If we were to stop recovering and recycling the skin of animals to turn it into leather, we would face a serious environmental problem.

Modern leather production globally recycles more than 270 million cattle hides each year, approximately 7.3 million tons.

Without the leather industry’s ability to transform hides, more than 7.3 million tons of waste would end up in landfills, causing significant environmental and biological impacts. Not only would it overwhelm landfills worldwide, but it would also create a major problem of greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at 6.6 million tons of CO2e per year.

Leather currently represents the most effective way to repurpose hides from meat consumption within a circular economy. Leather contributes sustainably to a society that needs to consume less, reuse more, and recycle everything.

Source: Leather Naturally