Why leather?
It’s a fair question I guess.
Why use leather? It can be a fairly contentious subject at the best of times but now it’s not just a question of animal welfare but climate as well. Most leather comes from cattle and of all livestock cattle are the worst for our environment, they take up loads of space, emit a literal shit ton of Co2 and eat all the food we could be eating.
I am clearly not vegan or vegetarian although its worth stating that I agree with much of the ideology behind both. The best thing people can do at a personal level to help the environment is become vegan.
Putting that to one side for the moment lets look at the base material leather is made from, the skin of animals. This skin is for the most part a byproduct of meat production, a waste material that if not used in leather production would either go to landfill, be incinerated (using diesel powered incinerators) or processed and added to pet foods. Admittedly this is not always the case, Ostrich is farmed for its skin and here the meat is the byproduct.
As with most things there are differing opinions on the sustainability and cost to the environment of leather production, and different types of leather have different qualities which make them more or less sustainable. Chrome tan leather like that found on your sofa and car seats is made using Chromium sulphate to preserve the skin and stop it from rotting… does’nt sound very sustainable does it? Chromium sulphate, brings to mind GCSE since lessons and ill fitting safety goggles. Chrome tanning exists because it is much cheaper and quicker than alternative traditional techniques taking a day or two compared to veg tannings moths. It is however extremely bad for the environment with unregulated countries polluting waterways with the output from this process.
Veg tan leather, the type of leather I use, not only sounds a lot nicer but is nicer for the environment. Its made by soaking the skins in tannins extracted from plant based materials such as oak and chestnut bark, a sustainable material. This process retains much of the characteristics of the skin meaning it can be maintained and repaired. Just like your hands in winter, veg tan leather can be moisturised to stop it from drying out and cracking. It can be repaired more easily. It changes and develops its own individual character and patina over time, chrome tan is very uniform and unchangingly constant.
Oh and vegan leather? Most of that ‘leather’ is actually plastic, that’s probably another blog piece on its own.
So am I helping reduce waste and save the envrionment by buying leather goods? Yes and no. As with all things the best approach is to do your research and make sure you know what you are buying whilst also thinking through the 7 R’s of sustainability. Do you need or want it? Are you feeling coerced to purchase by advertising or social pressures? Can you make do with what you already have? Can you fix the broken thing you’re replacing? Have you got or can you make friend who wants to swap? Can what you’re buying be recycled or will it rot down to its component elements?
Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Regift, Recycle
So yes, if you buy from the right place and take care of them, leather goods can be sustainable.
This is my first blog post and I’d love to know what you think. Head over to my instagram and drop me a line.
