A joint study by Cotance and the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) highlights the role of leather in environmental sustainability. As a byproduct of the food industry, animal hides represent a serious environmental problem, with an impact even greater than previously estimated.
Their decomposition process in landfills releases enormous quantities of greenhouse gases, contributing significantly to global warming. Considering that 134 million bovine hides are discarded every year, equal to 40% of world production, the impact of this waste is alarming. To give you an idea, the amount of CO₂ equivalent emitted by these decomposing hides is comparable to the annual emissions of 8.7 million cars.
But that’s not all. The study, conducted using the ReFED impact calculator, highlighted that a single ton of hides rotting in landfills produces over 13 tons of CO₂ equivalent, a value eight times higher than previous estimates. This data underlines the urgency of adopting alternative solutions for managing this byproduct of the food industry.
And this is where the tanning industry comes into play. Tanning hides, instead of letting them decompose, not only avoids the emission of greenhouse gases, but also stores CO₂ safely and permanently in the material itself. Leather, in fact, acts as a real carbon “reservoir”, contributing to mitigating the greenhouse effect.
Furthermore, tanning hides, especially if carried out with innovative processes such as Eco2L/Green Deal, has a relatively low environmental impact. It is estimated that, globally, leather production generates only 13.3 million tons of CO₂e.
Choosing leather, therefore, means opting for a material that is not only beautiful and durable, but also sustainable. Replacing synthetic materials, often derived from fossil fuels, with leather helps to reduce the carbon footprint of various sectors, from fashion to furniture to automotive. Think of the leather seats in a car, bags, shoes, sofas: everyday objects that can become part of the solution to the problem of climate change.
The Cotance and LHCA study sends a clear message: leather is an unexpected hero in the fight against climate change. Recovering and enhancing this material, usually considered waste, is essential to promote a circular economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It is therefore necessary to raise public awareness of the importance of this issue and promote the use of natural leather as a sustainable material. Investing in research and innovation to make the tanning industry even more efficient and environmentally friendly is another fundamental step to ensure a more sustainable future.
