat Printing Inks, Chennai
Unused napkin offcuts	BHA-SP	Absorbent media	Under R&D	Unisafe Enterprises

Supported by CSIR-NIIST, CSIR-CLRI and VIT Vellore. VeganVirya patent application is held by CSIR-NIIST; PAF holds the technology licence.

Patents

Our granted patents

Patent No. 533484A method of processing and converting the solid waste obtained from tannery Zero Liquid Discharge plant into a chemical usable in leather processingFiled 3 Sep 2023 · Granted 17 Apr 2024 · Patent of P A Footwear · Patentees: Anbumalar Chinnasami (Vice Chairman), Nalini Chinnasami, Dr. Nagarajan VeeranguView certificate →

Patent No. 577217A formulation of eco-friendly dish washing products from boiler ash (A2V)Filed 10 Nov 2021 · Granted 1 Jan 2026 · Patentee: Vellore Institute of Technology · Joint innovation with P A FootwearView certificate →

Research partnerships

Our MoUs with CSIR laboratories

MoU No. 01 with CSIR-CLRI — **MoU 01 · CSIR-CLRI**Chemicals from shaving waste

MoU No. 02 with CSIR-NIIST — **MoU 02 · CSIR-NIIST**VeganVirya sheets from sugarcane bagasse

MoU No. 03 with CSIR-NIIST — **MoU 03 · CSIR-NIIST**RATAN recycled leather sheets

MoU No. 04 with CSIR-NIIST — **MoU 04 · CSIR-NIIST**“YN” midsole sheets from shoe-factory waste

Working towards 2030

Our work and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Good health and well-being

RO drinking water in every unit; A2V keeps harsh chemicals out of kitchens and drains

Clean water and sanitation

Zero Liquid Discharge since 2016; sewage treatment and water reuse

Affordable and clean energy

Tannery power: 30–35% wind, balance solar; CTP Division 100% solar

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Two patents granted, two applied; R&D with CSIR and VIT

Responsible consumption and production

210 t of waste-derived retanning chemicals used in our own tannery till Sep 2026

Climate action

Fewer imported, petro-based syntans and fresh chemicals

Life below water

A2V: our Save Frog, Save Fish initiative

Partnerships for the goals

CSIR-NIIST, CSIR-CLRI, VIT Vellore, Bharat Printing Inks, Unisafe Enterprises

How our work relates to each goal. This is our own statement, not an endorsement by the United Nations.

Partner with us

What we are looking for

R&D and technology-development partnerships with CSIR labs, universities and research institutions
Independent testing, validation and standards support
Scale-up and industrialisation partners
Technology licensing and transfer
Manufacturing and application partners
Footwear, material, chemical, paint and consumer-product market partners
Government and institutional support for demonstration and commercialisation
Investors and deep-tech start-ups for an integrated Wealth From Waste platform

C. Anbumalar, Vice Chairman

anbumalar@pafootwear.in