Leather and the Environment: Exploring the Real Impact

What's Inside

A Podcast Recorded Among the Cows

PART 1: Raw Hides — The Complexity Behind Leather’s Origins

The Leather-Meat Connection

Deforestation and Traceability in Brazil

Emissions and the Carbon Footprint Debate

PART 2: Leather Production — A Controlled but Complex Process

Chrome Tanning vs. Chrome-Free Innovation

The Cost of Doing Better

PART 3: Leather Goods — Where It All Comes Together

The Power of Consumer Choice

The Role of Labels and Certifications

In Closing: Nature’s Circular System, Rediscovered

A Podcast Recorded Among the Cows

In a special, on-the-go edition of the LeatherTainment Podcast, we took our microphones out into the Dutch countryside—specifically to an organic dairy farm near Amsterdam. This rustic setting was a fitting backdrop for an in-depth discussion on leather’s environmental impact and sustainability issues. With the gentle sounds of cows in the background and green pastures surrounding us, we explored leather from three key sustainability angles: raw hides, leather production, and finished leather goods.

PART 1: Raw Hides — The Complexity Behind Leather’s Origins

The Leather-Meat Connection

Leather is often painted as an environmental villain. Yet most people forget that leather is a byproduct of the meat and dairy industry, not its driver. A cow raised for milk can live 5–7 years (sometimes up to 12), producing 50 to 70 tons of milk in its lifetime. Once the animal’s life ends, the hide—worth less than $100 in many cases—is often discarded as waste by meat producers. The leather industry, in essence, rescues and repurposes this material, giving it value instead of letting it end up in landfills or incinerators

Deforestation and Traceability in Brazil

Brazil, with one of the highest meat consumption rates globally, also produces a massive amount of hides. But the Amazon rainforest—one of the Earth’s last remaining green lungs—has paid the price, facing ongoing deforestation to make room for cattle grazing.

Europe has responded with deforestation laws, freezing land use in protected areas and only allowing raw hides sourced from legal, traceable regions. This has led to innovations like traceability passports, with organizations like the Leather Working Group (LWG) collaborating with WWF to trace hides back to their birthplace.

For example, one shoe brand discovered that although their farm wasn’t in a deforested zone, some animals were born in illegal areas and later moved—triggering a decision to switch sourcing entirely to southern Brazil, where deforestation risk is minimal.

Emissions and the Carbon Footprint Debate

Yes, methane emissions from cows are a valid concern. However, methane naturally breaks down within 10 years, unlike CO₂ which persists for centuries. Moreover, cows grazing on pasture help capture carbon, as their hooves stomp CO₂ into the soil while fertilizing it through natural waste. If managed properly, grazing livestock can become carbon-positive contributors to the soil health and global ecosystem.

So, while the leather industry can’t directly influence global meat practices, it can demand accountability and sustainability from its suppliers, apply pressure via certifications, and shift consumer narratives.

PART 2: Leather Production — A Controlled but Complex Process

Chrome Tanning vs. Chrome-Free Innovation

Tanning leather is where much of the environmental scrutiny lies. Chrome tanning, which is widespread, has long been criticized for its health and pollution risks—especially when mismanaged in developing regions. The infamous chrome VI scare still haunts the industry.

But there is progress. Europe is seeing a stronger shift to chrome-free solutions, with brands forming chrome-free working groups and tanneries adopting innovative methods such as Zeology (a compostable tanning solution).

These advanced processes are often automated, regulated, and clean, particularly in modern tanneries across Europe, the U.S., and even parts of China and Brazil. However, images of open pits and poorly protected workers in less regulated countries still dominate public perception. As a result, education and transparency are essential to showing consumers the difference between responsible leather production and outdated practices.

The Cost of Doing Better

Cleaner leather comes at a price. Sustainable production methods, traceability systems, and facility upgrades require investment—which translates to higher product prices. Unfortunately, the market is split: some consumers care deeply, while others still chase the cheapest option without considering environmental or ethical tradeoffs.

PART 3: Leather Goods — Where It All Comes Together

The Power of Consumer Choice

This is where leather’s real value shines: durability and longevity. When a consumer chooses a well-made leather item—be it a shoe, bag, or jacket—they are reducing demand for synthetic, short-lived alternatives that generate more waste and rely on fossil fuels.

Leather, when cared for properly, can last decades or even generations. This “buy less, buy better” approach fits perfectly within the slow fashion movement, and more consumers are rediscovering leather’s timeless appeal.

It’s essential to clarify a common misconception: leather isn't inherently expensive—brands are. High-end logos often inflate prices by thousands. In truth, a high-quality leather bag should cost between $300–$600, balancing ethical production with affordability. If a bag costs $50 and claims to be leather, it’s time to ask hard questions about how corners were cut—and at whose expense.

The Role of Labels and Certifications

Fortunately, certifications like the Leather Working Group (LWG) are now making their way onto product tags and descriptions, giving consumers more tools to make informed choices. There’s also the prospect of "Product Passports", enabled by QR codes, which trace each component’s origin—zippers, thread, leather, labor—making hidden impacts visible.

In Closing: Nature’s Circular System, Rediscovered

The podcast ended with a poetic reflection: nature had it right all along. Grazing animals fertilize the land, nourish humans through milk and meat, and offer their hides for leather—an organic, circular system disrupted only when profit overtook balance.

With better technology, laws, awareness, and a rekindled connection to craft and sustainability, leather has the potential to lead—not lag—in environmental responsibility. But this future depends on collaboration between industries, governments, and consumers.

As we prepare for the next episode focusing on animal welfare and ethical concerns, this conversation lays the groundwork for understanding the leather industry’s footprint—both literal and metaphorical