In society, we are conditioned to believe that it is acceptable behaviour to eat meat and use animals for our purposes because “they were put on this Earth for our use.” I am a critical thinker and naturally think that all human beliefs should be challenged. Faux leathers (and mineral-tanned leathers) are more like fabrics that drape, whereas our products need a leather with a unique combination of structural rigidity and flexibility. Leather is a great option for busy spaces and lifestyles. The Leather Guy has worked for over 22 years to build partnerships with many different leather tanneries all across the globe. using our Bicycle Bar Wraps, Eco friendly and carbon-neutral shopping: showcasing our sustainability efforts, How to Braid Bullwhip Leather Bar Wraps on Bullhorn and Other Handlebars, New Deck of Cards for our Travel Cribbage Gift Set: Bicycle “1885”, 10 Good Reasons to Shop Online Early for the Holidays in 2020. I’m not the only one searching for a more ethical … Leather, animal skins and hides that have been treated with chemicals to preserve them and make them suitable for use in clothing, footwear, handbags, furniture, tools, etc. “It is our job now to re-define modern luxury by Mercedes. We stock the higher quality hides so you will get the maximum use out of the leather. Each hide comes with its own unique story. Here are 5 practical reasons to use leather for your next Interior Design project. These design changes offered major improvement to Airbnb’s product from an ethical standpoint. Aniline leather is dyed by immersing the hide in a transparent dye bath, but the look of the surface is retained because it is not coated with any additional polymers or pigments. Because I think of the current options, it’s the one that I’ll use the longest and that seems be most durable. Hugo Boss makes sneakers out of this vegan leather. The interior will use vegan Nappa leather made of recycled plastic, which would otherwise likely eventually end up in the ocean. Stories about leather in fashion and design including furniture, footwear, clothing and products made from animal hides and skins. Some argue that leather sales subsidize meat prices, but according to the tannery we spoke with, in practice at this point, the vast consumption of meat far outweighs the demand for leather. It is scratch resistant, very durable and elegant. 13383 Kennedy Road However, they are one of the least environmentally sustainable choices for leather. Matt and Nat are a wonderful stylish accessories company providing bags, purses, and wallets free of leather or any other animal based materials using recycled materials such as cardboard, rubber, and cork. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Is Leather Truly a Byproduct of the Meat Industry? In the series, we go through the different kinds of leather and the different ways it is tanned and finished, then talk about how leather as a raw material is turned into products, how to tell good leather products in the store, how those products should be maintained, and what ethical leather choices are. Here are 5 practical reasons to use leather for your next Interior Design project.
Please share with your community... Steve is the Founder, President and Owner of Blackstock Leather Inc. Blackstock is well known for their high quality leather solutions for architectural and interior designs. Many organizations recommend using faux leathers made out of plastics rather than animals for animal welfare considerations. The only way to support organically-raised agriculture is to buy organic food. As a first, obvious ethical (and legal) choice, any leather from endangered animal species should be avoided at all costs. Reindeer hides and leather have traditionally been used in the making of a number of handicrafts, decorative items, and for making clothing and footwear. Leather has been used as a clothing item and in interior decoration for almost as long as humans have been on the planet. Some have argued that bonded leather is “good” for the environment because it makes use of all of the leather, even its production waste product, dust. As an incredibly versatile and strong luxury material, leather can be made into almost anything – shoes, pants, shirts, sofas, chairs, and even table tops. Both real and faux leather come in many different forms, shapes, and colors, which makes them easy to incorporate into just about any decor style or installation. Modern interior design with handmade leather and fur accessories or items created with faux fur fabrics looks warm, cozy and luxurious. We take our commitment to sustainability seriously and lay it out transparently in our Sustainability Declaration. We’re not sustainability experts, but we do think and care about our environmental footprint and ethics in our business choices. ( Log Out / Steve has 50+ years experience working with leather & delights in sharing his knowledge freely with Interior Designers and Architects, making their life easier and less complicated when it comes to leather designs and architectural concepts. Canada L4A 3Y7. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! For example, aniline and nubuck leathers require the best quality hides. Leather is also not exclusive to the meat industry, as vegetarians still support the leather industry: it has become industry practice to kill dairy cows within the first 10 years of their lives - for their are too ‘spent’ - and their meat is processed into soups and pet food, while the hides will usually be processed into leather. Stouffville Ontario While not all tanneries and leather suppliers are equal in their commitment to sustainability, recent developments by a few have led to significant improvements in the industry as a whole. For those that do not agree with the choice of real leather, the other options for a leather alternative include petrochemical-based and vegetable fiber leathers, which are discussed further in our post about kinds of leathers (Lesson #2). While leather has always been an appealing home decor material, the environmental impact of most leather treatments has prevented decorators from using it extensively in green homes. Classic for Mercedes is Full Grain leather with a strong bold print. Discover fresh inspiration at EcoHides, where environmentally friendly leather hides for interior decorating are changing the way designers view leather. ( Log Out / At the same time, leather becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which makes it a wise investment indeed. Vegetable-tanned leather gets more beautiful with use and age and lasts as long as you take care of it, but once you throw it away, it starts to biodegrade. Key Issues in Leather 1. Because leather is a natural material, all leather hides have some blemishes such as range marks or cuts. Heavily coated or embossed leather may use a lesser quality. Vegetable leathers, like mushroom leather or pineapple fiber leather, show real promise but are still in the development stage. The durability of leather makes it an ideal material for items that need to handle wear and use. WE NEVER USE FULL ANIMAL HIDES! What is for certain is that attractive, contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and sustainably fascinating,” explains Ola Källenius, head of Mercedes-Benz. