Leather manufacturer Gruppo Mastrotto has developed a new, patented process to make sure that the finished leather it produces are 99.9% free from pathogenic bacteria and viruses that can cause infection and disease.

“After numerous laboratory tests,” Gruppo Mastrotto said, “we have verified the resistance of our leathers to bacterial and viral contamination.”

As a result of the new process, it has found that 99.9% of bacteria and viruses do not survive on the surface of the finished leather. The group has said this will be an effective and permanent treatment, and that the elimination of almost all bacteria and viruses is “guaranteed”.

Group president, Chiara Mastrotto, said the innovation had been designed and developed entirely in house. She said: “Innovation has always been a fundamental driver for our company, from high-performance materials, to green innovation, to this latest discovery.”