Leather primarily comes from the hides and skins of animals, most commonly cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and other livestock. About 65% of leather is sourced from cows, 15% from sheep, 11% from pigs, and 9% from goats, with less than 1% coming from exotic animals such as alligators, ostriches, and aquatic animals like seals
. Leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries, meaning that animals are not raised specifically for leather but for food, and their hides are then processed into leather. This makes leather a recycled material derived from animal skins that would otherwise be discarded
. The raw hides undergo a tanning process to preserve and strengthen them, transforming them into durable and flexible leather. This tanning process has been practiced for over 7,000 years and has evolved from simple drying and curing to sophisticated chemical treatments
. Geographically, the largest producers of tanned leather are China, Italy, India, Brazil, South Korea, and Russia. China leads in manufacturing leather goods, producing about 80% of the world's leather products, although hides may be sourced from one country, tanned in another, and made into final products in yet another
. In summary:
- Leather comes mainly from the hides of cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs.
- It is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries.
- The hides are chemically treated through tanning to become leather.
- Major leather production and manufacturing centers include China, Italy, India, Brazil, South Korea, and Russia
