Leather

Anti-MicrobialBreathableCompostableCorkElasticFlexibleLeatherMirumMoisture BarrierMyceliumReishiTerracare LeatherTextilesZeology

WHAT WE SAY:

While leather is controversial, it will not surprise you that we are far more opposed to plastic-based alt-leathers, especially those that go to great lengths to hide their fossil fuel-based elements. Few alt-leathers have the eco-credentials of NFW’s Mirum.

While, historically, the idea of ‘clean’ leather would have been impossible, new technologies and makers are reducing the industry’s negative impacts and unlocking leather’s circular potential, making it an increasingly viable option. Especially once you factor in the all-important yet too often overlooked metric – longevity.

Leather samples / Source: Shutterstock

WHAT IS LEATHER?

Leather is any material made from the skin or hide of an animal. The spectrum of animals used within the leather market spans from cows to stingrays.
To stop it decaying, as any natural material usually would, leather is subjected to a multi-step tanning process to stabilise the collagen – chrome tanning and vegetable tanning are the prominent tanning processes within the industry.
Leather is separated into different grades: full grain, top grain, corrected grain, genuine and split grain leather.
According to the Leather and Hide Council of America, around 50% of global leather is used to make footwear, 17% for car upholstery, 10% for clothing and 9% for furniture.
Due to the chemicals involved in manufacturing, leather’s biodegradability is not typically guaranteed. But innovative tanning agents like Zeology mean it can happen in as little as 20 days.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Anti-Microbial
Breathable
Compostable
Elastic
Flexible
Moisture Barrier

INDUSTRY:

Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

Global leather production, when measured in the weight of fresh hides, was over 12.5 million tonnes in 2020, encompassing the hides and skins of over 1.4 billion animals.
Cowhide is the most popular type of hide, amounting to 8.6 million tonnes in 2020 and generally representing approximately two-thirds of leather production. Sheep, goat and buffalo follow cowhide in usage rates.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations states that the total emissions from global livestock represent 14.5% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions. Broadly, leather is a co-product or by-product of the meat industry – although this is not necessarily the case with exotic skins – so the associated environmental impact is one of the leading criticisms of leather.
However, five million hides (approximately 15% of all produced) were landfilled in 2020. Global wastage is approximately 40%, according to the Leather and Hide Council of America. It results in three million tonnes of landfill, putting abundant potential resources on the table without upping levels of livestock rearing.
Most leather is chrome tanned, a quicker, cheaper process than vegetable tanning. However, Chromium VI and other substances involved in the process can impact human health and the surrounding environment.
Vegetable tanning, although more expensive, is a more traditional, chrome-free technique that uses plant-based tannins to bind the protein in the hide, making the material more resistant to bacteria and water.
Chromium-free leather is often pre-tanned with glutaraldehyde, which was placed on the EU’s Substance of Very High Concern Candidate List in 2021. However, new technologies such as Zeology offer an alternative, with its zeolite-based, chrome-free, aldehyde-free, heavy metal-free tanning agent being used by brands including Puma and Anya Hindmarch.
The perception of leather as being less sustainable than fossil fuel-based materials such as PU is in many cases based upon a high Higg Index score of 159. The Index, which often gives natural fibres higher impact scores than synthetic fibres, has since been suspended due to a lack of data transparency, concerns around funding received from fashion brands, and a cradle-to-gate methodology – overlooking usage and end-of-life.
Recycled leather is emerging but will need some weight behind it to compete with plastic alternatives. Spinnova and Ecco have partnered with KT Trading to create Respin, a fibre made from leather waste fibre, and Enspire Leather by Sustainable Composites uses leather scraps as the feedstock for its material.
Initiatives, standards and certifications for leather include the Leather Round Table, the Leather Working Group and Leather Standard by OEKO-TEX. They focus on factors such as supply chain transparency, carbon reduction activities, soil health, substance regulation, and human and ecological safety.

KEY FACTS:

12.5mn tns

of leather was produced globally in 2020 when measured in the weight of fresh hides

14.5%

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations states that the total emissions from global livestock represent 14.5% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions

8.6mn tns

Cowhide is the most popular type of hide, amounting to 8.6 million tonnes in 2020

Key Questions to Ask:

Where is your leather sourced?

Generalised data comparisons have proven to generate unreliable reference points, and the Leather Working Group states that environmentally preferred leather should be defined by how the leather is manufactured and the inputs used to manufacture it. While the leather supply chain can be opaque, tracing should be a priority to understand where and how your leather is produced, and best-in-class leather makers offer full transparency and traceability.

How is your leather tanned?

Tanning plays a big part in the environmental footprint of leather. Vegetable tanning is generally considered to be a more sustainable option, however, new innovations such as Zeology offer another, cleaner, step forward. As well as the chemicals used, you should ask leather makers about their energy efficiency and water usage – leading producers will use renewable energy and closely monitor the water they discharge.

How can you use leather responsibly?

Furthermore, the irregular shape of leather hides can lead to high percentages of wastage. Can you raise material efficiency or partner with a leather recycling company to reduce and utilise offcuts and shavings? Also, there is little point in selecting a premium leather that is responsibly produced if your end product then sees it embedded alongside non-recyclable, synthetic elements.

Will you even need animals to produce leather in the future?

Lab-grown leather from the likes of VitroLabs Inc promises ‘genuine’ leather, without the need to use animal skins, sourced from animal cells. This is still some way off full commercialisation, and while it could make leather palatable to a new audience, you should also bear in mind that it could also exacerbate the number of hides going to landfill.