Whoever says they have never fallen in love with a leather piece, is lying! From punk to professional, accessories to garments, day to night, leather has earned staple status in almost every wardrobe.
Although it is often framed as being a by-product of meat and dairy, the immense scale of the leather industry has led it to be considered an industry in and of itself. Just think about this: the world’s leather production amounts on average to 6 million tons of raw hides per year![1] However, as leather demand grows, so does the criticism of its severe environmental impact.
Despite their longevity and versatility, leather pieces might not be an ethical investment. Here are the hidden costs involved in its production.
What is leather?
Leather is animal hide that has been cleaned of hair and tanned. After tanning, leather must go through three processes that give it its specific color, printing, and texture: retanning, fatliquoring (which involves injecting oil into the leather before it dries so that every fiber is uniformly coated), and dyeing.[2]
Most leather comes from bovine animals. According to The Food and Agriculture Organization, around 3.8 billion cows and other bovine animals are used in leather production each year (we are talking about one animal for every two people on the planet).[3] Snakes, alligators, crocodiles, kangaroos, ostriches, and fish hides are used on a much smaller scale, usually for luxury goods.[4]
Footwear is leather’s primary use, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that China, the world’s leading shoe producer and exporter, is the biggest buyer and processor of this raw material.[5] On its part, most raw leather comes from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.[6]
Environmental impact of its production
The leather industry has shown us how the environmental impact of the raising of animals for food doesn’t end with the animals’ deaths.
Even though some producers try to sell their products as “eco-friendly,” leather production is extremely energy and water-intensive, and requires massive amounts of dangerous chemicals. Indeed, because its production has such a catastrophic environmental impact, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Materials Sustainability Index has given it an impact of 159, which is high compared to, i.e. polyester (44) and cotton (98).[7]
The environmental analysis of leather production should be divided into two: “Pre-tanning” and “Tanning”.
Pre-Tanning
Raising animals for leather purposes requires great quantities of water, fossil fuels, and wide tracts of pastureland, which must be cleared of trees. According to Peta, “in the last half-century, 70 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared to make way for pastures or for growing feed crops.” [8] The result? Habitat loss for millions of species, Earth’s tree canopy loss, and climate change.[9]
And let’s not forget about the impact of the cows themselves, who produce an enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions!
As said before, leather is often described as a byproduct of the meat industry. This seems good, right? It would mean that every part of the animal is used minimizing waste and making the slaughter of animals more economically viable (the hide represents about 10% of the value of the cow).[10]
Unfortunately, it’s not quite like that anymore. Nowadays, leather is rather considered a co-product of the meat industry, i.e., a “desirable secondary good”[11]. So, forget about the meat, these days animals are being intentionally farmed just for their skins. What is more, even if it was a by-product of the meat, we would still be supporting an industry that ultimately is doing terrible things for the environment.
The tanning processes
The leather tanning process is among the most toxic in the fashion supply chain.[12] Around 90% of the production uses chromium tanning, where hides are soaked in water, chromium salts, and tanning liquor to stop them from decomposing.[13] This type of tanning results in serious water pollution that is toxic to the natural environment and the people that rely on the water supply and eco-system.[14]
This process is so toxic that some tanneries in the US were forced to close due to stringent environmental laws. This has also been the case of Europe, which has Italy as its main producer (nearly 20% of global production).[15] However, in other countries which are major leather producers and exporters (such as China, India, and Brazil), environmental protections are weaker and untreated toxic effluents often flow directly into local waterways.[16]
To reduce this alarming amount of contamination, the luxury sector has started reusing ancient techniques of tanning with plant extracts. Although it takes much longer than chemical processing, it produces far less harmful waste and a biodegradable leather.[17]
Workers
Workers (which in some countries include children) shouldn’t be taken out of the equation when talking about the impact of leather production. Tannery effluent contains large amounts of pollutants, which causes people living nearby to be exposed to toxic chemicals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “the incidence of leukemia among residents in an area near one tannery in Kentucky was five times the U.S. average.”[18]
Alternatives to leather
Synthetic alternatives to leather, such as polyurethane (PU), are no news to the fashion industry. While PU scores better than leather on the Higg Index with lower scores for global warming and pollution, let’s not forget that it’s made of plastic. However, research shows that the total negative environmental impact of PU is still one-third lower than leather.[19]
There are other more natural alternatives that are being trialed, e.g., cork fabric from Mediterranean Cork Oak trees, bark fiber reinforced with polymers, and leather substitutes derived from pineapple, grapes, mushrooms, and seaweed.[20]
Now, what about quality? Is real leather better? Well, it depends. Society has led us to think that leather is a good quality product, that’s why we take the utmost care when it comes to it. The natural consequence: it lasts! Of course, if you invest in a pair of good leather boots and you take care of them, it will definitely last longer than a pair of cheap PU boots from a fast-fashion retailer. But look at Dr. Martens, for example, their vegan alternatives are as durable as their leather ones, and the prices are the same which suggests the quality of the materials are similar. Moral of the story: Do your research and buy good quality alternatives.
Final Thoughts: How to reduce leather consumption?
The production of leather hurts animals, the environment, and the workers who manufacture it. Thankfully, now more than ever, awareness is being spread. People are interested in what they buy, where the items come from and the environmental impacts of their choices.
So here are some things you can do to reduce leather’s environmental impact.
- Due to its durability, finding vintage or second-hand leather is a very good option.
- If avoiding leather all together is not an option for you, educate yourself and choose transparent brands that are environmentally conscious.
- We just saw that leather alternatives can be as good and durable as the real one, so don’t hesitate to choose them.
Sustainability is not something that can be easily achieved overnight and, of course, there is no simple answer when it comes to getting it right. Do your research, know your fabrics and start questioning the ethics of your favorite brands. We need to change the demand since this is the only thing that will result in a change in supply.
What are your thoughts on leather production after reading this article? Let us know in the comments below!
