Consumers may not be aware that the leather industry's enormous environmental impact is scientifically proven to cause lasting damage that will continue if left unaddressed. For decades, the leather industry has been touted as organic and environmentally safe, bragging that the "sustainable" and "biodegradable" materials seem worth the high prices and the animal products used in the items. The leather industry is associated with many extremely harmful practices that affect the environment. First, Collective Fashion Justice claims that 80% of deforestation in the Amazon is caused by soy production. Soybeans are widely used as feed for livestock and bred for leather products. One leather bag from Brazil is estimated to be equivalent to clearing 1,000 square meters of land. Cattle produce methane gas when they breathe, deflate or burp. In 2006, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations stated that "livestock farming is one of the major contributors to today's most serious environmental problems. " According to the Environmental Protection Fund, methane is 80 times more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Therefore, even raising cattle for leather products is detrimental to the environment. 
Although there are various tanning processes for leather goods, some more popular ones release unwanted chemicals into the environment. According to Gizmodo, chrome leather tanning combines chrome salts and tanning liquor to produce a light blue product. Countries without environmental protection laws, such as Bangladesh, India, and China, often experience the dumping of waste containing residual chromium into the environment. According to Science Direct, the scientific article "Toxic Waste from the Leather Industry" states, "1 metric ton of raw material produces only 20% finished leather and over 60% solid and liquid waste. Chromium is often found in liquid manure. Working on tanned floors is also harmful to employees. Gizmodo said workers don't have many protections. Workers can slip on poorly drained floors, be injured by heavy machinery, and, even worse, be exposed to chemicals like suntan fluids and chrome. Chromium is carcinogenic when inhaled, and Collective Fashion Justice reports that 90% of leather is tanned using a combination of chromium, formaldehyde, and arsenic. 
A 2017 Nature.com report on health risks associated with the leather industry noted that exposed leather workers suffered from "asthma, back pain, bronchitis, chronic dermatitis, wear chromosomal, high blood pressure, changes in hemoglobin, metabolic syndrome, DNA damage, even cancer." There are efforts to address issues in the leather industry, such as UNIDO's 2000 proposal to recycle chrome baths to reduce chrome levels in wastewater. However, these programs can be very expensive, presenting different problems if countries are unwilling to spend the money. The leather industry's environmental impact is still complex. Still, as the vegan leather industry grows and becomes more sustainable, we have the solutions we need to phase out the animal leather industry. We buy leather, but most of the leather in our house and our wardrobe is used. For a long time, I debated how eco-friendly leather compares to vegan polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU). These are the main materials from which "faux leather" or "leather" is made. I've also talked to the leather folks a bit recently. So I think now is the time to kick off the old-fashioned debate about leather versus non-leather alternatives and look for answers to how eco-friendly leather is. 
Intensive animal husbandry for leather has significant environmental and ethical implications. This includes massive deforestation, increased methane levels, and cruelty to animals. Leather manufacturing is resource intensive in terms of water and energy consumption. Not environmentally friendly. It's no secret that the leather industry harms the environment, workers, and health. This is due to the toxic heavy chemicals used in the tanning process, such as chromium. Chromium causes cancer and contaminates waterways and soils, especially in India and China, where many tanneries are unregulated. About 85-90% of the leather we buy is chrome plated. Other tanneries use traditional natural dyes, such as saffron, instead of chrome in the tanning process. This vegetable tanning takes longer than chrome tanning. This means you pay a premium. However, fewer harsh chemicals are involved, which means less environmental damage and tannery workers. Vegetable tanned leather is also easier and safer to recycle or dispose of. However, this more environmentally friendly method of making leather does not eliminate the fact that animals are killed to produce leather. Leather is widely known to manufacturers as a by-product of the meat industry. Since leather costs more than meat, I'm not convinced that leather is a by-product of the meat industry. 
I wonder if, on the contrary, isn't meat a by-product of the leather industry? According to PETA, most of the leather sold in the UK comes from India. However, according to some reports, 1 billion people in India are vegetarians. It is something to ponder. However, we cannot consider this fact in isolation. 90% of Asia's leather import is cowhide. India has overtaken Brazil as the world's largest beef exporter in recent years. There may be some truth, but it's a gray area. Some say that as long as people in the world are willing to eat meat (currently, 2% of the UK population is vegan), animal by-products like leather will always be. Although I agree that when an animal is killed for food, all parts of the animal must be used for something, even its skin, does that become an excuse to justify the need for leather? Or just pragmatic? Asking whether PU is a better option than leather raises another environmental problem. I have two vintage leather bags (+30 years old). I have been using them regularly for seven years. Both are still going strong. Maybe a little worn, but it all adds to the character. Comparing them to the cheap PU bags I had before switching to these bags was day and night. I bought a new PU bag and used it almost daily for less than six months. The straps then stretched beyond repair, and a hole appeared in the bag. It was thrown in the trash less than a year after it was purchased (and since it wasn't recyclable, it went to the landfill). This alternative to leather is not as eco-friendly as we like.
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