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If you take into account the reality that the meat industry won’t be revolutionised by tomorrow, the fact that most of the hides left over as a byproduct of food for consumption are sold to the leather industry makes good use of what would otherwise be more waste. According to Bloomberg, 55% of the leather demand comes from the footwear industry. From a single cow hide, an average of 11 cowboy boots, 20 footballs or one bucket seat can be produced.
But the consumer’s decreasing interest in leather shoes is being felt on hide sales that are consequently falling in prices as the surplus grows. It hasn’t helped that faced with the 2014 draught in the US that hit the industry and causing herd loss, manufacturers opted for alternative materials which they have carried on using even after the supply has slowly been restored. The lack of demand is causing steer hide prices to fall, but the main reason lies in the consumer’s demand for more sustainable products.
More ethically interested shoppers, even across luxury, are looking to show off their eco lifestyles, causing luxury designers to jump onto the “fur-free” marketing wave as seen at the September London Fashion…
