The role of leather in the circular economy: reasons for leather's sustainability
The role of leather in the circular economy is increasingly valued and necessary.
The leather production chain is one of the most important derived from Brazilian livestock farming. On the one hand, its raw material is waste from the meat and dairy industries.
On the other hand, it is the backbone of a process that feeds other industries, such as collagen, gelatin, cosmetics, footwear and coatings for furniture and cars.
Today, the circular economy is gaining more and more momentum. Companies are reconsidering the life cycle of their products, taking them in their interdependence and no longer in isolation.
For its part, leather is one of the oldest forms of recycling and is itself an example of circularity.
In quantitative terms, its commercial importance on the global stage is close to US$150 billion a year.
Therefore, the leather industry has an important contribution to make throughout its production chain, considering all its actors, from livestock farming to the final stages of recycling.
Today, this industry is not just responding to a demand for sustainability, but is incorporating sustainable practices, innovation and transformation.
Worldwide, and not just in Brazil, there is a lot of pressure from consumers for sustainable leather production at all stages.
Above all, this pressure falls on the commitment to deforestation-free origins, which means strict control over the leather industry's raw materials.
The importance of raw materials and the role of leather in the circular economy
The starting point for leather in the circular economy is precisely its raw material. Every part of the animal is used, so there is no waste.
With regard to hides, their global importance as a valuable resource should be highlighted, thanks to their transformation into leather.
According to reliable sources, the reuse provided by the leather industry amounts to 7.5 million tons a year, exclusively in relation to bovine leather.
Taking other animals into account, the figure is around 10 million tons per year in total.
In this way, we have a huge amount of potential waste being recycled and transformed into a natural material with a biogenic carbon count of over 80%, which is still multifunctional, durable and totally repairable and usable, as we'll see later.
Indeed, global demand for beef is expected to continue to rise over the coming decades.
Consequently, the importance of the leather industry will redouble, preventing the corresponding waste from finding its way to landfills, decomposing and emitting methane gas.
Returning to the issue of reforestation, the leather industry has great potential to influence responsible and sustainable production by implementing measures that make it possible to trace the raw material.
Traceability is therefore of central importance in the circular economy of leather.
Traceability as a guarantee of deforestation-free origin and the role leather plays in the circular economy
How can we ensure the origin and quality control of the raw material for leather at every stage of the production chain?
Of course, it is necessary to implement a rigorous traceability system in order to ensure the socio-environmentally compliant origin and initial quality of the raw material.
To this end, the players involved in the leather industry have invested heavily in research to develop new technologies for traceability.
Currently, there is already a system with an earring and bottom for identification, which is implanted in the ears of each animal, containing all the individual data and that of the farm of origin.
As a result, companies at the other end of the chain are fully aware of the origin of the products they are buying, whether in relation to the characteristics and history of each animal - the journey of each hide - or in relation to socio-environmental compliance.
The circular economy and the leather life cycle
The life cycle of leather itself involves recycling from the origin of its raw material to its final reuse, which takes various forms.
The intermediate stages are:
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- A conceptualization of the parts and products, that is, the design stage.
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- Production process
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- Marketing
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- Consumption
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- Repair
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- Reuse
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- Collection of residual waste
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- Recycling
The main objective of the circular economy is the reduction of waste and the continued use of resources through waste management.
Everyone involved in the leather production chain is responsible for the impact they have on the environment.
However, leather has the very essence of the circular economy in its life cycle, due to its intrinsic characteristics.
In other words, thanks to its very sustainability, as well as being a by-product of the meat and dairy industry and consequently reducing the accumulation of waste in landfills, it is:
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- Lasting
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- Resistant
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- Comfortable
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- Breathable
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- Repairable
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- Added value
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- Recyclable
The importance of recycling in the circular economy of leather products
Leather recycling involves reusing and repurposing both discarded leather offcuts and scraps and garments originally made from leather.
When leather is recycled, it makes it possible to create new products, opening up new sources of income for countless artisans or for the emergence of countless small and medium-sized businesses, as well as reducing waste.
It also encourages the efficient use of resources and the sustainable production of leather itself.
Leather is a noble and beautiful material even in items designed from the reuse of original pieces, such as coffee tables and bags made from belts, earrings, and even bricks made from shoes.
As well as this enormous versatility, leather also feeds the circular economy because it can be composted.
In this way, it allows the regenerative cycle to restart when it is used to enrich the soil, which stimulates the growth of grass to nourish the livestock.
More sustainability and environmental protection are market differentiators
Natural leather producers continue to expand their responsible activities.
A good example is the reduction of chemical products for the industrial processes of transforming green skin into leather, the basis for the production of the most diverse products.
In addition, reusing water and reducing energy consumption are also at the heart of the necessary transformations that the leather industry has undergone.
In fact, the result is a reduction in the emission of gases that aggravate the greenhouse effect, as well as the total treatment of effluents and waste.
Like many other sectors, the leather industry faces the challenge of adapting to the demands of a highly competitive market, in which consumers are fully aware of their power of influence and want to combine trends, comfort, quality and sustainability.
Durli Leathers: traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies drive the leather industry nationally and internationally
Durli Leathers, a global benchmark in leather production, combines the excellence of handcrafted, family-run techniques with the introduction of the most modern technologies, both in the handling of hides and in the most advanced equipment.
In addition, for the responsibility and excellence of its processes for producing wet blue, semi-finished and finished leathers, Durli Leathers is rated LWG Gold by the LWG - Leather Working Group, in all of its 9 units.
The company is also a member of international organizations such as Leather Naturally, aimed at raising awareness and promoting the sustainable use of leather. In addition, Durli Leathers also has ISO 9001, certifying its commitment to quality and sustainability.
A product made of leather is exceptionally durable and can be passed down from generation to generation, as is Durli Leathers.
Be our partner in strengthening the leather industry's circular economy and its undeniable contribution to building a greener future.
Find out more on our Sustainability page.
Sources and references used
1 - https://www.one4leather.com/article/Leather-the-ultimate-upcycled-material
2 - https://www.leathernaturally.org/
3 - https://isitleather.com/blog/sustainable-eco-friendly-leather-industry-future/