Animal welfare and species protection at HIRSCH

Each HIRSCH strap - a good feeling

April 1, 2022

As the saying goes: we are not only responsible for what we do, but also for what we do not do. We at HIRSCH don't think there is a better way to put it and have been committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and species protection for decades. Leather is a precious product with many advantages. Supple, flexible, stretchable, elastic, tear-resistant, breathable and water-resistant - like a second skin, leather makes you feel good when you wear it. Because wearing a leather strap from HIRSCH also means wearing leather with a clear conscience. You can rely on that!

Leather: precious natural product

HIRSCH has been committed to the precious natural product leather in the production of watch bracelets from the very beginning. Whether calfskin with exceptional texture, traditional natural leather with embossed, deliberately falsified surfaces, or precious leather, a hand selected range of sumptuous exotic leathers - we have become an absolute specialist in the processing of this noble material. And we have always set the highest standards when it comes to the quality of this raw material. A quality that holds a considerable responsibility.

HIRSCH. We stand by our responsibility!

Most types of leather are a left over of the food industry. The utilisation and refinement of this precious "waste product" thus also has a decisive sustainability aspect. Our HIRSCH leather experts check the aesthetics and quality of the goods on site at the respective tanneries around the globe before purchasing. We bear responsibility - and we take it on with extensive measures for animal welfare and species protection:

Our partners receive the raw material exclusively from certified companies with ICFA, LVMH, HCP certifications.
Our purchasing policy for calfskin focuses on skins of European origin. This ensures that the animals themselves have been raised and slaughtered in Europe, guaranteeing animal welfare through European legislation.
Our suppliers must transparently disclose the exact origin of the raw material.

CITES also for HIRSCH watch bracelets

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) was negotiated in Washington in 1973. As an instrument of binding international law, CITES currently applies to 183 Parties (as of June 2019). We work closely with all associated authorities to live up to our principle of "protecting through use".

Leather, that is processed at HIRSCH, comes from animals that have been kept in a species-appropriate manner or from controlled hunting populations and/or is strictly subject to the international CITES Convention!
Imports, exports and re-exports of the animals and plants mentioned in the convention, must be authorised by a licensing system (CITES document).
We strictly adhere to CITES compliance for exotic materials since the introduction of this convention.

HIRSCH is a founding member of the AQC

AQC stands for Association pour l'Assurance Qualité des Fabricants de Bracelets Cuir. Based in Switzerland, this international association is dedicated to the quality assurance of leather watch bracelets. Founded in 2014, the members of AQC represent more than 80% of global premium production. The fact that HIRSCH is a founding member of this association alone shows how important the topics of quality and sustainability are to us.

AQC was created to offer your watch brand an additional level of security. AQC members meet the highest requirements in terms of traceability and conformity of the materials used in the production of leather bracelets. The association is committed to sustainable development by involving the entire supply chain of leather watch bracelets. For AQC members, competence, safety, confidentiality and reciprocity are the key values in cooperation with all parties. An audit is carried out every two years, which entitles members to continue to be part of the AQC. HIRSCH successfully passed this certification again in 2021!

Controlled material variety

HIRSCH ON THE POINT

- Quality has its price, which we at HIRSCH are happy to pay
- Strict compliance with the Washington Convention since its introduction
- Founding member of the AQC
- Audit 2021 - successful certification again
- Sustainability as an essential part of the corporate philosophy