For years, animal leather has been sold as the “natural” and sustainable choice, while vegan alternatives have been dismissed as environmentally damaging plastic. But a recent peer-reviewed study led by researchers at Cornell University and New York University found that cow leather generates more than 12 times the greenhouse gas emissions of the vegan alternatives analyzed, including plant-based, mycelium and plastic-based materials.

In other words, even conventional plastic-based vegan leather has a dramatically smaller climate footprint than animal skin.

One of the leather industry's most persistent claims is that leather is simply a sustainable byproduct of meat production that would otherwise go to waste. In reality, it is a hugely profitable industry in its own right, generating billions of dollars and helping prop up animal agriculture. Raising cattle requires vast amounts of land, feed and water and contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss and polluted waterways.

Turning those skins into leather adds further environmental harm through an intensive tanning process that consumes substantial water and energy, often generated from coal, and produces chemical waste. And despite being touted as “natural,” animal leather is often treated with plastic coatings to keep it from breaking down.

The Human Cost of Leather

The people producing leather can also pay an enormous price.

Tannery workers around the world are routinely exposed to dangerous substances, including chromium compounds, formaldehyde and other toxins associated with serious health problems. Much of the world's leather is processed in countries where workers have fewer protections and surrounding communities can also be exposed to contaminated air, soil and waterways. In Bangladesh, where leather production is a major industry, it has been estimated that as many as 90% of tannery workers die before the age of 50 as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals.

Behind Every Animal Skin Was an Animal

And, of course, leather can never be separated from the animal whose body it came from.

More than a billion animals are killed for their skins each year. Cows make up the largest share of the global leather trade, and many endure horrific suffering long before their skins become shoes, bags or belts. They may be subjected to painful procedures such as branding, dehorning and castration without pain relief, followed by harrowing journeys to slaughterhouses where they endure overcrowding, extreme temperatures, hunger, thirst and injury. Inadequate stunning can then leave animals conscious as their throats are cut. And skin simply labeled “leather” does not necessarily come from a cow. Goats, sheep, camels and even dogs can enter global supply chains where the true origin of animal skin is difficult to trace.

Millions of crocodiles, alligators, snakes, lizards and other wild animals are also killed for the exotic skin trade, often after short lives confined in cramped, barren conditions. While a growing number of fashion brands are rejecting exotic skins, the far larger leather industry remains deeply normalized. Whether it comes from a cow, dog, camel or crocodile, every piece of animal leather began as the skin of a living, feeling being.

There Is a Better Way

Thankfully, choosing not to buy animal skin no longer means choosing from a handful of flimsy, plastic-based products.

Innovators are now creating animal-free leather options from pineapples, cactus, apples, grapes, corn, mushrooms, cork and agricultural waste, while cultivated leather grown from cells offers a promising glimpse into the future. And more common plastic-based vegan leathers still have a far smaller climate footprint than animal leather without requiring an animal to be raised and killed. These animal-free materials are becoming more durable and sustainable as innovation continues.

Alternatives are also becoming much easier to find. Familiar brands including Dr. Martens and Birkenstock now offer vegan options, while dedicated companies such as Matt & Nat, Will's Vegan Store and NAE Vegan Shoes make animal-free shopping simple. High-quality animal-free products can also be found secondhand, making it possible to make a kinder choice without buying something expensive or brand new.

Next time you need a new pair of shoes, a bag, belt, wallet or other accessory, look for an animal-free option instead.

Every purchase is an opportunity to move demand away from an industry built on animal suffering and toward a future where no animal has to lose their skin for fashion.

Take Action Now

Please join Species Unite in taking the pledge to stop buying skin today!

Plus, if you need some extra inspiration, check out these Species Unite Animal-Free Fashion guides:

The Best Vegan Accessories, According to Species Unite

The best vegan bags of 2026: stylish, ethical and leather-free

The cruelty-free summer fashion guide that proves ethical style has never looked better