Content posted by: Leather Naturally
Cattle skin processing is one of the oldest forms of recycling. Because hides are natural and inevitable by-products, derived from the important consumption of meat by the human mankind.
The infographic presented here demonstrates the importance of opting for genuine leather and not synthetic leather, which is often made from plastics and other unsustainable items, causing a greater environmental impact. While natural leather is biodegradable and disappears in about 50 years, synthetics take about 500 years.
In the United States, all hides used in leather production come from animals raised for food; the leather industry does not sacrifice any animals. Rather, it acquires these hides and transforms them into durable, versatile and attractive real leather.
This infographic explains how, in 2019, the hides of 5.5 million head of cattle –17% of all slaughtered animals– could not be reused for the production of products and had to be buried or incinerated. If some industries had not opted for synthetic materials, these leathers would have made it possible to produce, for example, 99 million pairs of shoes, 110 million footballs and 2 million sofas, in a much more sustainable way and minimizing the impact on the environment.
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