For our company, this is literally and figuratively the crown upon our work. With this honor, the King is granting Smit & Zoon a visible reward for the efforts of seven generations of entrepreneurship, innovation, and care for our customers. This is also an incentive to continue on our road of sustainable innovation. In 2021, being innovative comes with responsibility: creating a socially and environmentally sustainable leather value chain. Our core mission is the same as it was in 1821: to create value for customers, shareholders, employees, and society through the product and process innovations we design and develop. More than ever, we reach these goals by answering the need for sustainable solutions in our value chain. 

The predicate ‘Royal’ was introduced in the year 1807 by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte. The king can award any company, association, or institution the right to use ‘Royal’ in their name. To be eligible, an organization must hold a highly prominent position within its field, be of national importance, and must have existed for at least a hundred years. The size of the company, its operational management, its workforce, and its revenue are all taken into account. The King himself is the only formal institute authorized to confer the designation. 

Napoleon Bonaparte

On this same occasion, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands acknowledged Smit & Zoon’s bicentennial and past successes with the Royal predicate. As of July 2021, we became “Royal Smit & Zoon”.  

Royal Smit & Zoon

During this company visit, Queen Máxima received an introduction to the 200-year history of the family business and an explanation of how Smit & Zoon is working on making the leather industry more sustainable. Our owner Marc Smit explained the significance of 200 years of family tradition and sustainability and guided Queen Máxima in the production facility. Dirick von Behr, Technical Manager & Zeologist, talked about the leather-making process. CEO Hans van Haarst explained the importance of circularity and the role of Smit & Zoon in this and Daniëlle Okkinga-Koenen, Global Director Marketing & Communication, zoomed in on education as a constant factor of improvement for the leather industry. 

Family tradition and sustainability