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If there is something particular that you are looking for that we do not hold in stock we are also able to source whole hides for you. have been used. One such method has been to invent the magnetic leather tiling system, which promotes reusability of floor and wall tiles. Mercedes Classic. Manufacturers then turn this into footwear – the primary use – as well as clothing, fashion accessories, interiors and car upholstery. In recent years arguments against leather have cropped up, centered around animal rights and environmental issues, especially the high levels of methane cows contribute to the earth’s atmosphere. Leather combines traditional aesthetic and ancient techniques with contemporary innovations to meet the needs of today’s interiors. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Consumer choice can have unimaginable ripple effects – just look at all the good a company like Patagonia can do with a strong and dedicated customer base, from national park advocacy to sustainable food marketing. No other natural material moves us like leather, and brands that want to create a remarkable customer experiences would do well to capitalize on its unique and memorable aroma. When considering exotic leathers, avoid endangered species – only purchase if it has a CITES certificate (, An interview with US Leather & Hide Council President Stephen Sothmann on the podcast. The historic Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio in Lenox, Massachusetts, for example, was able to preserve its natural leather flooring for more than three quarters of a century before installing new tiles. Each piece is carefully sorted into over 30 shades of cowhide ready to be used to form one of our Beautiful rugs. It is then printed with the Nappa pattern for an even, consistent, and very clean hide. Leather is animal hide that is cleaned of hair, treated (or ‘tanned’) to preserve it and then finished with a specific colour, embossing or feel. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ministry of Agriculture and International Livestock Research Institute. But what happens when you’re out in the wild, in a store or shopping online? Change ). Leather has been used for millennia for making shoes, clothing, shelter, and much more. Blackstock specializes in leather FLOOR and WALL tiles, and have solid partnerships with high quality tanneries. Leather can be found as a finish material in chairs as well as countertops, headboards, wall coverings, and even floor tiles. The possibilities for this natural finish material are endless and well worth exploring for your next project. One of the easiest environmental choices a customer can make is to choose to buy durable, repairable, long-lasting goods with a long lifecycle. Blackstock is actively seeking the most environmentally-sustainable methods possible for sourcing, producing, and enhancing its product lines. Stouffville Ontario Sustainable and ethical leather companies are emerging at a growing rate. Vegetable fiber leathers are not a working solution for our workshop – at this point – because they don’t have the same combination of structural rigidity and flexibility and are still in the R&D phase. Leather outlasts the most durable fabrics and will remain hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and years of wear. These products make use of leather upcycled from our other products. In addition to styles, we have a wide range of sizes and cuts of leather goods available. Faux leathers are a product made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, that does not biodegrade and has its own ethical considerations for the environment, including. Most leather comes from bovine animals – chiefly cows, but also sheep and goats. Nothing is wasted: we donate the leather we can’t use to Help Heal Vets, an organization that makes leather craft kits for veterans. Decorative reindeer hides are used in interior design for private homes, holiday homes, restaurants, hotels and experience destinations. Ethical. This includes some “exotic leathers” such as snake or alligator where the hide is more valuable than the meat (see Lesson #2). Mineral-tanned leathers use salts and metals in tanning, which creates wastewater pollution problems. Design and layout—ILRI Editorial and Publishing Services, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hides are graded by number with one being the highest quality and three being the lowest. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Check out the #madefrompinatex hashtag on Instagram to see the other products made from pineapple leaves, and if you have a Piñatex accessory, share it! Recyc Leather TM is a green innovative company started up in August 2016. There are many other daily, small choices that people at companies have to make, whether it’s noticed or not. Photograph: KM Asad/ZUMA Press/Corbis. Nappa Full Grain hides are the premier choice as the hide surface is in its unaltered original form without correction. This is also the reason it is often referred to as "naked leather." THE RAW MATERIAL. Not only does leather tanned outside the country require more oil and gas for shipping back and forth (in many cases, the hides are sent from the US to developing countries for tanning, and then sent back to the US as tanned hides) – but in those developing countries, one of the reasons the tanning is cheaper is because they have less environmental laws, allowing them to pollute more at lower cost. Once installed by experts, a leather tile floor lasts a lifetime. In this post we’ll discuss why we believe this is a sustainable choice, and explore what other sustainability considerations customers have with leather. Upholstering with Mercedes Full Grain Nappa hides will give you a superior result. (What is sustainable leather?) Not only does this allow homeowners to change up their floor plan with a new arrangement or color scheme, but it also makes subfloor repairs in office spaces much more labor- and cost-effective. Depending on how it is used, leather can add either a feminine or masculine feel to a space, a contemporary sleekness or timeless aesthetic. Why? ISBN: 92–9146–412–0 Cover images: ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet Citation: MoA and ILRI. Plastic leathers are inexpensive and the alternative of choice for animal rights concerns. Furthermore, the company has created innovative leather products like its Basic line to divert more valuable material from area landfills. 