Animal Welfare & Ethical Concerns in the Leather Industry

What's Inside

A Fitting Setting: Ethical Conversations Surrounded by Cows

1. Raw Hide: The Ethics of Animal Farming

The Problem with Labels: Grass-Fed or Marketing Gimmick?

A Misplaced Target: Why Animal Welfare Groups Get Leather Wrong

2. Leather Production: Hidden Labor, Questionable Ethics

3. Leather Crafting: Global Inequity and Conscious Sourcing

A Call for Respectful Circularity

Toward a More Conscious Future

A Fitting Setting: Ethical Conversations Surrounded by Cows

Welcome to Episode 7 of the LeatherTainment Podcast On The Go! This time, the conversation takes place on an organic farm in the Netherlands—possibly the best setting imaginable for discussing animal welfare and ethical concerns in the leather industry. As we stood amidst happy, free-roaming cows, the contrast between ethical and industrial animal farming couldn’t have been more apparent.

While it’s easy to romanticize this idyllic setup, the real issue is complex. So, in keeping with our format, we break the conversation down into three key segments: raw hide, leather production, and leather crafting. Each of these stages reveals important questions and challenges about ethics in the leather supply chain.

1. Raw Hide: The Ethics of Animal Farming

Let’s begin where leather technically starts: with the animals. However, leather is not the reason animals are raised or killed—meat and dairy industries drive this, and leather is a byproduct. But that doesn’t absolve the leather industry of ethical concerns, especially regarding how these animals are treated.

In today’s industrialized meat production, ethical concerns are increasing—ranging from mistreatment in factory farms to stress-inducing living conditions. While the leather industry has minimal control over how livestock is raised, it’s still deeply linked. As demand for cheaper meat rises, so does the pressure on farmers to cut corners, leading to environments where animals are treated like products rather than sentient beings.

This is where consumer behavior becomes key. We now eat more meat, more often, and at lower prices than ever before. Historically, meat was a luxury. Today, it’s normalized, even expected. But should it be? Reducing meat consumption or sourcing it from ethical farms—like the one we're recording from—can shift demand back toward humane practices.

Organic farms like this one in the Netherlands offer a different path: cows roam freely, choose when to be milked, and live with significantly less stress. But such systems are expensive, and unfortunately, most consumers still choose price over ethics.

The Problem with Labels: Grass-Fed or Marketing Gimmick?

Terms like “organic”, “grass-fed”, or “free-range” sound ethical, but the reality can be different. For instance, “grass-fed” might simply mean cows are fed hay indoors—not the lush pastures you may imagine. Labels often sell an image, not a guarantee. So, the responsibility again falls on consumer awareness. Dig deeper, ask questions, and avoid relying solely on packaging claims.

A Misplaced Target: Why Animal Welfare Groups Get Leather Wrong

A striking conversation came up around the emotional campaigns by some animal rights groups—like the widely shared image of a cow with her calf and a message saying “Don’t Use Leather.” The implication is clear: leather equals cruelty. But this misses the point. Leather doesn’t cause animal death; meat consumption does. Leather merely uses what's left—otherwise destined for landfills.

Shockingly, half of consumers in the UK believe animals are killed specifically for leather, thanks to such misleading campaigns. This misinformation adds emotional weight but doesn’t help solve the root problem. The real ethical question isn't about leather itself, but how the animals were raised and treated before reaching the slaughterhouse.

From a sustainability perspective, using the entire animal—including its hide—is actually the most respectful and responsible way to honor its life.

2. Leather Production: Hidden Labor, Questionable Ethics

The tanning industry—where hides become usable leather—is the next stop in our ethical audit. This phase, too, splits into two realities:

• The regulated, transparent facilities, often certified by organizations like Leather Working Group (LWG),

• And the shadow factories, where environmental laws are flouted, and workers face unsafe conditions.

These unethical tanneries are frequently spotlighted in documentaries and exposés, often located in countries with weak labor regulations. Poor waste management, toxic chemical exposure, and child labor are sadly not uncommon in these environments. But the public rarely hears about the state-of-the-art, highly regulated tanneries found in countries like Germany, Brazil, China, and Italy.

Here again, price is the deciding factor. Ethical production costs more. Brands focused on rock-bottom prices often end up outsourcing to locations with fewer regulations—sometimes knowingly, sometimes not.

In one infamous case, even luxury brands were caught in scandals involving inhumane labor conditions in Italy. The products were labeled “Made in Italy,” but the labor came from unauthorized and abusive workshops hidden in the supply chain. It’s a stark reminder that ethics aren't guaranteed by price tag or country of origin.

This raises the need for third-party certification systems—like the LWG or upcoming “production passports” in Europe—to audit supply chains and help consumers make informed choices.

3. Leather Crafting: Global Inequity and Conscious Sourcing

Finally, we get to the leather goods themselves—bags, jackets, shoes. This stage is where artisans turn leather into valuable consumer products. Ethical concerns here shift from animal treatment or pollution to labor practices and global wage disparities.

Take Pakistan, for example. The country is promoting itself as a leather goods production hub due to extremely low wages—somewhere around €125 per month. That amount may offer a livable income locally, but it also raises questions. Are brands relocating production purely for cost-saving, or are they investing in fair working conditions too?

There’s a moral dilemma here. Global manufacturing helps spread wealth and employment—but only if done fairly. Exploiting cheap labor for increased margins crosses ethical lines, even if it helps raise local economies in the short term.

Still, we must remember: a €20 leather bag might not be a good deal—it might be an ethical compromise. But then again, neither is a €2,000 bag guaranteed to be responsibly made. As shown with recent European scandals, even luxury brands can cut ethical corners.

Once again, transparency is everything.

A Call for Respectful Circularity

Ethics in the leather industry is not a one-answer problem. It spans continents, economies, production philosophies, and consumer mindsets. But one thing is clear: when animals are treated well, the results are better across the board—better meat, better milk, better hides, and better leather.

Some tanneries report that hide quality is declining compared to decades ago. Could this be due to stress, poor nutrition, or harmful treatment? It's hard to say for sure, but the correlation is worth exploring. Happy animals live healthier lives—and that quality trickles down.

So, what’s the takeaway? The leather industry, while not perfect, is not the villain. It’s a byproduct industry that can—if regulated and supported—be a part of a more sustainable and ethical consumer cycle.

Toward a More Conscious Future

In the end, everything boils down to consumer choices. Our demand shapes the industry. Want transparency? Ask for it. Want ethical sourcing? Support brands that prove it. Want better treatment for animals and workers? Pay for it.

There are no shortcuts to a sustainable and ethical leather industry. But if consumers, regulators, and producers each take small steps, the ripple effect could be significant.

In the next episode of LeatherTainment, we’ll be diving into something truly exciting: the longevity and durability of leather goods—and how they make all this effort worth it. Joining us will be a talented designer from the industry.

Until then, thank you for listening—and thank you to the cows for graciously hosting our conversation.