So is animal leather really a “by-product” or a “co-product”, and what are the best alternatives?

[nationalsalt]

I cannot seem to find an objective answer as to whether animal leather is merely repurposed waste from animals killed for their meat, or if it’s an integral part of the supply chain economy.

Figures like Stella McCartney and PETA are adamant that leather is a co-product of animal farming and that “by-product” claims are false.

The leather industry on the other hand, perhaps unsurprisingly, is adamant that animal leather is in fact a by-product, and that any claims to the contrary are false.

So what is the truth?

Secondly, there are so many leather alternatives now being made from pineapples, grapes, cork, rubber, shrimps etc. But some are apparently also mixed with / coated in plastic, which somewhat reduces their ethical / sustainable credentials.

Does anyone have experience with these and can you speak on their quality / composition?

 

[KoV]

Is shrimp leather more ethical than calf leather? (From a cruelty standpoint, I mean. A living creature is a living creature. A shrimp can have a rich, full, experiential life too, right? lol)

Anyway, I believe most but not all leather comes from animals who are also farmed for meat. Someone gets alligator stew, someone else gets a Ricky bag in alligator. Win win!

 

[TerraVera]

are you here trying to find content, sources, arguments, points, and answers for a school essay or article be it a university, local, national, or international newspaper or global media platform?

most of your threads appear as transparent information harvesting because you don't have the resourcefulness to find/email/call the right people irl to help you complete your writing or meet your deadline.

why are you really here on tfs?