26 June, 2025, COTANCE
The process of transforming raw hides into finished leather deserves to be studied at Harvard as a business case of circular innovation. By upcycling less than 1% of the animal’s economic value—skins and hides that would otherwise go to waste—tanners create a high-value, sustainable material that supports both economic and social progress. Leather is durable, repairable, and biodegradable, contributing directly to waste reduction and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The webinar offered the latest insights and data that highlight leather’s unique circularity and environmental benefits.
The COTANCE webinar “Leather – A Natural Choice for the Circular Economy,” held on June 11 during EU Green Week 2025, highlighted new scientific findings that we are now sharing exclusively through the METASKILLS4TCLF project.
Scientific Insights from Gustavo Defeo, CEO of Ars Tinctoria CTC
- Carbon-14 (C14) isotopic analysis demonstrated that leather—particularly vegetable-tanned leather—contains a bio-based content exceeding 95%, highlighting its predominantly natural origin. In contrast, many so-called “vegan” alternatives were shown to contain high proportions of petroleum-derived components, underscoring their synthetic composition and limited biodegradability.
Leather offers multiple end-of-life treatment scenarios, including:
- The transformation of leather waste into fertilizers and biostimulants, which can generate a net-positive carbon impact,
- Energy recovery, which offers a carbon-balanced disposal method,
- And the production of biochar, which enables carbon sequestration in soil systems—contributing to long-term climate change mitigation strategies.
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Scientific Insights from Karl Flowers, Managing Director of Authenticae
- Leather, composed predominantly of bio-based carbon (as confirmed by C14 analysis), demonstrates superior biodegradability compared to petroleum-based synthetic materials, which often release microplastics and show minimal degradation. Vegetable-tanned leather, particularly when finished with protein-based agents such as casein or collagen, can achieve disintegration rates exceeding 60–80% over 90 to 180 days under ISO-standardised conditions. In contrast, many so-called leather alternatives containing polymeric or wax-based coatings exhibited little to no meaningful biodegradation.
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Practical Insights from Deborah Taylor, Managing Director of the Sustainable Leather Foundation
- Transparency and traceability are essential for leather to function as a truly circular material, covering the full life cycle—from raw material sourcing to end-of-life.
- She underscored the importance of supply chain collaboration—from farmers to brands—to reduce environmental impact. Case studies showed that leather production can significantly lower water, energy, and chemical use through continuous improvement.
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The key takeaway: true material circularity requires durability, reparability, and safe biodegradation—all areas in which leather excels. When responsibly managed, leather exemplifies these qualities, contributing to a greener and more competitive economy.
Looking Ahead: Careers in the Leather Sector
Explore a career in the European tanning industry, where opportunities span across production, colour development, product design, research and innovation, quality control, customer service, environmental management, and corporate social responsibility.
As a first step, follow the METASKILLS4TCLF project, which is developing 36 micro-courses on the circular economy and digitalisation in the Textiles, Clothing, Leather, and Footwear (TCLF) sectors. These practical, flexible courses are a great way to begin your journey into the future of sustainable fashion—and who knows where this exciting path might lead?