The BioNaD project will aim at demonstrating the use of a new category of dyes, as innovative colorants for the leather industry. These compounds are named naturalised dyes, meaning chemical species resulting from the linkage between a dye and the sugar lactose, obtained from waste milk serum. The goal of BioNaD will be the replacement of current commercial products, in order to establish a significantly eco-sustainable and convenient business for companies. The specific technical goals of the project will be verified in a series of actions, demonstrating the dyeing efficacy of naturalised dyes, capable of substituting acid dyes normally used in the dyeing process for leather. Further, bacteria based degradation of dyeing effluent wastewaters will be the downstream goal of the project, in order to allow the recycle of water and thus the reduction of its consumption. BioNaD will bring major contributions to the protection of the environment and will act primarily for a sustainable development of the leather business through: _ The synthetic chemical design of dyes in compliance with EU legislation, REACH document (CE) No. 1907/2006, _ The use of “lactose” from waste milk serum to generate naturalised dyes, impacting heavily on the disposal of this highly hypertrophic substance. _ The use of naturalized dyes with purity higher than that of commercial acid dyes, allowing leather and leather goods manufacturers to obtain the European eco-label for their products. _ The avoidance of chemical additives in the dyeing processes, having a beneficial effect on leather company budgets related to the disposal of wastewater and the consumption of water. _ The use of eco-friendly Escherichia Coli biodegradation technology, to achieve the purification of dye containing effluents in aerobic conditions without the generation of toxic metabolism byproducts.