Leather…an ancient industry facing serious environmental challenges

Leather…an ancient industry facing serious environmental challenges

In the world of fashion, leather is one of the most common and used animal materials, not only for its aesthetic value and association with luxury, but also for its strength and durability that makes it resistant to corrosion and prolongs its life in the wardrobe without losing its luster. This practical dimension has made many people view it as a sustainable material, due to its ability to last for years without needing to be replaced.

Although this view may seem logical from the perspective of individual consumption, it lacks depth when viewed from a comprehensive environmental perspective. The leather industry hides behind its brilliance a high environmental and human cost, including the use of polluting chemicals, a huge waste of water and energy, in addition to the cruelty it entails towards animals. With the growing environmental awareness and increasing voices calling for animal rights, many have turned to searching for vegetarian alternatives to leather.

The irony lies in that most of these alternatives rely on plastic, which poses a new environmental dilemma, and makes the question legitimate: Is it really possible to produce “sustainable leather” that combines elegance and environmental responsibility? In this article,Earth Guards sheds light on this complex industry, and discusses the sustainability claims surrounding it, reviewing the most prominent alternatives that may contribute to building a more balanced future between humans and nature. So keep reading.

Environmental impact of the leather industry

Animal hides – especially cow hides – constitute approximately 90% of the leather used in thefashion industry; Converting it from a raw product into a finished product requires a long series of industrial processes that begin with salting the hides and removing the hair, and ending with dyeing and finishing. In these processes, huge amounts of toxic chemicals are used, especially in the “chrome tanning” method, which is the most common in the world.

This method not only harms the environment, but also poses a direct danger to the health of workers in tanneries, especially in countries with weak oversight such as India. Wastewater contaminated with heavy chromium and other toxic materials seeps into rivers and fields, causing pollution in drinking and agricultural water sources, and is sometimes disposed directly into the soil, which leads to crop poisoning and deterioration of agricultural land fertility.

However, some environmental trends have begun to offer safer alternatives, such as vegetable tanning that relies on tree and plant bark extracts, without the need for toxic compounds. These practices have found their way more clearly in some European countries, where strict environmental legislation contributes to controlling production standards and providing relative protection for both the environment and workers. However, these exceptions are not enough to exonerate the leather industry in general, in light of the continuing environmental and health violations in other regions of the world, and here the question remains: Can animal hides be considered a sustainable option in light of these intertwined challenges?

Leather is a secondary or main product?

Leather is often promoted with the repeated argument used to justify the consumption of animal hides, which is that they are only a by-product of the meat industry, which makes their exploitation seem like a contribution to reducing loss and reducing waste. However, this argument, which is based on the idea of ​​the circular economy, hides a more complex reality.

The leather industry generates more than $150 billion annually worldwide, which makes it a stand-alone sector in which livestock are often raised for both meat and leather. From this perspective, leather becomes an economic driver no less important than meat, and not just recycled scraps. What makes the irony even more acute is that some experts – as mentioned in the documentarySLAY – believe that the environmental damage resulting from leather tanning far exceeds the impact of disposing of it directly without manufacturing.

Environmental impact of the leather industry

The animal leather industry depends on the intensive agricultural sector, which is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Livestock need vast areas for grazing, and huge amounts of water and fodder, and this causes the deforestation, which is destroyed daily to make way for livestock farms or the cultivation of soybeans to feed animals.

In this context, a study by the “Stand” organization shows that some international fashion companies deal with producers linked to the destruction of the Amazon forests, including famous brands. Thus, the environmental impacts of leather are not limited to the factory only, but rather their roots extend deep into the global ecosystems, threatening biodiversity and exacerbating the climate change crisis, in clear violation of Sustainable Development Goal No. (15) related to life on land.

Is vegan leather a sustainable solution?

In recent years, new types of vegan leather have begun to appear made from materials such as pineapple, apples, mushrooms, aloe vera and even coffee. These materials are an interesting alternative; It does not depend on killing animals and does not consume enormous agricultural resources as livestock do.

However, most of these materials are not strong enough to withstand daily use without adding plastic to them, and with the addition of polymers such aspolyurethaneor PVC, the product loses its sustainability characteristic; As it turns into “plastic in the form of leather”, it does not decompose environmentally, and becomes an environmental burden on land and at sea.

On the other hand, there is a new type known as “silicone leather”, which is made from materials derived from sand, and is characterized by being toxic-free and recyclable, but it is not biodegradable. This type does not threaten marine life like plastic, and is considered a promising step towards reducing the environmental footprint of leather products.

Laboratory and recycled leather

In their efforts to overcome the dilemma of animal leather and plastic, some companies have turned to developing “laboratory leather” by growing animal cells in an industrial environment without the need to slaughter animals, and the American company “Modern Meadow” is one of the pioneers of this innovation that combines the physical properties of natural leather with a reduced environmental footprint.

Recycled leather relies on reusing scraps of remaining animal hides. Which reduces industrial waste. It is worth noting that the recycling process itself often requires plastic adhesives, which makes the final product a mixture of natural leather and plastic, and although it is better than disposing of waste, it is not an ideal long-term solution.

Towards responsible consumption

Ultimately, no one type of leather can be said to be completely “sustainable”; Each option has its drawbacks and advantages, and sustainability in the leather industry is not only achieved through the selection of materials, but also through adopting responsible consumption and production practices that reflect the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal (12) on responsible consumption and production. The leather industry faces major environmental and social challenges, which makes it necessary to reduce waste and rely on environmentally friendly techniques and plant or recycled sources. To ensure the protection of natural resources and the well-being of both humans and animals.

In this context,Earth Guardsemphasizes the importance of motivating consumers to support products that reflect these values, and encouraging companies to commit to transparency and social and environmental responsibility, as conscious consumption is the cornerstone for achieving a sustainable leather industry that balances the requirements of elegance and environmental preservation.