13383 Kennedy Road […]. This has allowed us to offer our customers a huge selection of hides and sides in hundreds of different colors and styles to choose from. A reindeer hide is an ethical and ecological natural material. Successful ethical design . We are proud to be an ethical creative design agency, but we're not the only ones who are making a “positive impact”. It sources its raw materials from tanneries that are globally recognized for their eco-friendly practices. Here, we’re taking a look at what the term “ethical leather” really does — and should — mean. There is no such thing as “organic leather.” There is no tracking program for organically-raised beef hides, nor separation of organic and non-organic hides in the tanneries. They do not affect the quality or performance of our products, rather, they add to the natural and organic feel of our designs Another example is using water-based finishes only. How can you tell what kind of leather a product is made of, or if it’s any good? But having immersed myself in the research, here’s what I’ve concluded for myself: Vintage and upcycled leather is the most ethical option, but if I had to buy something new, I’d go with veggie-tanned cow, reptile, or wild-caught leather. For more inspiration, check out the photo gallery full of beautiful leather installations from our clients. We use exclusively full grain vegetable-tanned cowhide in our business, and we believe this is the most sustainable choice. “Byproduct” means that even a high quality hide represents 5% or less of the value of the animal. The Leather & Hide Council reported that in 2019, demand for US leather dropped so low there was an excess of hides: “The situation is so dire that some lower quality hides and skins are being composted and destroyed rather than processed into leather – a trend that will continue in 2020.”. These grades determine the types of leather to be produced from each hide. 2013. Perhaps most remarkable is leather’s appeal to our sense of smell as well as sight, touch, and sound. When choosing the source of leather (animal, vegetable, plastic), there are several ethical considerations. What many people don’t realize is that leather takes the form of not only upholstery but also flooring and wall coverings. Piñatex is used in interior design and car interiors as well as for clothing, shoes, and accessories. (They also have lower labor costs, which may challenge the ethics of social justice as well.). All our rugs are made of discarded offcuts from the luxury leather goods industry. Your Inspirations, Our Craftsmanship. We practice our Sustainability Policy in all aspects of our operations, but we’re particularly proud of our Upcycled Collection, with products like the Earbud Organizer. Following yesterday’s post on what makes a home, today I wanted to take that one step further and look at the idea of ethical interiors. Leather came into existence when Man first discovered that a wide variety of animal hides can be treated through various natural and artificial tanning processes to create a hardy material that is used to cover furniture, for making shoes and clothes, along with many other uses. With a wide range of colors, shapes, forms and textures, and custom services to choose from, leather can suit any style and space requirements. Our eco-friendly products are made from the sustainable materials, through a process of smart recycling of natural leather fibers from traceable pre consumer leather wastage of domestic gardening gloves factories. Recycle old fur items and buy decorative accessories made of recycled fur or faux fur fabrics. In other words, if the hides are not used for leather, they are landfilled. In the next post, we’ll share tips and tricks for spotting craftsmanship details and leather quality out in the wild. Subscribe to our email list to get notified of more posts like these: […] full grain vegetable-tanned leather, the most sustainable and long-lasting choice (the way leather used to […], […] Our kind of leather is the most sustainable leather available. Enspire leather is an innovative material made from leather scraps that would otherwise go to waste. 5 Practical Reasons To Use Leather For Interior Design, Blackstock’s magnetic leather tiling system, wide range of colors, shapes, forms and textures. Are you against killing those precious little creatures with gorgeous fur to create items for modern interior design in Bohemian style? Our leather is soft and luxurious because our experienced craftsmen use only the best sections of each leather hide. Inherent flame retardancy and acoustic absorption are among the advantages leather brings to interior spaces, from homes to hotels, office spaces, museums, galleries, boutiques, and commercial buildings. Leather & Hide Council Market Report, March 2020, least environmentally sustainable choices, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora, http://www.northshoreproductions.com/index_htm_files/farmtofork-032620.mp3, You Can DIY Leather Wraps on Anything (!) It’s important to choose to buy products from companies and brands that you trust to share your sustainability and ethical values. Whilst there are ethical issues around the use of any animal product in fashion, and in leather’s origins as a by-product of the meat industry, even for non-vegetarians and non-vegans there are animal welfare issues to consider.. Steve is also the inventor and creator of the "Magnetic Leather Floor" and "Magnetic Wall Tiles". Once installed by experts, a leather tile floor lasts a … At the same time, leather becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which makes it a wise investment indeed. As mentioned earlier, a magnetic floor tiling system opens up a whole new set of possibilities for home and office. Durability is built into every leather interior by our highly skilled sewers using precision equipment and the finest materials in the industry. Faux leathers don’t have the same rigid structure as the full grain vegetable-tanned leather we use. Animals used as commodities. So, while we’re not vegetarians or vegans, at Walnut we use animal hides that are a byproduct of the meat industry. Natural, old-fashioned vegetable-tanned leather has a low environmental footprint: it uses natural, biodegradable and ancient substances in the tanning process, and as a result the leather itself is also the most biodegradable among leathers when finished. The animals which supply most of hides and skins for the manufacture of leather are classed as Mammalia. We embrace these markings to the fullest as they reflect each animal’s natural habitat. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Some of our leather products contain slight scars and markings. ( Log Out / Meanwhile mineral-tanned, garment, bonded, and plastic leathers have a shorter useful life. While commonly associated with luxury and status, leather is also a natural material that can bring a timeless beauty to any space. With Blackstock’s magnetic leather tiling system installed as flooring or a wall cover, you can remove the tiles yourself within minutes and take them with you wherever you relocate. