Issues > Clothing > Animals > Leather
Leather
The global leather industry slaughters more than one billion animals for their skins each year. Leather commonly comes from cattle and calves, and from other animals slaughtered for meat such as horses, sheep, lambs, goats, and pigs. Wild animals are also hunted for their skins. Kangaroos can also be commercially shot purely for their skins in Western Australia and Queensland (skin-only commercial hunting is banned in other Australian jurisdictions). Other species hunted worldwide for their skins include zebras, boars, elephants, crocodiles, and lizards. Additionally, the modern process of tanning, involves toxic substances and pollutants.
There are many alternatives to leather, including cotton, linen, rubber, ramie, canvas, and synthetics.
See Alternatives to Leather at the Animals Australia Unleashed Faux Shopping Guide
Look for polyurethane-based materials rather than PVC. PVC is not degradable, involves production using toxic additives and emits carcinogenic dioxin when incinerated.