Luca Boltri defends leather as sustainable byproduct of meat industry

In an interview with Artribune, Luca Boltri, vice director of UNIC Concerie Italiane, argues that animal leather is an eco-sustainable material. He claims over 99.5% of leather processed by the tanning industry comes from bovine and ovine animals raised for meat, making leather a byproduct that would otherwise become waste. Boltri cites UNIDO estimates that eliminating the tanning industry would create 3-5 million additional tonnes of greenhouse gases. He criticizes synthetic alternatives like 'ecopelle' as fossil-fuel-based and notes that plant-based materials often contain only up to 40% biological components. Boltri attributes negative perceptions of leather to radical animal rights activism and lack of consumer knowledge, and calls for fashion brands to better communicate leather's durability and circularity.