One 4 Leather writes on LinkedIn: In the sustainability debate, leather is often scrutinised for its ties to animal agriculture. Yet, evidence reveals leather production as a valuable by-product, not a primary driver, of cattle farming. With over 130 million unused hides dumped annually into landfills, generating significant greenhouse gas emissions, the environmental consequence of waste becomes clear.

Alternatives marketed as “vegan leather” frequently depend on plastics, presenting long-term environmental risks due to their poor durability and non-recyclability. In contrast, genuine leather supports a sustainable cycle by repurposing waste from the food industry and utilising the natural biogenic carbon cycle. Explore how embracing responsibly-produced leather can significantly reduce waste, emissions, and environmental impact.

Furthermore, the economic realities faced by farmers highlight that leather production provides minimal financial incentives. Farmers invest substantial resources, often up to $1,000 per year per cow, making the hides’ modest $40 to $60 value negligible. This further confirms that cattle farming is driven primarily by food demand, not by leather production.

Understanding the biogenic carbon cycle underscores leather’s role in sustainability. Unlike fossil fuel-derived materials, cattle form part of a natural carbon recycling process. Methane emissions from cattle break down within a decade, returning carbon to plants rather than contributing new carbon to the atmosphere. This positions responsibly produced leather as a genuinely renewable, lower-impact material.

To read more about the true cost and sustainability of leather, visit the full article here: https://zurl.co/hm3cq.