Along with fur, leather is one of the most contentious materials in fashion, and yet today the fashion industry really faces much greater ethical issues than the use of animal products. In particular, the field has found itself grappling with the problem of fast fashion and sweatshop labor, dual environmental and gender justice issues. Still, the arguments over leather won’t go away, which is why it’s important to consider its potential benefits.
Leather Versus Plastic
One of the most important reasons to include leather under the heading of sustainable materials is because, although animal agriculture and farming are absolutely major sources of pollution, they are certainly not worse than the plastics used to make many faux-leather products. In fact, given that those plastics are made from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and highly polluting, real leather has some significant advantages.
Durable Fashion
Another reason to emphasize leather over artificial alternatives has to do with the production processes behind quality leather goods. While cheap, faux leather products are typically produced with sweatshop labor, much like other fast fashion goods, if you buy a leather crossbody bag made from sustainably sourced leather, like beef industry cast offs, you can feel confident that you’re minimizing the impact of your product choice. And, unlike those plastic-based products, real leather lasts for years, even decades, and only looks better with time.
An Art Form
Like other forms of high fashion, like couture dress design, making real, high-end leather goods isn’t about mass production. Rather, it’s an artisanal practice that provides well-paying, highly skilled jobs in what is often a harsh industry. Furthermore, the history behind and skills used in leatherworking inform new, vegan-friendly fashion practices, like the production of true plant-based leather alternatives.
The Plant-Based Revolution
Vegans themselves are split on leather goods. Some recognize the inherent contradictions between wearing petroleum-based products and advocating for sustainable practices, especially when leather goods can be more eco-friendly. In fact, many will buy second-hand or even new, high quality leather because the cost-benefit analysis favors leather. On the other hand, those who explicitly consider themselves ethical vegans continue to demand an alternative.
Ethical vegans take a more rigid position on animal products, and there is a growing move to supplement traditional leather goods with plant-based leathers, which are more sustainable and higher quality than current plastic-based products. These include the mushroom-based leather used by Frayme and Hermes, but the brands both state that they have no intention of using this material in all of their products.
Those who wear leather should certainly ask questions about the sourcing, production, and overall sustainability of the products they choose. The reality is that quality leather goods can decidedly be made sustainably and in a socially responsible way – including in ways that lift up workers, especially female artisans.
And, moreover, when the choice is between plastic-based alternatives and real leather, authentic leather is often the better choice. It’s all about finding products that last and are made with the larger context of their production and use in mind. Responsible leather craftspeople have been approaching the process that way for decades, and that’s an artistic lineage you can trust.
