The truth about leather.

From belts and boots to car seats and key rings, whether it be for ‘fashion’ or accessories, leather is everywhere. But what – or more accurately, who – is leather made from, and how?

While most people associate leather with cows, the reality is that many different animals are killed to make leather. Leather is made from the skin of animals – once an animal’s skin is removed, it must be preserved through a process called ‘tanning’, which uses strong chemicals to prevent the skin from decomposing. Many people are skeptical about vegan leathers being coated in plastic. But animal leather is coated in plastic, harmful chemicals too. Animals pay the ultimate price for leather — and the tanning process to make them useable is toxic to both people and the environment.

A wide variety of animal species are used to make leather — most notably cattle, but also pigs, goats, sheep, crocodiles, snakes, sting rays, seals, rabbits, emus, deer, fish, kangaroos, horses, cats and dogs. Even baby animals don’t escape the leather industry — with the skins of calves, kids and lambs considered particularly ‘valuable’ because of their softness.

Hundreds of thousands of days-old ‘bobby’ calves born into the dairy industry are slaughtered every single year in Australia, with their skins then used to make boots, bags and other products for the fashion industry. Even unborn calves (called ‘slinks’), whose pregnant mothers are killed in slaughterhouses, may be skinned too. The skin from these premature animals is unfortunately particularly sought-after for its ‘delicateness’ – but if more consumers knew, they would likely choose kinder alternatives.

It is a common misconception that leather is simply a ‘by-product’ of meat production. Whilst it’s true that animals are often used for their meat too (such as in the case of cattle and sheep), their skin can still represent a significant portion of the income made on the sale of their body parts – contributing to the overall commercial viability of the enterprise.

So, leather is rather a ‘co-product’ of the meat industry (not just a ‘by-product’), and may contribute to driving demand for more animals to be raised and killed.

For animals like cattle and sheep who are killed for their meat and leather in Australia, life isn’t easy. Caught up in profit-driven industries, they have been denied the same legal protection given to most other animals. As a result, these sensitive animals are routinely subjected to painful procedures like castration, de-horning, branding and mulesing — often without any pain relief.

These animals are also raised on such large and remote stations that monitoring and care for them is infrequent — and injured and sick animals may be forced to suffer for long periods in pain, untreated and unnoticed.

And ultimately, all animals used for their leather must face the stresses of slaughter.

Australia’s most iconic animal – the kangaroo – is shot by the millions every year, with their skins used to make sporting shoes, gloves, accessories and souvenirs. Tragically, in addition to the commercial killing of adult kangaroos, thousands of dependent joeys become ‘collateral damage’ of this brutal slaughter, and are either bludgeoned to death, or left to starve when their mothers are killed for their skin and meat.

Killing kangaroos for their skins is the biggest land-based slaughter in the world. 

Kangaroo skins are referred to as K-leather by industry. Buyers and sports enthusiasts often don’t know that what they’re wearing is fueling this senseless trade in a big way. Whilst the Australian government has tried to sell the issue of kangaroo skins as a solution to an ‘overpopulation’ of kangaroos in Australia, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Australian and global community is outraged, and has placed such pressure to end this barbaric slaughter, that global sporting giants Nike and Puma recently announce they will shift away from this cruel wildlife trade.  But Adidas – who fuels much of the kangaroo slaughter in Australia – continues to use kangaroo skins to make their soccer balls and shoes.

Australia slaughters just over 150,000 sensitive crocodiles annually, and fuels 60% of the world’s crocodile skin trade.

These sentient animals are stolen from the wild and bred in cruel factory farms in Australia’s top end.

Crocodiles are kept in barren, concrete pens that reflect nothing of their wild habitats, until they are slaughtered at just 2-3 years old. It takes the suffering and slaughter of 3-4 crocodiles to make just one Hermes birkin bag. The crocodile skin industry’s claims of ‘conservation’ and ‘humane’ practices are nothing more than a deceptive greenwashing tactic. In reality, it ruthlessly profits from the undeniable suffering of these sentient animals.

Australia also imports leather and leather products from various countries — including some with no animal welfare laws, and appalling track records of animal cruelty. China, the world’s largest exporter of leather, kills millions of cats and dogs for their skin and meat every year. India’s leather trade is also one of the biggest in the world. As many of the country’s provinces forbid the slaughter of ‘sacred’ cows, these animals are often forced to walk long distances across borders to be brutally killed in neighbouring provinces and countries. Along the gruelling journey, exhausted animals can be beaten and tortured with chilli and tobacco rubbed into their eyes to make them keep walking.

There is no requirement to label leather products, making it extremely difficult and often impossible for a consumer to ascertain which species of animal ‘leather’ has come from, and in which country he or she was raised and killed for their skin.

While leather is often promoted as being a ‘natural’ fibre, the tanning process can involve an array of toxic chemicals which permanently alter the protein structure of the skin.

Workers in some international tanneries have been documented to suffer from skin diseases and respiratory illnesses caused by exposure to tanning chemicals. These chemicals can also cause extreme pollution to air, soil and water, resulting in devastating effects to local human and animal populations.

There is no such thing as ‘renewable’ or ‘sustainable’ animal derived leathers. And animal based leathers are in no way organic.

As more people become aware of the true cost of leather to animals, people and the environment, demand is growing for kinder alternatives.

And they already exist – in fact, they are a superior product and boast all of the ‘benefits’ of animal leathers and more – and they growing in popularity.

Organic and sustainably sourced cotton, linen, hemp, and man-made cellulosic materials derived from plant-matter likeTencel and bamboo lyocell are all great materials, regardless of whether they are being used to replace animal-derived materials or not.

Apple leather, processed mango waste, mycelium and other bio-materials can be embossed to replicate the scales of crocodiles while leaving these magnificent and beautiful animals to live in the wild. 

Newer technologies is giving rise to more eco-friendly, plant-based materials, and many retailers and brands now offer a range of leather-free bags, shoes, clothing that are far more fashionable and cruelty-free. In fact, even some products that look like leather are actually synthetic, so it’s always a good idea to check the label!

Tread softly for animals and the planet by choosing cruelty-free alternatives to leather. You don’t even need to step out your front door – here are just some of the great online stores that specialise in cruelty-free shoes, handbags, and other leather-free apparel:

• Vegan Style (delivers across Australia and internationally)
• Moo Shoes (US-based)
• Vegetarian Shoe Company (UK-based)

Here’s more ways you can help animals stuck in a cycle of suffering to fuel an outdated leather trade:

1. Share this article to help inform others on the truth about leather
2. Add your voice to calls for an end to the commercial slaughter of kangaroos Australia-wide.
3. Contact ADIDAS and urge them to end their use of kangaroo skins at sustainability@adidas-group.com
4. Check out the Collective Fashion Justice manifesto and join the movement to help see more plant-based leathers for use in fashion, furniture, and farming.
5. Be a conscious, active consumer – always check the label, and ask your local retails to stock sustainable, and animal-free plant-based alternatives to animal leathers.