Leather

LiteHide is an innovative process that effectively eliminates the scourge of tanneries: the use of salt, which is a huge global land and waterway pollutant. Alexandra Pelka, Head of Europe and Business Development of Leatherteq Limited—the innovator of the technology—talks at length about leather, processes and technology.

Being “animal-free” isn’t the final nail in the coffin for the leather industry. It is a façade for brands to avoid misinformed brand erosion while profiting from cheaper materials across their supply chain. The industry must rewrite, reteach, and remarket actual facts as the leather narrative has been dramatically swayed by fake leather and oil companies.

Over 20 associations working in the leather industry across the world have urged the forthcoming climate COP29 to heed the voice of the leather sector in the development of policies and regulations needed to combat manmade climate change.

A first of its kind study has found that Bangladesh’s leather industry employs poverty-stricken children as young as eight, making them work in dangerous and harmful conditions at every stage of leather processing and production.

A less known sector of the Indian leather industry is its leather gloves segment which has been witnessing a steady growth buoyed by some regional powerhouses. But is this momentum merely a fleeting trend, or does the leather gloves market hold the potential to become a major player in the country’s leather exports? An in-depth analysis.

Thailand’s Mahidol University has come up with a leather substitute made from pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) and natural rubber (NR) with claims that it is bio-based, plastic-free and a lower carbon footprint, making it an attractive option for industries seeking sustainable materials.

As the search for an alternative recyclable leather continues, scientists in Germany have developed a synthetic leather in which both the fibre material and the coating polymer are bio-based and recyclable.

Economic challenges and falling consumer confidence ensured that demand for leather continued to fall impacting performance of the UK leather industry.

What say leather industry honchos on Apple Inc’s recent move to do away with leather in its phone cases, watchbands and more? texfash.com finds out.

The Apple FineWoven material that was touted as a more environment-friendly alternative to leather has failed the elementary test of durability, apart from the fact that the tech giant's unqualified claims have been exposed by laboratory tests.