ICEC - the only Certification Institute specialized exclusively for the leather sector

What ICEC - the only Certification Institute specialized exclusively for the leather sector does

ICEC (I.CE.C - Istituto di Certificazione della Qualità per l'Industria Conciaria) is an Italian private association founded in 1994 and headquartered in Milan. It is the only certification body in the world specialized exclusively in the leather sector, providing third-party accredited certification services across environmental sustainability (ISO 14001, EMAS, UNI 11427 eco-leather), ethical and social sustainability (ISO 45001, UNIC Code of Conduct, ZDHC chemical management), and product/economic sustainability (ISO 9001, product certification, Made in Italy under UNI EN 16484, traceability under TS 410/412, REACH chemical management, test laboratory qualification under TS 406). The organization is accredited by Accredia and operates a proprietary suite of Technical Specifications (TS series) developed specifically for leather-sector needs.

Its business model combines recurring subscription revenue (annual surveillance and licensing of certification marks) with transactional audit and certification fees, supplemented by ancillary services including ZDHC Gateway chemical registration, tannery subcontractor qualification (TS 424), ethical claim certification (TS 733), sample-collection protection, and training delivered in partnership with Lineapelle. The go-to-market relies on direct enterprise field sales through a small headquarters team and dedicated regional representatives in the three principal Italian tanning districts (Veneto, Tuscany, Campania), complemented by trade-fair presence at Lineapelle events globally and partnerships with industry associations including UNIC, UNPAC, ZDHC, LWG, OEKO-TEX, SLF, COTANCE, CTIC (Portugal), Leather Cluster Barcelona, ACEXPIEL (Spain) and FFTM (France). The institute serves tanneries, leather-goods manufacturers, chemical suppliers, machinery producers, subcontractors, and test laboratories primarily in Italy with selected cross-border reach in Europe.

The organization is structured as a member-driven association governed by an Assembly of Members and Board of Directors, with no parent company or external equity ownership disclosed. As of the 2025/2026 assembly, certified companies grew 11% YoY, and the technical inspector base was being expanded with new trainees. Revenue, ownership financials, and detailed headcount breakdowns are not publicly disclosed.

Name

ICEC - the only Certification Institute specialized exclusively for the leather sector

Legal name

I.CE.C - Istituto di Certificazione della Qualità per l'Industria Conciaria

Website

https://icec.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICEC is the only certification body worldwide dedicated exclusively to the leather sector, providing accredited third-party certification in environmental, social, product, and traceability standards to tanneries, leather-goods manufacturers, and supply-chain companies primarily in Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leather Sector Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (3161)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Leather Testing, Grading & Quality Certification (IMAOAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

Keywords

• Leather certification services
• Quality management systems
• Environmental management certification
• Leather traceability certification
• Made in Italy certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: Third-party certification services for leather sector companies including system certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001), product certifications, and traceability certifications. Revenue generated through application fees, audit fees, and annual surveillance fees.
2. Product Certification: Certification of finished leather products for various applications (footwear, leather goods, furniture, clothing, automotive). Includes testing through qualified laboratories.
3. Training and Education: Training courses for leather sector professionals, though currently no courses are scheduled. Partnership with Lineapelle Training.
4. Licensing and Brand Use: Licensing fees for use of ICEC certification marks on certified products, including numbered labels for Made in Italy leather products and Eco-leather products.
5. Extra Services: Additional services including promotional certificates, market promotion of certified companies, fair catalog listings, technical circulars, and technical assistance.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICEC is the only certification institute specialized exclusively for the leather sector, providing accredited third-party certification services across environmental, ethical-social, and product-economic sustainability. Its portfolio covers ISO 9001/14001/45001 system certifications, EMAS verification, leather product certification (UNI 11427 eco-leathers, UNI EN 16484 Made in Italy), traceability certifications (TS 410/412/414), chemical management per REACH and ZDHC (TS 416/419/420), laboratory qualification (TS 406), and ethical claim attestation (TS 733), supported by surveillance audits and licensing of ICEC certification marks.