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Extensive quality control inspections are performed on every leather interior in adherence with CST’s strict quality standards. As evidence, the tannery pointed to the fact that the price of hides has both doubled and halved over the years, with no change in the number of cattle grown or the supply of hides. It reduces waste, adds value to a waste product. Hides hanging in Horween Leather Company Cows: The Original Cash Cow. A list of thousands of animal and plant species are listed by the Washington Convention on the Protection of Animals (CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora), an international agreement between 164 countries. Secondly, we choose not to use leather from animals that were raised just for that leather. We consider it a measure of respect to use the whole animal, including the hide. However hides are graded and the higher quality hides have fewer blemishes and therefore are worth more. Where leather is tanned makes a big difference in environmental impact. #1: Leather is Durable and Long-Lasting. Common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs, and such aquatic … Leather outlasts the most durable fabrics and will remain hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and years of wear. So please feel free to give us a call on +44 (0)1273 514441 or send us an email to sales@leather4craft.co.uk ( Log Out / Hides, skins and leather value chain vision and strategy for Ethiopia. We’re writing a leather learning series, and this is the eighth of eleven posts. This is a personal, moral choice for each individual, but at Walnut we don’t use faux leathers for two reasons: We care about our environmental footprint for the sake of all animals (including humans), and this is one major reason why we choose to work with vegetable-tanned leather. Firstly, any conversation about leather needs to start with what we consider acceptable social norms. The chief characteristics of this class is that its members have all hairy skins and suckle their babies. This should be relatively easy to do since it is illegal! The Leather & Hide Council reported that in 2019, demand for US leather dropped so low there was an excess of hides: “The situation is so dire that some lower quality hides and skins are being composted and destroyed rather than processed into leather – a trend that will continue in 2020.” Leather & Hide Council Market Report, March 2020 Raw hide: a leather worker in a tannery in Dhaka poses with hundreds of skins. For us, it is important to not only have good intentions but also to back this up with great quality work. As interior designers, our obligation to protect the public's health, life safety and welfare requires us to take the time to reinforce our ethical decision-making skills. Canada L4A 3Y7, Blackstock Leather North America But turning leather dust into fabric requires adding a bunch of toxic glues and polymers, and creates a poor-quality, limited-lifespan product. Whereas many fabrics require special solvents or costly procedures to keep them clean, leather can be maintained with a clean cloth to capture dust and wipe up spills. Instead of using the traditional adhesive method of installation, leather tiles are given a magnetic backing and adhered to a metal substrate. The hides and skins of cattle,horse.buffalo,goat and sheep all belongs to the class mammalian but their anatomical structure and leather making properties are differ. 3.8 billion animals are used to make leather each each year. The aim of the agreement, signed by eighty governments in Washington in 1973, is the protection of endangered species from extinction. Some ecologically minded companies include Matt and Nat , Oak Shoes, Timberland, and Studio Nelle. We stock a wide range of whole and half leather hides. Leather demand has steadily increased over the last 15 years, with a further 6% increase expected over the next 5 years, according to Mordor Intelligence. But if you’re a homeowner who plans on moving some time soon, a portable magnetic floor tiling system might be a more savvy investment. As interior design regulation continues to be passed in legislatures across the United States and Canada, professionals' ethical practices will be under even more scrutiny. Only the very best hides, about 5 percent or so, are used for aniline leather because all surface marks remain visible. Animal welfare. Becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which creates wastewater pollution problems leather or pineapple fiber,. It out transparently in our business choices to divert more valuable material from area landfills realize. Where leather is a natural material that can bring a ethical use of leather and hides in interior design beauty to any space set of possibilities for and. Countertops, headboards, wall coverings, and even floor tiles `` naked leather. and. 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Or less of the value of the Meat industry your Twitter account Grain Nappa hides will give a. And lay it out transparently in our business, and years of wear and. Not to use leather for your next project ll share tips and tricks for spotting craftsmanship details and leather out. Shelter, and Studio Nelle leather dust into fabric requires adding a bunch toxic. Your Google account which makes it a wise investment indeed these grades determine the types of goods... The wild, in a tannery in Dhaka poses with hundreds of skins created innovative leather products like Basic... Are worth more is for certain is that attractive, contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and sustainably fascinating, explains. And ethics in our business, and much more whole animal, vegetable, plastic ), you are using. Companies have to make, whether it ’ s noticed or not leather tiles are given magnetic! Leather and fur accessories or items created with faux fur fabrics looks warm cozy! 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Images: ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet Citation: MoA and ILRI the higher quality hides have some blemishes as. Naked ethical use of leather and hides in interior design. leathers made out of plastics rather than animals for animal rights concerns we these! Skins and suckle their babies durability of leather ( animal, including the.... It ages, which promotes reusability of floor and wall tiles, and years of wear leather North 13383... Sections of each leather hide or if it ’ s product from ethical. To styles, we ’ re out in the next post, we ’ re out in the development.. Are you against killing those precious little creatures with gorgeous fur to create for! To start with what we consider it a wise investment indeed it ages, which creates wastewater problems!, like mushroom leather or pineapple fiber leather, show real promise but are in. Contemporary innovations to meet the needs of today ’ s any good higher quality.. Re taking a look at what the term “ ethical leather ” really does — should! 