Why is leather bad for the environment

But Polyurethane leather is made from petroleum, which is also bad for the planet. Below, we lay out the terms of the debate. Like fur, leather is simply something no one should buy or wear. Many tanners uses chromium, and in regions where leather production is popular but environmental-protection standards are not — like China, India, and Bangladesh — the chromium and other tanning chemicals often get dumped as liquid, sludge, or solid waste.

Already, a drop in demand for leather has sent skins to the landfill. Cow leather is biodegradable. It is also a material that is extremely durable. But as it stands, leather that is made as a byproduct of the meat industry and tanned with vegetables is a pretty environmentally friendly choice, especially if you use it over and over. They argued that the careful use of reptiles for skins can not only conserve environments, but also provide sustainable income for indigenous communities across the world.

For the Tacana People in Bolivia, for example, the lizard-skin trade has led to better access to health care and food. Creating leather is resource-intensive, in terms of water and energy usage. This is due to the toxic heavy metal chemicals used in the tanning process, such as chromium. Chromium can cause cancer, and pollute waterways and soil, especially in India and China, where many tanneries go unregulated.

Other tanneries use traditional natural dyes in the tanning process, such as saffron, in place of chromium. This vegetable tanning takes much longer than chromium tanning. This means you do pay a premium. However, fewer harsh chemicals are involved, meaning less harm is caused to the environment and to the tannery workers. Vegetable-tanned leather is also easier and safer to recycle or dispose of.

However, this more environmentally sensitive way of making leather does not take away the fact that animals are being killed to produce it. Leather is widely claimed by manufacturers as a by-product of the meat industry. I wonder if instead, could it be that meat is a by-product of the leather industry?

Yet according to some reports half a billion people in India are vegetarian. And in the last couple of years, India has become the biggest beef exporter in the world , overtaking Brazil. Whilst I agree that when an animal is killed to be eaten then all parts of the animal should be used for something, even its skin, does this become an excuse to justify the need for leather?

Or is it simply being pragmatic? Although irrefutably more ethical when it comes to animal welfare, the production of PVC and PU faux leather requires petrochemicals derived from non-renewable fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Of course, raising cattle contributes to climate change, through methane associated with intensive cattle rearing. PVC is regarded as the most toxic of all plastics.

Workers, soil and water supplies, and nearby communities can all be at risk. PU is a slightly eco-friendlier choice than PVC when it comes to leather alternatives. Although chemical-laden, it requires fewer chemicals than PVC to produce. The inclusion of these artificial products can be where sustainability issues arise. As a result, this plays a major role in climate change, the management of water and biodiversity. For example, the cattle industry in Brazil has been a great driver of deforestation causing biodiversity loss and contributing to climate change.

Clothing made from plastic can pose a threat during and after its lifespan because it could end up in water or landfill. This takes years to degrade and releases toxic chemicals into the environment, which is unsustainable. Sustainable designer Jourdan Norcose of Boyish Jeans, explains that designers should be wary about some forms of vegan leather that are more plastic-based.

Micro-plastic pollution is a big threat, as it uses an extensive amount of water, energy and chemicals to be processed and made into the material which sadly impacts the earth. On one hand, real leather can be a harmful material to work with because of the tanning process.

If the chemicals find their way into the water, it causes an excessive richness of nutrients that sparks the growth of algae and animal death due to the lack of oxygen in the waters. In extreme cases, workers in the tanneries are exposed to serious health risks such as lung cancer and leukaemia. As well as dangerous chemicals, producing real leather also damages environments through deforestation. However, not all designers who use real leather are contributing to this issue.

At Rejina Pyo, the brand only uses leather from tanneries that are rated by the Leather Working Group, which works to improve traceability across the leather industry. These tanneries are rated on its energy and water use, emissions and chemical input, as well as having a clear supply chain that traces back to the slaughterhouse. Since pineapple plants are only grown for the fruit, the pineapple-based leather uses up parts of the plant that would otherwise be thrown away.

Libie Motchan, the co-founder of Fulton , a company that makes insoles for shoes using sustainable cactus leather, says that customers often respond to the product with wanting to learn more about the environmental impacts and quality of the sustainable materials. When in doubt, start by shopping in your own closet or buying second-hand before heading out for a new leather jacket, fake or real.

If you really need something new, do your research to find something that fits your style and moral code—demand for more sustainable products is the ultimate fuel for better, more environmentally-friendly products. Perseverance is having a blast collecting specimens on the Red Planet. Agricultural runoff isn't the only thing polluting waterways worldwide. Knee-deep in the rising tide, a Tuvalu minister's COP26 speech makes a big impression.