Unlike animals that are killed just for their fur, cows aren't raised and killed just their hides to be made into leather, are they? AKA, the only reason these animals are slaughtered is to create more stuff, thereby making the leather industry the … Meat production and consumption worldwide is at staggering levels. The vast majority of leather comes from meat animals and retired dairy cows; it is, essentially, a byproduct. Farmers do not raise cows to sell the hides. In theory, if no one purchased meat industry byproducts, the price of meat would go up (or profits would go down), and ultimately fewer animals would be raised for slaughter. The meat industry and slaughterhouses specifically have reported their multi-million dollar losses when skins are not selling or selling for far less, often accounting this to the rise of leather alternatives. Leather is not just a by-product of the meat industry, it’s a profitable trade in itself, and is worth billions. At the very least, the leather industry can be considered a great subsidy to beef and dairy industries. Our suppliers guarantee us of this and since leather accounts for a small percentage of farmers’ revenue compared to meat, typically 5% or less, we are certain our leather is a by-product. Fact: The global leather industry does not slaughter a single animal; it uses a valuable by-product from the meat industry. Beef is the primary product, accounting for an average of 60% of the animal. Is leather a complete byproduct of the meat industry? Our leather is always a by-product of the meat industry. The global herd of animals for food production runs into billions. by Anonymous Vegetable-tanned leather productive cycle is strictly monitored to ensure a low impact on the environment: No animal is killed for its skin. Buying leather directly contributes to factory farms and slaughterhouses because skin is the most economically important coproduct of the meat industry. I suspect the byproducts are a relatively small part of the value of animal, however, and so the effect would be small even if there were a total boycott. Leather quality varies quite a bit, but for centuries the tanned and treated hides of cattle were a valuable source of income for ranchers. This is a flawed argument. This essay tackles the following misrepresentations: Myth: Every year, the global leather industry slaughters more than a billion animals. On the contrary, the raw hides used by the Tuscan tanneries are the discarded by-products of the food industry producing meat for human consumption. Not a surprising fact, since meat consumption is growing and has doubled in the last 50 years, even in the light of food and health trends. If the leather is not a byproduct of the meat industry, that means that the cattle is raised specifically for the purpose of creating products with the leather. Our leather is a by-product of the meat industry. 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