How to Choose Ethically Sourced Leather: Six Questions to Ask Before You Buy

To choose ethically sourced leather, ask the seller six things. Which tannery made it? What audit and medal does that tannery hold? How far can the hides be traced, and how were they tanned? Who made the product, and what does the label legally mean? A good seller answers with names and documents. Vague words like "eco" or "responsibly sourced", with no tannery named, are the red flag.

This page is part of our guide to leather sourcing.

The six questions at a glance

1. Which tannery made the leather?

Start here, because every other check depends on it. The Leather Working Group (LWG), the main industry audit, certifies the facility that made the leather, not the finished product. A brand that can't name its tannery can't show you that facility's audit.

2. Is the tannery audited, and what medal?

LWG medals are set by a tannery's weakest audit section. Gold needs 85% in every section, Silver 75%, Bronze 65% and Audited 50%. A certificate lasts two years. The audit covers 17 sections, including chemicals, chromium VI, energy, water, waste, effluent and a social audit.

To check a claim yourself, look the tannery up in the Find a Certified Supplier directory linked from LWG's FAQ. A brand may use the LWG logo on a product only if all its leather came from LWG-certified tanneries.

3. How far can the hides be traced?

Almost all leather comes from animals raised for meat. The FAO treats hides as a by-product of meat. Veganuary, an advocacy group, argues leather is a profitable trade in its own right. Either way, the useful question is where the hide came from.

LWG scores the share of material traced to a slaughterhouse or a group of slaughterhouses. Traceability does not yet change the medal, so ask for the score itself. No LWG audit reaches the farm. If farm-level welfare or deforestation is your main concern, read is leather ethical? before you decide.

4. How was it tanned?

Chrome tanning accounts for about 85 to 90% of leather, and vegetable tanning uses plant tannins from bark and leaves. Neither method is ethical or unethical by itself. What matters is how the tannery handles its chemicals and wastewater, and both are LWG audit sections.

For items worn against the skin, ask about chromium VI. The EU limit is below 3 mg/kg for leather that touches the skin. Ask whether the leather has been tested against that limit.

5. Who made the product, and where?

The tannery and the workshop are often different places. In the US, the label's country of origin is where the product was made. Work in a second country changes it only if it substantially transforms the item. The label may not tell you where the leather was tanned. Our guide to check where a leather jacket was made shows how to find out.

The same applies to premium origin labels. Before paying more for one, read leather from Italy. LWG's social audit covers the tannery, so ask separately about the workshop that cut and sewed your piece.

6. Does the label mean what it says?

In the US, calling a product "leather" without qualification is deceptive unless it is leather in all substantial parts. Bonded leather can't be sold as plain leather without disclosure. In Italy, words like "ecopelle" are banned for material that isn't leather. Ask for the grade as well. Grades are explained in leather types, grades and quality.

Red flags in sourcing claims

• "Certified leather" with no certificate holder named. LWG certifies tanneries, so a product claim needs a facility behind it.
• "Farm to finished product" traceability. The main audit stops at the slaughterhouse.
• An old certificate. LWG certificates run for two years, so check the date.
• "Eco", "sustainable" or "responsible" with no tannery, medal or test result.

Put the questions to any maker

Orders from Leather Collection are made to order and shipped from the company's facility in Pakistan. Ask its team, or any maker, the six questions above before you order, and keep the answers with your receipt.

Related guides

• For what tanning and finishing do to leather's footprint and biodegradability, see how environmentally friendly leather is.

FAQ

Are leather goods ethical?

Some are sourced more responsibly than others, but none is free of trade-offs. Weigh the issues in our guide to whether leather is ethical (linked above), then use the six questions to check a specific product.

Do cows need to be killed for leather?

Yes. Leather is made from the hide or skin of animals, and almost all of it comes from animals raised for meat.

What is the lowest quality of leather called?

Grades are covered in our leather types guide (linked above). One rule helps: in the US, bonded or reconstituted leather can't be sold as plain "leather" without disclosure.