For years, leather has often been at the centre of heated environmental debates, too frequently portrayed as a harmful villain in our pursuit of sustainability. But what if the real issue isn’t the material itself but how it’s been measured?

Last October, the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) started using a new industry dataset, compiled by SPIN 360 in collaboration with Leather Naturally and the Leather Working Group. This dataset is based on primary data from 45 tanneries across 18 countries and 92 real-world leather products. That update more than halved leather’s Global Warming Potential score, reducing it from 36.8 to 14.6 points — a 𝟲𝟬% 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲. In simple terms, leather now has a much lighter carbon footprint than previously believed.

Delving deeper, several independent studies suggest that the old Higg datasets rely on outdated, unrepresentative, or excessively harsh assumptions, such as ignoring leather’s durability, the benefits of its by-products, and the entire cradle-to-grave lifecycle. One U.S. cowhide lifecycle assessment even indicated that earlier Higg–based estimates had overstated impacts by as much as 𝟴,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, mainly due to methodological biases.

This matters for the automotive and luxury industries, where leather’s unique combination of aesthetics, resilience, and durability is highly valued. We’ve been neglecting a material that offers both a premium feel and sustainability. The new Higg scoring helps restore the perception to a better balance.

So, what’s the real conclusion? Leather hasn’t changed; the measurement has. By updating the methodology and grounding it in transparent, representative data, the industry demonstrates that leather belongs in the sustainability conversation, not outside it. As more brands, designers, and consumers demand transparency, we owe it to ourselves to base decisions on accurate, fair science, not outdated assumptions.

In the end, leather deserves better: when measured correctly, it is a high-performance, low-impact choice — not through magic, but through accurate measurement. Let’s advocate for truthful sustainability, not convenient myths.

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