An Essay on Eco-Friendliness
In modern discussions, veganism is very commonly linked with the impact it has on climate change. There are celebrities and civilians alike choosing veganism due to the impact that even a single person can have on the planet’s health [1, 10]. But veganism, originally, and, at its core, is about the animals [2]; only rather recently has the scope — through data analysis and technology — been able to measure the environmental impact. Veganism existed long before then, and it was always a way to live a philosophy of doing the least harm possible [2, 10]. That fact seems to get lost in translation when I mention that my collars are vegan and eco-friendly. I use polyester webbing to further increase the strength of my collars and the use of “eco-friendly,” in this context, is an inflammatory keyword that, in some social media discourse, negates veganism because plastic and microplastics are considered some of the biggest contributors to climate change [3]. While I am aware of the significant footprint that plastics have on the environment, eco-friendliness cannot only be measured by a material’s biodegradability or lack thereof.
Leather is sometimes considered a viable alternative to plastic because some will biodegrade where plastic-based “pleathers” (See Notes) and webbing will not [14]. Leather is not, however, vegan. Full stop. And coming from a natural source does not make it eco-friendly [5, 6, 7]. Leather is a textile made from the skin of a once living, breathing, sentient organism [7]. It is therefore comprised of water and cellular tissue. Cellular tissue degrades. In order to make leather out of a skin, it must be dried at the cellular level. This is most commonly achieved via chemical baths, ie, tanning [12].
There are currently two main ways that leather is processed. The first, most widespread, and fastest (thereby cheapest) method is via chromium tanning. Chrome-tanning is used by 90% of the industry [9, 12]. The second, and perhaps the most common I’ve seen used in the dog-collar industry, is vegetable tanning, that is, using plant-based colorants, or tannins, usually sourced from trees. Neither of these processes negate the taking of the life of an animal and, therefore, neither of them is vegan.
How does leather compare to pleather on a biodegradability scale?
In a 2024 study [4] measuring the biodegradation of various treated/untreated leathers and pleathers in a temperature-perfect compost substrate, it was found that the cow-skin leather samples subjected to a conventional tanning process (ie, with chromium) took between 30-35 days to degrade completely, and vegetable-tanned leather, similarly to pleathers, failed to completely degrade at all even with an extended study time of 90 days. In another 2024 study, chrome-tanned leather took the longest to degrade of all tested samples, showing only 20% degradation by the 9th day compared to 81% degradation of the untreated control sample.
Vegetable-tanned leather is considered more durable than chrome-tanned leather. It is often marketed for its lasting power, no different from polyester. Plastic is used not only because it is cheap in most commercial aspects, but is also a very hardy material. It does not biodegrade. And neither does vegetable-tanned leather. The studies [4, 14] specifically theorize that the pleathers used in the experiment likely (and expectedly) did not degrade because of their PVC and PU plastic compositions (See Notes).
If I made collars that did not withstand regular use, they would far more commonly end up in a landfill somewhere. The same is true of any leather. Leather is expected to last a number of years; it is expected to withstand aging, and exposure to UV light, heat, moisture, and abrasion [8]. If it didn’t, it would not be so widely used in commercial and non-commercial applications.
Some leather degrades, some doesn’t. But no plastic or leather-alternative does, so how is plastic more eco-friendly?
Eco-friendliness is not just about biodegradation. There are other problems associated with the processing chain of the leather industry that make it largely more impactful than polyester textiles. Most scientific analyses look at the finishing process [6, 8, 9] when determining the impact that leather has on the environment, but in case you’ve forgotten: the skin of an animal… comes from an animal.
Leather starts with the raising of crops to feed the livestock that will be killed to produce the skin. Those crops require water. Once the animal is born, it must consume water to sustain life. The animal will produce methane gas throughout its life which is then released into the atmosphere at an absolutely alarming rate [10]. Additionally, living organisms produce waste which requires removal, typically via water. Waste water permeates the land, runs into rivers and lakes, and gaseous chemicals permeate the air [6, 10]. Once the animal is killed, the skin must be transported (via the use of fossil-fueled trucks) to a tannery, wherein you find the use of chromium baths to remove the moisture in the skins. Chromium 6, which I’m personally aware of only because of the Erin Brockovich film, is responsible for huge impacts on human health including, but not limited to respiratory issues, ulcers, kidney malfunction and even lung cancer [8]. Chromium 6 is very difficult to recycle [5, 8], and human rights violations, child labor, and poor working conditions are rampant in the industry [15]. Even if we replace chromium-tanning across the board, the water usage, pollution, and unrecyclable waste produced in the leather industry remains the same.
In total, it is estimated that the amount of water a single 4oz hamburger uses is 75 gallons [10]. Knowing that and knowing what we do about the similar process that leather goes through [9], it is unsurprising that “the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Materials Sustainability Index… gives most leathers an impact level of 159 (compared with 44 for polyester and 98 for cotton) because of its high contribution to global warming, water use and pollution [8, 11].”
I want to be very clear here: the decision to use “plastic webbing” was not made lightly. I use polyester webbing (PTE plastic or polyethylene terephthalate) as a standard except in the instance of a 3/4” taper, wherein I will default to a polypropylene (PP) webbing. This taper is entirely due to customer demand, as I do not particularly enjoy using polypropylene webbing in my sewing machines. Polyester webbing is made from the most commonly found plastic in existence. Both PTE and PP plastics are recyclable and accepted by most curbside services, but my hope in using it is that you don’t have faulty equipment or any need to throw away your collar at all.