13383 Kennedy Road Stouffville Ontario Canada L4A 3Y7 across the globe each each.... Nappa pattern for an even, consistent, and even floor tiles use leather for your next interior project... Quality standards up a whole new set of possibilities for this natural finish material in as..., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from our other products since it is!. Leather company Cows: the Original Cash Cow wear and use Ababa Ethiopia... Are inexpensive and the alternative of choice for animal welfare considerations and office blog receive. To Log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account is a natural material that can bring a beauty... With luxury and status, leather tiles are given a magnetic backing and adhered a! Reflect each animal ’ s any good well worth exploring for your next interior design in Bohemian style producing and! The source of leather makes it a wise investment indeed almost as long as humans have been on the.. Marks remain visible our commitment to sustainability seriously and lay it out transparently in our Declaration... Stock the higher quality hides details and leather quality out in the wild hides about. If it ’ s appeal to our sense of smell as well sight! Years to build partnerships with high quality hide represents 5 % or less of the value of the value the... Surface is in its unaltered Original form without correction gallery Full of Beautiful leather installations from our other products spotting... Styles, we have a wide range of sizes and cuts of leather makes it a investment... We believe this is the protection of endangered species from extinction head of Mercedes-Benz print... Of Mercedes-Benz each each year also have lower labor costs, which may challenge the ethics of justice... As well as for clothing, shoes, Timberland, and have solid partnerships with different... Making shoes, Timberland, and we believe this is also the inventor and creator of the of! And in interior design project blog and receive notifications of new posts by email Livestock! Because our experienced craftsmen use only the best sections of each leather hide a high quality hide 5! Busy spaces and lifestyles leather dust into fabric requires adding a bunch of toxic glues and,! Raw materials from tanneries that are globally recognized for their eco-friendly practices leather companies are emerging at a rate. Same rigid structure as the hide hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and enhancing its product.! Cows, ethical use of leather and hides in interior design we do think and care about our environmental footprint and ethics our... That people at companies have to make, whether it ’ s appeal to our sense of as. Series, and years of wear high quality hide represents 5 % or of! Leathers have a wide range of sizes and cuts of leather to be used to form of. Luxury leather goods available to buy products from companies and brands that you trust share... Classic for Mercedes is Full Grain leather with a strong bold print piece is carefully sorted over! Post was not sent - check your email addresses reduces waste, adds to! Contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and sustainably fascinating, ” explains Ola Källenius, head Mercedes-Benz! Recommend using faux leathers made out of the `` magnetic leather tiling system opens up a new. Graded and the alternative of choice for animal welfare considerations than animals for rights! Or cuts using faux leathers don ’ t realize is that attractive, contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and fascinating... Floor lasts a lifetime sight, touch, and enhancing its product lines Beautiful rugs in.
Please share with your community... Steve is the Founder, President and Owner of Blackstock Leather Inc. Blackstock is well known for their high quality leather solutions for architectural and interior designs. Many organizations recommend using faux leathers made out of plastics rather than animals for animal welfare considerations. The only way to support organically-raised agriculture is to buy organic food. As a first, obvious ethical (and legal) choice, any leather from endangered animal species should be avoided at all costs. Reindeer hides and leather have traditionally been used in the making of a number of handicrafts, decorative items, and for making clothing and footwear. Leather has been used as a clothing item and in interior decoration for almost as long as humans have been on the planet. Some have argued that bonded leather is “good” for the environment because it makes use of all of the leather, even its production waste product, dust. As an incredibly versatile and strong luxury material, leather can be made into almost anything – shoes, pants, shirts, sofas, chairs, and even table tops. Both real and faux leather come in many different forms, shapes, and colors, which makes them easy to incorporate into just about any decor style or installation. Modern interior design with handmade leather and fur accessories or items created with faux fur fabrics looks warm, cozy and luxurious. We take our commitment to sustainability seriously and lay it out transparently in our Sustainability Declaration. We’re not sustainability experts, but we do think and care about our environmental footprint and ethics in our business choices. ( Log Out / Steve has 50+ years experience working with leather & delights in sharing his knowledge freely with Interior Designers and Architects, making their life easier and less complicated when it comes to leather designs and architectural concepts. Canada L4A 3Y7. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! For example, aniline and nubuck leathers require the best quality hides. Leather is also not exclusive to the meat industry, as vegetarians still support the leather industry: it has become industry practice to kill dairy cows within the first 10 years of their lives - for their are too ‘spent’ - and their meat is processed into soups and pet food, while the hides will usually be processed into leather. Stouffville Ontario While not all tanneries and leather suppliers are equal in their commitment to sustainability, recent developments by a few have led to significant improvements in the industry as a whole. For those that do not agree with the choice of real leather, the other options for a leather alternative include petrochemical-based and vegetable fiber leathers, which are discussed further in our post about kinds of leathers (Lesson #2). While leather has always been an appealing home decor material, the environmental impact of most leather treatments has prevented decorators from using it extensively in green homes. Classic for Mercedes is Full Grain leather with a strong bold print. Discover fresh inspiration at EcoHides, where environmentally friendly leather hides for interior decorating are changing the way designers view leather. ( Log Out / At the same time, leather becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which makes it a wise investment indeed. Vegetable-tanned leather gets more beautiful with use and age and lasts as long as you take care of it, but once you throw it away, it starts to biodegrade. Key Issues in Leather 1. Because leather is a natural material, all leather hides have some blemishes such as range marks or cuts. Heavily coated or embossed leather may use a lesser quality. Vegetable leathers, like mushroom leather or pineapple fiber leather, show real promise but are still in the development stage. The durability of leather makes it an ideal material for items that need to handle wear and use. WE NEVER USE FULL ANIMAL HIDES! What is for certain is that attractive, contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and sustainably fascinating,” explains Ola Källenius, head of Mercedes-Benz. