• Table of Contents
• What is leather?
• What are the main fields of leather use?
• What are the production processes of leather?
• What tanning methods do leather manufacturers mainly use?
• What are the grades of leather?
• Does leather cause great damage to the environment during the acquisition of raw materials and manufacturing process?
• How to maintain leather on a daily basis?
• Leather product trends in 2025

What is leather?

Leather is a tanned animal skin, mainly from the skin of various animals, common ones are cowhide, sheepskin, pigskin, horsehide, etc. Common items in life such as leather bags are mainly made of cowhide.

In what fields is leather mainly used?

In clothing, there are Gucci, a well-known brand of leather jackets and coats, Prada, a leather clothing line, Dior and Ferragamo, the top luxury brands in footwear, and Hermès and Chanel in accessories.

In the interior decoration field, there are Herman Miller and Minotti, the sofa and chair brands, Giorgetti and Poliform, the cushion and pillow brands, and Fendi Casa and Gucci Decor, the decoration field.

In the field of automotive interiors, there are seat brands from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and steering wheel brands from Audi and Lexus.

In the industrial field, there are the conveyor belt brands Continental and Bando, and the machine protection layer brands SKF and Rockwell Automation.

In the field of sporting goods, there are sports ball brands such as Nike and Adidas, and sports protective gear brands such as Rawlings and Mizuno.

What are the production processes of leather?

Leather production is divided into three main stages, pre-tanning preparation, tanning and finishing.

Tanning is divided into three methods: chrome tanning, vegetable tanning, and combined tanning. The most commonly used is chrome tanning, which uses chromium salt treatment to give the leather good softness and water resistance.

First, the leather is prepared for tanning, which involves soaking the hide in water to remove dirt such as sand, blood and preservatives, restoring the hide to its natural state. The fat and fleshy parts of the hide are removed mechanically or manually. Then, it is treated with chemicals such as lime to loosen and remove the hair. Chemical treatments are then used to soften the leather fibers. Finally, pickling is used to adjust the acidity of the hide in preparation for tanning.

The final step is finishing, which involves mechanical shaving and flaking to make the leather uniform in thickness. Oil is then added to improve the leather's softness and water resistance, and dyes are used to color the leather. After coloring, a protective layer is applied to the leather surface to improve wear resistance and appearance. Drying and embossing are performed to give the leather the desired shape and texture.

What tanning methods do leather manufacturers mainly use?

The tanning methods commonly used by leather manufacturers include chrome tanning, vegetable tanning, combined tanning, etc. Because there are many categories, I have specially made a table to distinguish them for the convenience of reading. Click here to enter the tanning method table to distinguish the details page.

Although traditional chrome tanning is still the mainstream of the industry in 2025, environmental regulations are driving the industry to transform towards chrome-free, plant-based, and biosynthetic. Vegetable tanning is favored by the high-end handmade market due to its natural properties, while combined tanning and new processes (such as zeolite tanning and biotanning) seek a balance between performance and sustainability and are gradually being applied to high-end and environmentally friendly fields.

What grades of leather are there?

In order to better distinguish the leather grades, I made the following table for clear viewing.

Does leather cause great damage to the environment during the acquisition of raw materials and manufacturing process?

Leather has certain damage to the environment during the acquisition of raw materials and manufacturing process, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Raw material acquisition

Resource consumption: Leather production usually uses animal skin as raw material, and animal husbandry requires a lot of land, water and feed resources. For example, raising cattle, sheep and other animals requires vast pastures and a large amount of food, which is a high-intensity consumption of land and water resources.

Greenhouse gas emissions: Animals produce greenhouse gases such as methane during the breeding process. The greenhouse effect of methane is much greater than that of carbon dioxide and has a significant impact on global climate change.

Manufacturing Process

Wastewater pollution: A large amount of high-concentration organic wastewater will be generated during the leather processing process. For example, leather wastewater contains inorganic substances such as protein, fat, dyes, chromium, sulfide, chloride, etc., which are toxic and harmful wastewater. If it is directly discharged without effective treatment, it will cause serious harm to the aquatic ecosystem, lead to water quality deterioration, and even cause groundwater pollution.

