Leather UK is a trade body committed to protecting the unique identity of leather as a sustainable and beautiful product and working together as one united sector to promote the UK leather brand at home and abroad.

Leather UK represent the entire UK leather industry at a national and international level. We utilise our membership of the British Association of Allied Trade Federations (BATF), the Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community (COTANCE), the European Tanners Association and collaboration with other trade associations, such as the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) and the British Footwear Association (BFA), to broaden and add strength to our own representations in the UK and Europe.

To answer a few commonly asked questions:

Leather is a by-product- the basis for most leather is cattle and sheep which are reared specifically for the production of meat, wool and diary products. The value of cattle hides and sheep skin represents about 8% of its market value. Therefore, our animals are not bred for their hides and skins.

The leather industry utilises the hides and skins which would, if the industry did not exist to process them, create an enormous waste disposal problem with attendant health hazards.

Leather is a renewable natural resource.

Leather can be made waterproof, fire retardant, stain-proof, lightweight and abrasion-resistant due to the modern production techniques of tanners being able to add aesthetic and functional qualities during the process.

 

Published on: November 1st, 2019