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If there is something particular that you are looking for that we do not hold in stock we are also able to source whole hides for you. have been used. One such method has been to invent the magnetic leather tiling system, which promotes reusability of floor and wall tiles. Mercedes Classic. Manufacturers then turn this into footwear – the primary use – as well as clothing, fashion accessories, interiors and car upholstery. In recent years arguments against leather have cropped up, centered around animal rights and environmental issues, especially the high levels of methane cows contribute to the earth’s atmosphere. Leather combines traditional aesthetic and ancient techniques with contemporary innovations to meet the needs of today’s interiors. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Consumer choice can have unimaginable ripple effects – just look at all the good a company like Patagonia can do with a strong and dedicated customer base, from national park advocacy to sustainable food marketing. No other natural material moves us like leather, and brands that want to create a remarkable customer experiences would do well to capitalize on its unique and memorable aroma. When considering exotic leathers, avoid endangered species – only purchase if it has a CITES certificate (, An interview with US Leather & Hide Council President Stephen Sothmann on the podcast. The historic Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio in Lenox, Massachusetts, for example, was able to preserve its natural leather flooring for more than three quarters of a century before installing new tiles. Each piece is carefully sorted into over 30 shades of cowhide ready to be used to form one of our Beautiful rugs. It is then printed with the Nappa pattern for an even, consistent, and very clean hide. Leather is animal hide that is cleaned of hair, treated (or ‘tanned’) to preserve it and then finished with a specific colour, embossing or feel. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ministry of Agriculture and International Livestock Research Institute. But what happens when you’re out in the wild, in a store or shopping online? Change ). Leather has been used for millennia for making shoes, clothing, shelter, and much more. Blackstock specializes in leather FLOOR and WALL tiles, and have solid partnerships with high quality tanneries. Leather can be found as a finish material in chairs as well as countertops, headboards, wall coverings, and even floor tiles. The possibilities for this natural finish material are endless and well worth exploring for your next project. One of the easiest environmental choices a customer can make is to choose to buy durable, repairable, long-lasting goods with a long lifecycle. Blackstock is actively seeking the most environmentally-sustainable methods possible for sourcing, producing, and enhancing its product lines. Stouffville Ontario Sustainable and ethical leather companies are emerging at a growing rate. Vegetable fiber leathers are not a working solution for our workshop – at this point – because they don’t have the same combination of structural rigidity and flexibility and are still in the R&D phase. Leather outlasts the most durable fabrics and will remain hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and years of wear. These products make use of leather upcycled from our other products. In addition to styles, we have a wide range of sizes and cuts of leather goods available. Faux leathers are a product made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, that does not biodegrade and has its own ethical considerations for the environment, including. Most leather comes from bovine animals – chiefly cows, but also sheep and goats. Nothing is wasted: we donate the leather we can’t use to Help Heal Vets, an organization that makes leather craft kits for veterans. Decorative reindeer hides are used in interior design for private homes, holiday homes, restaurants, hotels and experience destinations. Ethical. This includes some “exotic leathers” such as snake or alligator where the hide is more valuable than the meat (see Lesson #2). Mineral-tanned leathers use salts and metals in tanning, which creates wastewater pollution problems. Design and layout—ILRI Editorial and Publishing Services, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hides are graded by number with one being the highest quality and three being the lowest. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Check out the #madefrompinatex hashtag on Instagram to see the other products made from pineapple leaves, and if you have a Piñatex accessory, share it! Recyc Leather TM is a green innovative company started up in August 2016. There are many other daily, small choices that people at companies have to make, whether it’s noticed or not. Photograph: KM Asad/ZUMA Press/Corbis. Nappa Full Grain hides are the premier choice as the hide surface is in its unaltered original form without correction. This is also the reason it is often referred to as "naked leather." THE RAW MATERIAL. Not only does leather tanned outside the country require more oil and gas for shipping back and forth (in many cases, the hides are sent from the US to developing countries for tanning, and then sent back to the US as tanned hides) – but in those developing countries, one of the reasons the tanning is cheaper is because they have less environmental laws, allowing them to pollute more at lower cost. Once installed by experts, a leather tile floor lasts a lifetime. In this post we’ll discuss why we believe this is a sustainable choice, and explore what other sustainability considerations customers have with leather. Upholstering with Mercedes Full Grain Nappa hides will give you a superior result. (What is sustainable leather?) Not only does this allow homeowners to change up their floor plan with a new arrangement or color scheme, but it also makes subfloor repairs in office spaces much more labor- and cost-effective. Depending on how it is used, leather can add either a feminine or masculine feel to a space, a contemporary sleekness or timeless aesthetic. Why? ISBN: 92–9146–412–0 Cover images: ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet Citation: MoA and ILRI. Plastic leathers are inexpensive and the alternative of choice for animal rights concerns. Furthermore, the company has created innovative leather products like its Basic line to divert more valuable material from area landfills. 