By Kevin Latner, Vice President, Leather & Hide Council of America
As the world gathered in Baku for COP29 and the United Nations Climate Change Conference discussions centered on some of the most pressing global challenges, the global leather industry came to the table with a solution, not a problem. With new data accepted on leather’s low carbon footprint, the industry seized the opportunity to advocate for a critical shift in how it should be viewed in the fight against climate change. The Leather & Hide Council of America’s Kevin Latner elaborates.
The Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA), in collaboration with more than 30 international leather organizations presented a unified message through the “Leather Manifesto”, which defined the role of leather in the attainment of sustainable consumption across multiple sectors, including fashion, automotive, interiors (and beyond) and in reducing these sectors’ environmental impacts.
Our reliance on short-lived, non-repairable products contributes significantly to over-consumption and waste. In response, the Leather Manifesto highlights leather’s unique potential to counteract these challenges. As the Manifesto states, “Owners will cherish their leather products, repairing them and even passing them on to subsequent owners. Products made from long-lived leather can have an undeniably positive action in reducing the climate impact of fashion and other sectors.”
Yet, for leather to fully contribute to a sustainable future, regulators, brands and consumers must embrace informed, holistic assessments of materials’ environmental impacts. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), for example, must be comprehensive, transparent and grounded in science, accounting for every stage of a material’s life.
At L&HCA, we are due to release an independently conducted, fully transparent and International Organization of Standardization (ISO) compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Leather from American cow hides, which evidences its low carbon intensity and sets new standards in material reporting. The LCA will show that leather from U.S. hides has much lower impacts in CO2e emission, water use, land use and soil acidification than stated by other previously widely adopted indices, which failed to publish data and methodology and typically ranked man-made synthetic products as more sustainable. This means, therefore, that leather, as a natural and durable material, is ideally positioned to promote a circular economy that values quality, repairability and longevity over disposability.
Real Leather. Stay Different. Leading the Way
At the Leather & Hide Council of America, these principles are not just aspirations but a call to action. Through our Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) campaign, we actively encourage the next generation of designers to consider leather as their material of choice for sustainable, high-quality creations. By choosing leather, these designers not only champion “slow fashion” but also address a pressing environmental challenge: the under-utilization of cow hides.
Every year, approximately 330 million cow hides are produced as a byproduct of the global meat and dairy industries. Shockingly, an estimated 40% of these hides – around 132 million – are wasted, either discarded or incinerated. By transforming these hides into durable, repairable and cherished products, the leather industry provides a tangible solution to reduce waste and promote responsible consumption.
A Vision for Responsible Consumption
The Leather Manifesto calls on manufacturers and consumers to prioritize sustainable materials and responsible consumption. It urges stakeholders to consider leather as an enduring choice that bridges quality and environmental stewardship. Leather’s inherent durability and repairability make it a cornerstone of a circular economy, where materials are valued for their longevity and reusability.
To achieve this vision, transparency in sourcing and data is paramount. Manufacturers, brands and consumers alike must be equipped with reliable information to make informed decisions based on robust science and methodologies. This transparency ensures that leather’s environmental benefits are properly recognized and leveraged in the shift toward sustainable practices.
As we reflect on COP29, it’s clear that the leather industry is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future. By embracing leather’s potential to create durable, repairable products, we can replace the throwaway culture of “fast fashion” with one of “slow style.”
Here’s to making leather part of the solution. To buying better, buying less and leaving a lighter footprint on our planet. Together, we can champion a future where quality, longevity and responsibility redefine the standards of fashion and beyond.