Why don’t you use a plant-based webbing, like cotton?
After many field tests, it was determined that cotton webbing was insufficient for my uses. It is extremely absorbent (“hydrophilic”) and retains a massive amount of water, leading to mildew, and degradation over time, exactly like a raw, untreated animal skin. It takes a long time to dry when hung (recommended for cork), attracts fur/hair, frays easily/does not maintain holes well, and is difficult to source in a non-poly-blended form. Conversely, polyester webbing is largely non-absorbent (“hydrophobic”), durable and strong, non-fibrous so it does not attract hair, maintains holes very well, can be melted to prevent fraying, and is widely available in both small and large quantities.
About the Author and Artist
I went vegan in 2009 in response to learning about animal suffering. I hope it’s clear that I understand the environmental impact that meat and leather come with and that my collars, while compatible with my personal philosophy, are not a perfect answer for the purist vegans or perhaps even just the environmentally-conscious. Cork leather, for instance, is backed by a cotton-polyester blend fabric. Similarly, pineapple, cactus, banana, apple, and mushroom leathers are all blended with plastic resins to ensure durability and longevity. So, there isn’t a perfect alternative. My collars are, however, an answer to the leather industry’s animal slaughtering, excessive pollution, and waste-making. Similar to dog-training, I subscribe to a LIMA (Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive) principle in my veganism as well. I cannot eliminate all forms of harm to the environment, that is the world I live in. I can do my best and making a vegan-friendly, long-lasting, and durable collar that doesn’t need to ever be thrown away fits that mold.
“The most violent element in society is ignorance.”
This essay is not meant to sway the reader into adopting a vegan lifestyle, or shame the reader who may or may not yet have purchased a leather collar, bag, or jacket from small or large makers in the past. I truly believe that if we know better, we can be better, and that education is the way forward. I have long hoped that my art stood out as the primary reason to purchase a collar or other product from D2K9, but it is clear that an explanation of my creative choices was necessary and so I have researched and written this essay for you.
When I refer to “pleather” I am specifically referring to plastic based leathers, otherwise I will refer to the natural material ahead of “leather”, eg, cork leather, pineapple leather, etc.
Interestingly, biothane is another extremely common textile in the dog-collar industry: it is made from PVC coating a polyester webbing [13]. It is marketed as an appropriate textile for water-play as it is stink-free, non-absorbent, and very strong. These are more buzzwords associated with the fact that… you guessed it: biothane does not biodegrade.
Footnotes
Loh, Hong & Hoo, Fan & Kwan, Jia Ni & Lim, Yi & Looi, Irene. (2021). A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Trends in Vegan-Related Research. International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention. 3. 10.22230/ijdrp.2021v3n2a275.
Vegan Society. Articles of Association. 2008. https://www.vegansociety.com/sites/default 3.
(2024). Assessing Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Composite Fibers and Recycled Plastics for Sustainable Impact and Efficiency. E3S Web of Conferences. 552. 01089. 10.1051/e3sconf/202455201089.
Sardroudi, Nima & Sorolla, Sílvia & Casas, Concepcio & Bacardit, Anna. (2024). A Study of the Composting Capacity of Different Kinds of Leathers, Leatherette and Alternative Materials. Sustainability. 16. 2324. 10.3390/su16062324.
Serban-Bondrea, Dana & Mocanu, R.. (2016). THE IMPACT OF THE LEATHER INDUSTRY LEFT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
Chapter 2, pg 41. Exhibit 16. The Pulse of Fashion 2017 Report. Chart. https://www.scribd.com/document/478572200/Pulse-of-Fashion-Industry-2017-pdf
Hsiuying Wang, Advantages of animal leather over alternatives and its medical applications,
European Polymer Journal, Volume 214, 2024, 113153, ISSN 0014-3057.
Liliana Rosu, Cristian–Dragos Varganici, Andra–Manuela Crudu, Dan Rosu, Adrian Bele, Ecofriendly wet–white leather vs. conventional tanned wet–blue leather. A photochemical approach, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 177, 2018, Pages 708-720.
Ferdous, Sumaya & Mottalib, Abdul & Goni, & Abdulla-Al-Mamun, Md & Aftab, Ali & Sheikh, & Ferdous, Sumaya & Goni, Abdul & Aftab, Md & Sheikh, Ali. (2023). Textile & Leather Review Reduction of Water Consumption in Leather Processing and an Investigation of the Leather Quality.
(2019). Beef Carbon Footprint & Environmental Impact. Consumer Ecology.
Ashley, Vera. (2021). Knowledge of Leather Alternatives: An Exploratory Study: Implications for Education. Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology. 7. 10.33552/JTSFT.2021.07.000668.
Teklemedhin, Taame Berhanu & Gebretsadik, Tesfamariam & Berhane, Tesfu & Gebrekidan, Gebrehiwot & Edris, Mahamedbirhan & Teklegiorgis, Negasi & Hagos, Kokeb. (2023). Vegetable Tannins as Chrome-Free Leather Tanning. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering. 2023. 1-11. 10.1155/2023/6220778.
(2024). Frequently Asked Questions about Biothane. Biothane USA.
Wang, Ya-nan & Zhang, Yuxin & Wang, Zhen. (2024). Biodegradability of leather: a crucial indicator to evaluate sustainability of leather. Collagen and Leather. 6. 10.1186/s42825-024-00151-z.
Somewhat Greener (n.d.). The Social Impact of Leather.