Is Leather Sustainable?

When questioning the sustainability of leather, it is important to take a holistic view of the lifecycle of this natural product from cow to final product. Reducing any answer to the sustainability of the individual elements involved in leather production is overly simplistic and should be avoided ideally. Sustainability has become a key concern for both businesses and consumers. Like so many conversations around the topic of sustainability, definitive answers are not always straightforward. On the one hand, leather is a natural byproduct of meat production – on the other hand, the cattle farming industry is a major contributor to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in some areas of the world. Mass farming and high input agriculture are often destructive and damaging but regenerative farming is a sustainable way of farming. The key question of how cattle are reared is contentious and is a huge factor in determining whether leather is sustainable or not.

In this article we take an objective stance as we look at the impact of leather production and consider the question – is leather sustainable?

What is sustainability?

The definition of sustainability is operating in a way that meets current needs without compromising the ability to provide for the needs of future generations. In terms of leather production and the sustainability of leather, we need to examine whether current methods of leather manufacturing are sustainable. Mass production cattle farming is much less sustainable than the growing number of regenerative farms rearing cattle. The former takes from our natural landscapes, producing more pollution, waste and greenhouse gases, whereas the latter replenishes the ground and encourages biodiversity. Taking into account the life of a cow that a hide is produced from before slaughter is integral to examining the sustainability of leather.  

Is leather sustainable?

To get to the bottom of this, we must take a closer look at leather manufacture. Leather is typically made from the hide of cattle reared for meat production. Leather can be made from the hides of other animals such as sheep, goats and pigs but here we’re referring to cowhide as it is the most common type of leather. You can read more about different types of leather in our blog.

The sustainability of leather is indelibly marred by the environmental impact of how it is farmed, however, using the hides is not only helping farmers reduce their farming waste but it also provides a strong, reliable and durable textile with which to make a host of essential items. The durability of leather should not be overlooked when considering its impact on the environment. Leather alternatives will certainly not hang around as long as real leather goods, and this is another important factor to consider when looking at the sustainability of leather.

To understand the sustainability credentials of leather, we must look at its effect on the environment in comparison to the alternatives before making assumptions.

The environmental impact of leather

We’ve broken down our analysis of leather’s environmental impact into smaller sections below. It’s important to note that much of this impact stems from intensive cattle rearing, which, as we’ve outlined above, plays a major role in the production of leather and therefore is intrinsically linked to its environmental footprint.

Deforestation

The lifecycle of leather begins with cattle farms where cows are raised for the meat and milk. In some countries, such as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, millions of acres of rainforest are cut down every year to make space for cattle ranches. South America exports approximately 25% of the world’s beef, and this is only made possible by clearing forest and cutting down trees. In the UK, deforestation is a concern, but unlike major cattle-producing countries, it’s rarely driven by farmland expansion.

Removing trees is detrimental to the environment by destroying natural habitats which reduces biodiversity, soil quality is reduced which leads to soil erosion and the cutting down of trees releases stored carbon into the atmosphere. In addition to this, trees play a key role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and the mass destruction of so many forests is contributing to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.

Water Consumption

Cattle farming requires a lot of water. Cows need between 24 – 155 litres of water a day. Young calves need less water but cows in milk need up to 155 litres a day. Much of this water is from natural sources, such a springs and streams, whereas more intensive cattle systems, in the wrong place, would use water where there are scarcities. In the UK, the majority of water consumed by cattle is a natural part of the water cycle. The tremendous drain on water resources is mostly an issue in countries where water is an issue, such as Australia, US & South America.

Water is not only essential for rearing cattle but is also an important stage of the tanning process – this is part of how the hides are preserved for leather use. Water is added as a solvent to dissolve chemicals used for cleaning the hides, to rehydrate the skins after curing and for washing them to remove purities.

Waste and Pollution

The hides used to make leather are a byproduct of the meat production industry. If not bought these hides, along with other non-consumable parts of the carcass, are either burned or sent to landfill where they release harmful gases as they decompose. The amount of waste produced by the cattle industry and the tanning industry combined is huge.

Various tanning processes include the use of harmful chemicals, many of which end up in the ground, in our water and are released into the air. Chromium in particular endures long after it has been used, polluting natural environments. There are more sustainable ways of tanning, such as vegetable tanning which accounts for around 15% of global tanning, but until these are more widely accepted and adopted, tanning leather remains wasteful.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Cows produce methane as part of their digestion processes. This methane is released either as belching or through their manure. The UN Environment Programme states that, ‘methane traps more heat in the atmosphere per molecule than carbon dioxide (CO₂), making it 80 times more harmful than CO₂ for 20 years after it is released’. Methane is contributing to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Regenerative farming focuses on balancing what’s taken from the land with what’s given back. Cattle that are reared this way contribute less to methane emissions as waste is carefully managed and diet is pasture-led rather than grain-led.

