Leather association vows no US hides will be wasted
23/04/2021
The US leather industry uses 83% of the hides from dairy and meat – 27.5 million hides per year – but has now committed to ensuring that the remaining 17% (5.5 million) are no longer incinerated or sent to landfill but used to make clothing, shoes, furniture and car interiors.
This will save an estimated 137,500 tons of waste every year whilst reducing carbon emissions from landfill by 120,000 tons of CO2 equivalents, according to LHCA calculations.
Stephen Sothmann, president of LHCA, said: “Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothes being thrown away every year – many of them barely worn. This is not only a waste of precious resources and money, it is also highly polluting. Clothes buried in landfill can take up to 200 years to decompose, releasing harmful toxins into the air, soil and groundwater.
“We want to reverse the wasteful cycle of ‘buy, wear, dispose’ by promoting sustainably sourced US leather as a natural, ‘slow’ style alternative. Earth Day is an opportunity to remind people of how far we have come as an industry and to underline our ongoing commitment to sustainable, responsible leather production.”
LHCA is working on a number of initiatives to help buyers and consumers make more responsible choices. To give buyers confidence in the sourcing of their leather, it will be expanding its domestic traceability programme that allows buyers to trace US hides. Working with NGOs such as the National Wildlife Federation and World Wildlife Fund, LHCA will now be developing international equivalents.
The association is also stepping up its global campaign Real Leather, Stay Different to help consumers make more informed decisions about the products they buy, by addressing the myths and sharing the facts about leather’s sustainable properties.
Mr Sothmann added: “The leather industry is far more sustainable than it’s often given credit for. The reality is that zero cattle are killed to make US leather; we upcycle animal hides that would otherwise go to waste. The leather production process is also cleaner than many people realise. Globally, we’ve reduced our water use by 37% over the last 25 years.
"We’re using less salt and, thanks to eco-friendly chemistry and process innovations, are cutting waste and emissions all the time. That’s why for anyone looking for a slow style alternative to the wastefulness of fast fashion, leather is a natural, durable choice.”
Image: Shoes designed as part of the Real Leather, Stay Different competition. Credit: LHCA
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