It took Prada and Ferragamo to explain a simple concept to the general public: leather is green and circular because it consists in upcycling a food industry waste. During the fifth edition of RCS Academy business school’s Fashion & Luxury Talk (July 11), first Lorenzo Bertelli, head of sustainability at Prada Group, then Davide Triacca, director of sustainability at Ferragamo, emphasized the same concept. Unfortunately it’s one that is often (intentionally) confused, or even worse, manipulated by the vegan galaxy. The latter has interests in casting shadows over leather, insinuating the idea (or prejudice) that there can be cattle farms for slaughter for the sole purpose of providing raw material to operators.
Leather is green
It should be taken for granted: cattle and sheep and goat hides that fashion and design employ come exclusively from food industry waste. Leather is a by-product of animal farming. Animals are not raised for their hides, but for meat, milk or wool. Yet even recent research shows that the share of those who misrepresent the relationship between animal farming and tanning is higher than it should be. That is why Lorenzo Bertelli, heir of the Bertelli-Prada house, reminds us of the truth.
Ferragamo is leather
“Ferragamo is leather. It has been that way for almost 100 years. And if eating is an agricultural act, so is wearing leather products, which is a byproduct of the food industry”, Triacca stated. Mr. Triacca also explained the brand’s efforts in raw material traceability: “it is not at all easy to trace the whole supply chain. But we are striving to do so“. Triacca pointed out that leather represents, in value, 2% of the animal, which is raised for its meat.
Not surprisingly, Ferragamo’s sustainability plan (2024-2026), as reported by the website 4clegal, is based on 5 pillars. One of which is materials sustainability with a focus on leather. Ferragamo executed a pilot project to develop the Varina model shoe. The leather used is recovered from the brand’s stock with verified traceability from breeding to product assembly. Ferragamo has been recognized as one of the “World’s Most Sustainable Companies” for 2024 by Statista and Time.
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