The environmental impact of leather alternatives

Leather alternatives include faux leather goods, plant-based leathers, so-called ‘vegan’ leather and other man-made textiles that offer some of the same attributes as real leather products. Most often, leather alternatives are made from petrochemicals and plastics which have their own environmental demons to answer for.

Burning Fossil Fuels

The most common leather alternative is polyurethane or PU leather. PU leather or faux leather is made by attaching a synthetic thermoplastic polymer layer to a fabric to give it some of the aesthetic characteristics of leather. The chemicals and energy that are needed to make this plastic coating require the burning of fossil fuels which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Waste

Generally, products made from leather alternatives do not have the same durability and quality that leather possesses, meaning that they don’t last as long and are more likely to end up in landfill. Unlike natural fibres that are durable, strong and age well, man-made fibres can be more prone to faults and damage and thus are discarded sooner than products made from natural resources. The waste produced by the fast fashion industry contributes a terrifying amount to landfill sites, pollutes ocean habitats and washes up on beaches.

Chemical Use

Complex processes are required to manufacture synthetic leather alternatives for upholstery, clothing, accessories, tools and equipment. Aside from the burning of fossil fuels, certain chemicals are needed to create man-made fibres, which when discarded may be harmful to plant, animal marine and human life.

Sustainability within the leather industry

The rise of fast fashion and mass production has forever changed the way leather is produced. In recent years, to meet the fashion industry’s demand for faster, cheaper, and more varied leather goods, tanneries have streamlined their processes—using more chemicals, more water, and processing more hides than ever before.

However, there are tanners who are striving for more sustainable tanning methods. The use of vegetable tans is on the rise for one. These methods have been adapted to use less water, and grey waste water can be filtered to be used again at different stages of the process.

Alongside these innovations, traceability is increasing, slowly, with the help of British Pasture Leather. Working in small quantities not only reduces waste but also makes it easier for producers to trace the leather’s journey from farm to finished product. This drive towards transparency will help consumers make more informed choices about where their goods come from and how they were made.

These may be small steps, but they’re all steps in the right direction.

How to find sustainable leather

Sustainable leather does exist! If we look at sustainability in terms of the impact leather has on its surrounding environment now and in the future, then leather produced from the hides of cows on regenerative farms might just be the answer. Hides tanned in local tanneries using plant-based products and returned to farmers to produce leather goods for sale alongside their meat and dairy might be a rarity, but these artisans exist for those who care to find them.

Pasture for Life is an organisation that champions pasture-fed grazing as opposed to grain or grass-fed. They provide accreditation to farming members so that consumers can trace their meat. Parnassus cattle, those reared at Gowbarrow Farm, are all Pasture for Life accredited, although some of the hides we use are farmed regeneratively but not accredited as PfL. Therefore, you know our beef and our leather has lived off a natural diet that can contribute towards biodiversity restoration, improved soil health and increased nutritional benefits. You can find us and others through this accreditation scheme.

The more people who demand to know where their products come from, the more transparent the leather production industry will have to become. Traceability empowers consumers to make informed choices about the origins of their products, and we know exactly where ours come from. Revenue from our leather is ploughed back into our farm, and the farms we source our hides from, and the important work we do promoting regenerative practices in agriculture. Most importantly, we’re leading by example for our generation and future generations.

So, is leather sustainable?!

Parnassus Leather are proud to offer sustainable leather goods. We know exactly where our cows have been, what they’ve eaten, the impact they’ve had on their environment and how they have been treated before and after slaughter. We can track every stage of our leather manufacture, and we believe in products that last a lifetime, not just a season.

If we circle back to the beginning of this article, we suggested that accounting for the whole life span of a piece of leather – the raising of cows to the processing and consumption of leather goods made from the hide – is essential for considering the environmental impact of leather.

We are confident that our thoughtfully produced bag will outlast any mass-produced ‘leather’ bag, which for us is the very crux of sustainable textile production. Our goods won’t end up in landfill for a very long time, if ever we hope, but when they do the organic content and natural processing of our leather will ensure it doesn’t hang around for decades. The relatively short journey our hides make from farm to abattoir to tanner and home again is another benefit to buying leather from artisanal leatherworkers like us.

Can the same be said for so-called vegan leather? Probably not. Leather alternatives are essentially just plastics. Taking into consideration the journey each textile goes through before becoming a final design, especially the thousands of carbon miles and harmful chemicals, we’re confident that our leather is both more responsible and more sustainable than the alternatives. So if you’re on the hunt for leather goods that do good, check out our collection.