Product overview

ICEC (I.CE.C - Institute of Quality Certification for the Leather Sector) is a certification institute established in 1994, specializing exclusively in the leather sector. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of certification services organized across three main sustainability pillars: Environmental Sustainability (Environmental Management System ISO 14001, EMAS Environmental Statement, Eco-leathers Certification), Ethic and Social Sustainability (Occupational Health and Safety ISO 45001, UNIC Code of Conduct, ZDHC Chemicals Management), and Product and Economic Sustainability (Quality Management ISO 9001, Product Certification for Finished Leathers, Made in Italy Certifications, Leather Traceability Certifications, REACH Chemical Management, Laboratory Qualification). The certification services are complemented by additional offerings including ZDHC Gateway registration, tannery subcontractors qualification, ethical claim certification, and sample collections protection services. ICEC operates as an accredited certification body under Accredia for multiple standards including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, EMAS, and product certification according to UNI/EN standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Management System Certification (ISO 14001) Accredited third-party certification of tanneries' and manufacturers' UNI EN ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, helping them control environmental impact and systematically improve environmental performance.
• EMAS Environmental Statement Validation Validation service for the EMAS (European Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) environmental statement under Regulation CE 1221/2009, providing accredited public disclosure of environmental performance.
• Eco-leathers Certification (UNI 11427) Product certification under the UNI 11427 standard for leather with reduced environmental impact across three performance classes, enabling companies to communicate eco-leather performance to buyers and consumers.
• Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certification (ISO 45001) Accredited certification of UNI ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management systems (formerly OHSAS 18001), helping tanneries reduce workplace accidents and comply with health and safety legislation.
• UNIC Code of Conduct and Social Accountability Attestation Attestation for social responsibility referencing the UNIC Code of Conduct, SA8000, and ILO conventions, evidencing worker rights and social-standards compliance for tanneries.
• ZDHC Chemicals Management System Certification (TS 420) Certification based on ICEC TS 420 for chemical management according to ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) requirements, covering levels 1-3 for chemical product registration in the ZDHC Gateway.
• Quality Management System Certification (ISO 9001) Accredited certification of UNI EN ISO 9001 quality management systems for tanneries, manufacturers, and other leather-sector companies, evidencing product requirement compliance and continuous improvement.
• Product Certification for Finished Leathers Accredited product certification of finished leathers by end-use destination (footwear, leather goods, furniture, clothing, automotive) per UNI or international reference standards, including laboratory testing.
• Innovative Company Processes Certification Certification service for tanneries and manufacturers with particularly innovative production techniques or articles, with verification methods and analyses agreed directly with ICEC on a case-by-case basis.
• Made in Italy of Leather Production Certification (UNI EN 16484) Accredited product certification per UNI EN 16484 for the geographical origin of leather production, defining Italian origin based on the substantial last transformation rule under customs legislation.
• Made in Italy of Products Certification Certification of Italian origin for finished articles, accessories, and components in the leather sector (bags, footwear, leather goods), based on customs origin rules for manufactured products.
• Leather Traceability Certification (TS 410 / TS 412) Certification for raw-material (hides and skins) traceability upstream of the tannery, based on ICEC TS SC 410 (product system) or ICEC TS PC 412 (single product), providing ratings for traceability levels and including Animal Welfare / deforestation risk analysis tools.
• Finished Leather Products Traceability Certification (TS PM 414) Certification for the traceability of finished leather products delivered to end consumers, covering production phases entrusted to third parties, based on the TS PM 414 technical specification.
• Qualification of Leather Sector Test Laboratories (TS 406) Laboratory qualification service based on ICEC TS 406 for testing laboratories operating in the leather sector, covering personnel training, testing environment, and report management, supporting ISO 17025 accreditation preparation.
• REACH Chemicals Management System Certification (TS 416) Certification based on ICEC TS 416 for chemical substance management per the REACH regulation or customer technical specifications, covering substance lists, applicable limits in major destination countries, and testing methods.
• Company Sustainability Attestation Overall sustainability attestation issued to tanneries that have achieved ICEC certification across environmental, ethical-social, economic, and product areas, with associated use of the ICEC sustainability logo.
• ZDHC Gateway Chemical Registration Service (TS 419 / TS 420) Service for registering chemical products in the ZDHC Gateway, with ICEC acting as a ZDHC-recognized Solution Provider at levels 2 and 3, based on ICEC TS 419 (Foundational) and TS 420 (Performance) specifications.
• Tannery Subcontractors Qualification (TS 424) Qualification service for tannery subcontractors (terzisti) based on ICEC TS 424, verifying compliance with environmental, workplace safety, and personnel management requirements along the leather supply chain.
• Ethical Claim Certification (TS 733) Certification of the ethical claim 'we recover our skins from the food chain' according to ICEC TS 733, verifying that raw hides are by-products of the food industry rather than being raised solely for skin.
• Sample Collection Protection Service Service protecting company know-how and sample collections displayed publicly, providing know-how attestation and first-public-diffusion-date certification using digital signatures and timestamps for legal evidentiary purposes.
• ICEC Marks Use Regulations and Licensing Licensing framework governing the use of ICEC certification marks and the ICEC logo on certified products and in customer communications, reserved for authorized certified companies and their customers.
• Leather Sector Training Courses (with Lineapelle Training) Training courses for leather-sector professionals on certification, sustainability, and traceability topics, currently offered in partnership with Lineapelle Training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11% increase in certified companies in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, regional and supporting.

