Leather – Characteristics, Potentials & Limitations

Characteristics

The vast majority of leather is made from the hides and skins of animals raised primarily for the production of food1. These hides and skins would otherwise mostly end up in landfill. It should be recognized that there is no financial incentive for a farmer to raise animals (cows, sheep, goat, pigs) for their skins.

The availability of leather is limited by the consumption of dairy and meat. Currently, up cycling the hides and skins to a long lasting material with unique characteristics is the best option. A small amount of the leather industry (approximately 1%) consists of skins from reptiles. This blog does not focus on reptiles. Leather is made from the hides and skins from different animals with all of them having their own characteristics.

 

1. Cow Leather: Represents approximately 69% and is mostly used in car seats, upholstery, bags, shoes, leather goods due to its size, thickness and strength.
2. Sheep Leather: Represents approximately 13% and is mostly used in garments, gloves and linings due to its softness, its fine grain and the ability to create thin pieces of leather.
3. Goat Leather: Represents approximately 11% and is mostly used in lady shoes, bags and linings due to its grain and the ability to create thin leather and suede.
4. Pig Leather: Represents approximately 6% and is mostly used in shoes and linings. Hideorzo is not using Pig leather in any form in our products.
5. Kangaroo Leather: Represents less than 1% and is mostly used in shoes and belts.
6. Reptile Leather: Represents approximately 1% and is mostly used in accessories.

Properties

Depending on the origin of the hides and skins, the applied tanning process and how the following processes have been organized, the leather will show different characteristics in relation to breathability, softness, stretch, tear strength, UV resistance, soil resistance, and as well in relation to biodegradability at the end of its life. The properties of leather include the below:

1. Waste Reducing: Leather adds value to a circular society that wants to consume less, reuse more and recycle by-products and end products.
2. Durable: Well-made leather lasts a long time and unlike most man-made, or synthetic materials it can get better with age, acquiring a depth of patina and wear pattern that is individual to the user.
3. Repairable: Materials made with leather can be repaired, increasing employability through people working in repair services. Unlike many alternative materials it can be easily maintained (mostly cleaned with a damp cloth) without much or any launders and potential releasing of synthetic microfibers/ micro plastics ending up in the waste water.
4. Recyclable: Leather can be recycled by repurposing, e.g. leather furniture from airplanes after their commercial lifespan (sometimes 10-12 years) can be recycled into leather goods. At the very end of its life leather has the potential to biodegrade in a time span of 10 to 50 years, depending on type and finishes. In contrast, synthetic materials can take thousands of years to decompose.
5. Versatile: Leather has many varied end uses. Leather can be engineered to be durable enough for furniture yet soft enough for comfort footwear. It will make the finest dress, gloves or protective, abrasion-resistant motorcycling gloves. Leather makes the supplest of jackets or the firmest of walking boots. Hideorzo uses the magic of cowhide leather with its hair on in Carpets, Rugs, Table Runner, Cushions, wall hangings, bags and purses.
6. Comfortable: Leather has a natural comfort. Leather has a ‘breathability’ that more easily allows the body temperature to be regulated. It will naturally absorb and hold moisture away from the skin until it can evaporate to the outside. Also, leather adds further comfort to the wearer through its ability to be supple.

Potentials

Leather has a huge potential in a circular society that wants to reduce waste, reuse more and recycle end products. The potentials are:

1. 100% Utilization Of Hides And Skins: It should be ensured that 100% of these materials are up cycled into leather (and other products) instead of being wasted or down cycled.
2. 100% Use Of Waste Streams: Use of waste stream generated during the process of consumer products (i.e. use of shavings, trimmings, etc).
3. Biodegradability: Leather is biodegradable, although this depends on the manufacturing process and the type of finish.
4. Employability: The leather industry employs millions of people and manufacturing a leather article takes artisan skills. Reparability can add further employability through repair service centers.
5. Natural Fiber: leather is a natural fiber that does not need any dry cleaning or laundering and thus does not release microfibers/micro plastics into the environment.
6. Circularity: At the end of the life cycle, when the leather can no longer provide a useful service through repair or recycling, it is possible to dismantle products and incinerate the leather into a biofuel that can then be used to manufacture the next generation of leather.
7. Personal Identity: Leather tells a story and with a natural finish, every piece of leather is unique.
8. Education: Brands, designers, influencers and consumers increasingly do not realize the positive impact the use of leather has on a circular society.

Key Point: No animals are being killed for the use of leather, the leather industry is largely regulated, vegan materials are largely made from synthetic materials and pictures of tanneries found on the internet are outdated and do not reflect the reality of today’s leather industry.

Limitations of Leather as a Material

The limitations include:

1. Availability: The availability of leather is limited to the number of animals slaughtered.
2. Price stability: The prices of hides and skins can strongly fluctuate over time.
3. Cutting losses: Originating from a hide or skin, the material does not have a squared size that can be provided on uniform rolls like alternative materials. This often results in cutting losses that are automatically being downgraded.
4. Weight: Leather tends to weigh more compared to various synthetic materials.
5. Price: Leather tends to be more expensive than alternative materials. However, it is likely that the total cost of ownership of a leather material is more favorable over its lifetime.
6. Wetness/ Moisture: Synthetic materials tend to dry better and quicker than leather.
7. Natural Material: Animal leather is as robust as human skin, but it is not indestructible. Water, sun and physical use under normal conditions are preferred for leather. When leather is used under “extreme” conditions, more care is required in cleaning and maintenance. When leather is used under “extreme” conditions in combination with a minimum of care, special surface treatments, finishing and applications are required. However, this will result in a loss of properties. Furthermore, leather can come with natural scratches, insect damage and other imperfections.
8. Environmental and Social Risks: During the production of leather, certain chemicals and processes come in use that can create an unbearable risk, if not controlled and well managed. Modern tanneries have strict legislation and regulation in place to protect against risks such as allergic reactions, air, ground and water pollution.
9. End of Life: The more the hides and skins are processed for durability and performance, the less the natural biodegradability properties are retained.