Leather goods are indispensable for many people who regularly include them in their daily lives, so it seems difficult even to imagine a world without them. Today, we want to propose an exercise about a hypothetical scenario in which the production of leather goods would stop. We are also interested in exploring the other side of the coin.
Humans have been tanning leather since prehistoric times; the use of animal hides by humans dates back to primitive eras, when they began using them to make clothing and other useful items. Animal leather has historically been a key and significant material in the development of various cultures around the world.
In the hypothetical case of a planet where leather goods were no longer produced, humans would necessarily have to “unlearn” habits that have been adapted to daily life for millennia, such as the use of multiple garments and objects made from animal hides. Although there are synthetic leather imitations made entirely from petrochemical products, these imitations cannot compare in either properties or natural qualities. Today, there are eco-friendly tanning methods that produce leather friendly to the environment. The consumer has the final word regarding what they wish to purchase; however, leather is unmatched in terms of durability and special natural characteristics. An example of these features can be seen in our Qiwa products. Contact us for more information.
Photo by Ethan Haddox on Unsplash
On the other hand, the population needs food with nutritional properties, and animal meat has been for millennia the main source of protein for a large number of people worldwide.
Currently, the world population is increasing, along with the demand for food. Animal meat products constitute the most in-demand protein for most of the world’s population because they are easy to obtain in most climates. Consequently, the enormous amounts of waste represented by hides and by-products from the livestock industry must be processed into various sub-products. As a result, animal hides are used in the leather industry to produce multiple items. This industry therefore has access to a wide range of materials derived from the hides of various animals. If these hides were no longer processed, they would practically become waste occupying a large amount of space in landfills (already overloaded with other waste), making recycling much more difficult. Even though leather is a natural item with 100% biodegradable properties, it still requires time for this natural degradation to occur.
The effect of animal waste in landfills would simply result in enormous greenhouse gas emissions, as well as numerous health problems derived from it. It is a fact that if all the material were no longer tanned, it would take only three days to fill 10 giant football stadiums with all the meat by-products represented in leather, generating massive waste that does not easily decompose. This is one of the main reasons supporting the current production of hides.
Leather is natural and irreplaceable and deserves to continue holding the place it has earned in human history over generations.
At Qiwa Cueros, we work with 100% natural leather using an eco-friendly process. Contact us.