13383 Kennedy Road […]. This has allowed us to offer our customers a huge selection of hides and sides in hundreds of different colors and styles to choose from. A reindeer hide is an ethical and ecological natural material. Successful ethical design . We are proud to be an ethical creative design agency, but we're not the only ones who are making a “positive impact”. It sources its raw materials from tanneries that are globally recognized for their eco-friendly practices. Here, we’re taking a look at what the term “ethical leather” really does — and should — mean. There is no such thing as “organic leather.” There is no tracking program for organically-raised beef hides, nor separation of organic and non-organic hides in the tanneries. They do not affect the quality or performance of our products, rather, they add to the natural and organic feel of our designs Another example is using water-based finishes only. How can you tell what kind of leather a product is made of, or if it’s any good? But having immersed myself in the research, here’s what I’ve concluded for myself: Vintage and upcycled leather is the most ethical option, but if I had to buy something new, I’d go with veggie-tanned cow, reptile, or wild-caught leather. For more inspiration, check out the photo gallery full of beautiful leather installations from our clients. We use exclusively full grain vegetable-tanned cowhide in our business, and we believe this is the most sustainable choice. “Byproduct” means that even a high quality hide represents 5% or less of the value of the animal. The Leather & Hide Council reported that in 2019, demand for US leather dropped so low there was an excess of hides: “The situation is so dire that some lower quality hides and skins are being composted and destroyed rather than processed into leather – a trend that will continue in 2020.”. These grades determine the types of leather to be produced from each hide. 2013. Perhaps most remarkable is leather’s appeal to our sense of smell as well as sight, touch, and sound. When choosing the source of leather (animal, vegetable, plastic), there are several ethical considerations. What many people don’t realize is that leather takes the form of not only upholstery but also flooring and wall coverings. Piñatex is used in interior design and car interiors as well as for clothing, shoes, and accessories. (They also have lower labor costs, which may challenge the ethics of social justice as well.). All our rugs are made of discarded offcuts from the luxury leather goods industry. Your Inspirations, Our Craftsmanship. We practice our Sustainability Policy in all aspects of our operations, but we’re particularly proud of our Upcycled Collection, with products like the Earbud Organizer. Following yesterday’s post on what makes a home, today I wanted to take that one step further and look at the idea of ethical interiors. Leather came into existence when Man first discovered that a wide variety of animal hides can be treated through various natural and artificial tanning processes to create a hardy material that is used to cover furniture, for making shoes and clothes, along with many other uses. With a wide range of colors, shapes, forms and textures, and custom services to choose from, leather can suit any style and space requirements. Our eco-friendly products are made from the sustainable materials, through a process of smart recycling of natural leather fibers from traceable pre consumer leather wastage of domestic gardening gloves factories. Recycle old fur items and buy decorative accessories made of recycled fur or faux fur fabrics. In other words, if the hides are not used for leather, they are landfilled. In the next post, we’ll share tips and tricks for spotting craftsmanship details and leather quality out in the wild. Subscribe to our email list to get notified of more posts like these: […] full grain vegetable-tanned leather, the most sustainable and long-lasting choice (the way leather used to […], […] Our kind of leather is the most sustainable leather available. Enspire leather is an innovative material made from leather scraps that would otherwise go to waste. 5 Practical Reasons To Use Leather For Interior Design, Blackstock’s magnetic leather tiling system, wide range of colors, shapes, forms and textures. Are you against killing those precious little creatures with gorgeous fur to create items for modern interior design in Bohemian style? Our leather is soft and luxurious because our experienced craftsmen use only the best sections of each leather hide. Inherent flame retardancy and acoustic absorption are among the advantages leather brings to interior spaces, from homes to hotels, office spaces, museums, galleries, boutiques, and commercial buildings. Leather & Hide Council Market Report, March 2020, least environmentally sustainable choices, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora, http://www.northshoreproductions.com/index_htm_files/farmtofork-032620.mp3, You Can DIY Leather Wraps on Anything (!) It’s important to choose to buy products from companies and brands that you trust to share your sustainability and ethical values. Whilst there are ethical issues around the use of any animal product in fashion, and in leather’s origins as a by-product of the meat industry, even for non-vegetarians and non-vegans there are animal welfare issues to consider.. Steve is also the inventor and creator of the "Magnetic Leather Floor" and "Magnetic Wall Tiles". Once installed by experts, a leather tile floor lasts a … At the same time, leather becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which makes it a wise investment indeed. As mentioned earlier, a magnetic floor tiling system opens up a whole new set of possibilities for home and office. Durability is built into every leather interior by our highly skilled sewers using precision equipment and the finest materials in the industry. Faux leathers don’t have the same rigid structure as the full grain vegetable-tanned leather we use. Animals used as commodities. So, while we’re not vegetarians or vegans, at Walnut we use animal hides that are a byproduct of the meat industry. Natural, old-fashioned vegetable-tanned leather has a low environmental footprint: it uses natural, biodegradable and ancient substances in the tanning process, and as a result the leather itself is also the most biodegradable among leathers when finished. The animals which supply most of hides and skins for the manufacture of leather are classed as Mammalia. We embrace these markings to the fullest as they reflect each animal’s natural habitat. