Every Leather Boot kills an Amazon Tree

Leather just a waste product? An interesting report by Greenpeace shuffles up the discussions on Leather. Even among sustainability experts, leather is often regarded as a waste product of the meat industry, and so sustainable shoe designers often work with vegetable tanned leather.

Greenpeace directly attacks the fashion industry, and makes them co-responsible for the immense destruction of Amazon forests for the meat and leather industry. Also, and especially, those that are “Made in Italy”.

In a recent blog post, shoe company Terra Plana states, that “it’s the fashion industry, rather than the meat one, that is driving an increase in cattle farming”. For Terra Plana, known to have a progressive sustainable policy, this is a reason to focus more and more on non-leather alternatives. An interesting standing point that provokes other sustainable footwear companies to take standing as well.

There are some organic leather projects, but most “sustainable leather” isn’t organic, it’s just about the tanning. So, if this is all true, what should be the alternative? Vegan shoes? Salmon leather? Barefoot? Cradle to cradle shoes? Just some less rainforest for your next fashion item?