At an EU Green Week webinar, COTANCE president Manuel Ríos introduced a session entitled ‘Leather: A Natural Choice for the Circular Economy’. More than 300 participants heard contributions from Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, Gustavo Adrián Defeo, Karl Flowers and Deborah Taylor on leather’s biobased content, biodegradability and progress in raw material traceability.
Speakers emphasised that sustainability must address the full lifecycle of materials, not only their origin and production but also their end-of-life.
The EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan are setting stricter requirements for recyclability and biodegradability, with measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) expected to influence product design in the textiles, footwear and automotive sectors. Landfill will become increasingly restricted, making organic recycling routes such as composting and anaerobic digestion more important for leather waste.
Speakers also highlighted ongoing standardisation work, including CEN committee activities and industrial trials, which could establish new recycling pathways for leather under future EU legislation. However, they warned of risks from declining hide uptake and regulatory misunderstanding, calling for clearer recognition of leather’s role in circularity and support for skills development through initiatives such as Metaskills.
COTANCE secretary-general Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano concluded with a reminder of the challenge the sector faces: “Thirty years ago, 90% of the world’s hides and skins were converted into leather. Today it is only 60%. It’s a shame - we are not progressing. What is clear is that leather is not a problem; it is a solution, and as an industry, we can contribute to a truly circular society.”
Image courtesy Dr Kerry Senior - Leather UK
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