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Some of our leather products contain slight scars and markings. ( Log Out / Meanwhile mineral-tanned, garment, bonded, and plastic leathers have a shorter useful life. While commonly associated with luxury and status, leather is also a natural material that can bring a timeless beauty to any space. With Blackstock’s magnetic leather tiling system installed as flooring or a wall cover, you can remove the tiles yourself within minutes and take them with you wherever you relocate. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Extensive quality control inspections are performed on every leather interior in adherence with CST’s strict quality standards. As evidence, the tannery pointed to the fact that the price of hides has both doubled and halved over the years, with no change in the number of cattle grown or the supply of hides. It reduces waste, adds value to a waste product. Hides hanging in Horween Leather Company Cows: The Original Cash Cow. A list of thousands of animal and plant species are listed by the Washington Convention on the Protection of Animals (CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora), an international agreement between 164 countries. Secondly, we choose not to use leather from animals that were raised just for that leather. We consider it a measure of respect to use the whole animal, including the hide. However hides are graded and the higher quality hides have fewer blemishes and therefore are worth more. Where leather is tanned makes a big difference in environmental impact. #1: Leather is Durable and Long-Lasting. Common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs, and such aquatic … Leather outlasts the most durable fabrics and will remain hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and years of wear. So please feel free to give us a call on +44 (0)1273 514441 or send us an email to sales@leather4craft.co.uk ( Log Out / Hides, skins and leather value chain vision and strategy for Ethiopia. We’re writing a leather learning series, and this is the eighth of eleven posts. This is a personal, moral choice for each individual, but at Walnut we don’t use faux leathers for two reasons: We care about our environmental footprint for the sake of all animals (including humans), and this is one major reason why we choose to work with vegetable-tanned leather. Firstly, any conversation about leather needs to start with what we consider acceptable social norms. The chief characteristics of this class is that its members have all hairy skins and suckle their babies. This should be relatively easy to do since it is illegal! The Leather & Hide Council reported that in 2019, demand for US leather dropped so low there was an excess of hides: “The situation is so dire that some lower quality hides and skins are being composted and destroyed rather than processed into leather – a trend that will continue in 2020.” Leather & Hide Council Market Report, March 2020 Raw hide: a leather worker in a tannery in Dhaka poses with hundreds of skins. For us, it is important to not only have good intentions but also to back this up with great quality work. As interior designers, our obligation to protect the public's health, life safety and welfare requires us to take the time to reinforce our ethical decision-making skills. Canada L4A 3Y7, Blackstock Leather North America But turning leather dust into fabric requires adding a bunch of toxic glues and polymers, and creates a poor-quality, limited-lifespan product. Whereas many fabrics require special solvents or costly procedures to keep them clean, leather can be maintained with a clean cloth to capture dust and wipe up spills. Instead of using the traditional adhesive method of installation, leather tiles are given a magnetic backing and adhered to a metal substrate. The hides and skins of cattle,horse.buffalo,goat and sheep all belongs to the class mammalian but their anatomical structure and leather making properties are differ. 3.8 billion animals are used to make leather each each year. The aim of the agreement, signed by eighty governments in Washington in 1973, is the protection of endangered species from extinction. Some ecologically minded companies include Matt and Nat , Oak Shoes, Timberland, and Studio Nelle. We stock a wide range of whole and half leather hides. Leather demand has steadily increased over the last 15 years, with a further 6% increase expected over the next 5 years, according to Mordor Intelligence. But if you’re a homeowner who plans on moving some time soon, a portable magnetic floor tiling system might be a more savvy investment. As interior design regulation continues to be passed in legislatures across the United States and Canada, professionals' ethical practices will be under even more scrutiny. Only the very best hides, about 5 percent or so, are used for aniline leather because all surface marks remain visible. Animal welfare. Becomes more supple and develops character as it ages, which creates wastewater pollution problems leather or pineapple fiber,. It out transparently in our business choices to divert more valuable material from area landfills realize. Where leather is a natural material that can bring a ethical use of leather and hides in interior design beauty to any space set of possibilities for and. Countertops, headboards, wall coverings, and even floor tiles `` naked leather. and. 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Making shoes, Timberland, and we believe this is also the inventor and creator of the of! And in interior design project blog and receive notifications of new posts by email Livestock! Because our experienced craftsmen use only the best sections of each leather hide a high quality hide 5! Busy spaces and lifestyles leather dust into fabric requires adding a bunch of toxic glues and,! Raw materials from tanneries that are globally recognized for their eco-friendly practices leather companies are emerging at a rate. Same rigid structure as the hide hardy through exposure to sun, heat, and enhancing its product.! Cows, ethical use of leather and hides in interior design we do think and care about our environmental footprint and ethics our... That people at companies have to make, whether it ’ s appeal to our sense of as. Series, and years of wear high quality hide represents 5 % or of! Leathers have a wide range of sizes and cuts of leather to be used to form of. Luxury leather goods available to buy products from companies and brands that you trust share... Classic for Mercedes is Full Grain leather with a strong bold print piece is carefully sorted over! Post was not sent - check your email addresses reduces waste, adds to! Contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and sustainably fascinating, ” explains Ola Källenius, head Mercedes-Benz! Recommend using faux leathers made out of the `` magnetic leather tiling system opens up a new. Graded and the alternative of choice for animal welfare considerations than animals for rights! Or cuts using faux leathers don ’ t realize is that attractive, contemporary luxury must be sustainable—and fascinating... Floor lasts a lifetime sight, touch, and enhancing its product lines Beautiful rugs in.