• Leather Traceability Cluster (LTC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Pioneering cooperation launched by COTANCE in September 2022 at Lineapelle, bringing together ICEC, Leather Working Group (LWG), OEKO-TEX, and Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) to develop common essential requirements for leather traceability. The standard will be submitted for CEN fast-track standardization process.
• ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2020ZDHC recognition as Solution Provider for chemical registration in the Gateway at Levels 1, 2, and 3 for both leather and textile sectors. ICEC's TS 419/TS 420 specifications recognized for chemical management certification.
• CTIC (Portugal)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2019Collaboration agreement with CTIC (Portuguese Technological Center for the Leather Industry) for cross-border certification support and standardization activities.
• Leather Cluster Barcelona (Spain)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2019Collaboration agreement with Leather Cluster Barcelona for standardization and certification activities in the Spanish leather sector.
• ACEXPIEL (Spain)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Expanded European collaboration agreement with ACEXPIEL (Spanish leather sector association) for mutual recognition and joint certification activities.
• CSCBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2018Agreement signed for Sustainability Certification Program collaboration, enabling mutual recognition of sustainability certifications in the leather sector.
• ZDHC (Membership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2017ICEC became a member of ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals), enabling participation in chemical management initiatives and recognition of ICEC certifications in the ZDHC Gateway.
• National Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for development of deforestation risk assessment system for Amazon leather (Brazil and Paraguay), integrated with ICEC TS 410/TS 412 traceability certifications using DCFL (Deforestation and Conversion Free Leathers) criteria.
• UNIC (Italian Tanners Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with UNIC for development of certification schemes including UNIC Code of Conduct and Social Accountability, ethical claims, and technical specifications. Joint organization of industry events.
• UNPACcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organization of events including 'La Chimica e la Pelle: Dialogo nella Filiera' (July 2025, Florence) with UNPAC for chemical management and leather sector dialogue.
• LineapellecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with Lineapelle trade fair for certification promotion, training through Lineapelle Training, and industry event organization. ICEC has presence at all Lineapelle events (Milan, New York, London, Asia).
• AccrediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation by Accredia (Italian accreditation body) for multiple certification schemes including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, EMAS, product certification, and origin denomination. Ensures international recognition of ICEC certificates.
• Università degli Studi di Milano - Department of Veterinary MedicinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for development of Animal Welfare analysis tool and risk assessment for leather traceability, providing scientific expertise on animal welfare concepts and requirements.
• FFTM (French Tanners Federation)regionalGTM or Marketing PartnerEngagement with French tanneries associated with FFTM for certification awareness and market expansion in the French leather sector.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DNV: DNV is a global certification body offering ISO management system certifications and chain-of-custody programs; competes for tannery certification contracts with a wider industry portfolio than ICEC's leather-only focus.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC incumbent offering ISO 9001/14001/45001 and product certification including leather programs; competes with ICEC on general management system certifications while lacking leather-exclusive specialization.
• SGS: SGS is one of the world's largest testing, inspection and certification companies with dedicated leather testing services — competes with ICEC for chemical management and quality certifications across the leather supply chain at a global scale.
• TÜV Italia / TÜV SÜD: TÜV provides ISO 9001/14001/45001 and product certification across multiple industries including leather; competes with ICEC on management system certifications for tanneries with broader international recognition.

Direct peers

• Leather Working Group (LWG): LWG is the leading global multi-stakeholder group auditing leather manufacturers on environmental and social compliance — a direct peer to ICEC's environmental certification schemes and a co-member of the Leather Traceability Cluster.
• OEKO-TEX: OEKO-TEX certifies textiles and leather for harmful substances and is a co-developer of the Leather Traceability Cluster standard with ICEC; both serve the leather supply chain with overlapping chemical-safety and traceability certifications.
• Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF): SLF provides sustainability certification and self-assessment tools for the leather industry; an emerging peer co-developing traceability standards with ICEC and overlapping on corporate sustainability attestation.

Regional players

• Centro Tecnologico do Calçado de Portugal (CTCP): CTCP is the Portuguese footwear and leather technology center providing testing, certification and R&D; comparable to ICEC as a regional Iberian leather-sector certification/testing counterpart with cross-border collaboration history.
• RINA Services: RINA is an Italian-based global certification body offering ISO certifications, EMAS, and product certification; competes with ICEC for Italian tannery contracts while also serving broader industrial sectors.

Emerging players

• BLC Leather Technology Centre: BLC is a UK-based leather testing, technology and consultancy provider offering leather testing, training and certification support; an adjacent peer with overlapping leather chemistry and quality testing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icec-istituto-di-certificazione-per-l-area-pelle

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ICEC - the only Certification Institute specialized exclusively for the leather sector