evidence: With people considering where their clothes come from more than ever before, leather is a contentious topic in the sustainable fashion sphere. So is leather ethical or sustainable? Let’s take a closer look. [...] The environmental impacts of leather production extend across the lengthy and sometimes complex supply chain. Lots of people think leather is sustainable because it’s simply a by-product of the meat and dairy industries—in other words, that leather reduces waste. However, it’s not true that leather is a mere by-product. As a consequence, the environmental impact of cattle rearing should be "economically allocated" across the different sectors and products that profit from this system. So, what’s the impact of cattle ranching? [...] PU synthetic leather has a reduced environmental impact during production when compared to cow skin leather, when considering climate, water, eutrophication, chemistry, and other impacts. This is worth keeping in mind if your options are limited (and you’ve already tried looking for pre-loved vegan leather— of which there is plenty). However, ideally, we should all be opting for more sustainable leather alternatives when buying new, especially as less synthetic options become more accessible.