Air pollution: Leather production processes such as coating and drying emit pollutants such as organic waste gas (VOCs), sulfides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which can cause smog, acid rain and other problems, endangering human health and the ecological environment. In addition, raw leather storage also produces foul-smelling gases, the main component of which is hydrogen sulfide, which is highly toxic.

Solid waste pollution: The leather production process will produce solid waste such as waste hair, waste fat, broken leather, scraps, leather scraps, sewage station sludge, etc. If these wastes are not properly handled, they will cause pollution to the soil and the environment.

Chemical pollution: A large amount of chemical raw materials are used in the leather tanning process, such as heavy metal chromium, sodium sulfide, lime, dyes, etc. If these chemicals are leaked or improperly handled, they will cause long-term pollution to the soil, water and ecosystem. Among them, the use of chrome tanning agents is of particular concern because hexavalent chromium is highly toxic and extremely harmful to the environment and human health.

The degree of impact of leather production on the environment varies depending on factors such as production processes and pollution control measures. Some advanced leather companies can significantly reduce damage to the environment by adopting clean production technologies and installing effective sewage treatment systems and waste gas treatment equipment. For example, the town of Arzignano in Italy, as the production center of European leather, has recovered from the severe pollution in the past after years of governance and has become a model of environmental protection in the leather industry.

How to maintain leather in daily life?

The following are some of the daily maintenance methods for leather to ensure its long-term beauty and durability:
When it comes to cleaning, regular dusting is key. Use a soft-bristled brush or clean cloth to gently wipe the leather surface to remove dust and dirt. For stubborn stains, a specialized leather cleaner is recommended. After testing a small area, gently rub the stain with a soft cloth dampened with the cleaner, then wipe dry with a dry cloth.

In order to maintain the softness and luster of the leather, it is necessary to use leather care products or ointments regularly. You can choose horse oil, beef tallow or special leather care oil. In addition, avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, as direct sunlight can cause the leather to fade and harden.

In terms of protection, keep leather products dry and avoid contact with water and humid environments. If they are accidentally stained with water, wipe them dry immediately with a dry cloth. Using leather protection spray can form a protective film on the leather surface to enhance its waterproof and anti-fouling capabilities.

When storing leather products, choose a well-ventilated, dry place to avoid moisture and high temperature. At the same time, avoid squeezing with other hard objects to avoid deformation. You can wrap it with soft cloth before storage.
For special treatment, the maintenance of nubuck leather requires special attention. It is recommended to use special nubuck leather cleaners and care products. If the leather has minor scratches, it can be repaired with leather-specific color repair cream. For leather with more severe wear, it is recommended to seek professional repair services.

Through the above maintenance methods, you can effectively extend the service life of leather products and maintain their beauty and durability.

Leather product trends in 2025

The popular trends of leather products in 2025 present multi-dimensional innovation and change. In terms of materials, environmentally friendly leather substitutes are very popular. Environmentally friendly leather substitutes such as mycelium leather, TômTex material made from shrimp shells, and bio-based leather CMOR made from straw are booming. These materials not only meet consumers' demand for environmentally friendly products, but also have the advantages of being soft, durable, and close to genuine leather in appearance and feel. Some of them also have hydrophobic, flame retardant and antibacterial functions. At the same time, high-performance leather has also received widespread attention. The wear resistance of domestic high-end cowhide leather has reached more than 80,000 times, reaching the international advanced level. In addition, environmentally friendly tanning processes such as chrome-free tanning are gradually emerging, using environmentally friendly materials such as plant tannins and organic tanning agents to replace chromium salts to reduce the burden on the environment.

In terms of craftsmanship, the fusion of tradition and innovation has become a major feature. Designers have inherited the classic leather texture, introduced new processing technology and cross-border cooperation, and modernized the traditional craftsmanship to create works that retain the handmade charm and conform to contemporary aesthetics. At the same time, the application of intelligent technology is becoming more and more extensive. Advanced intelligent manufacturing systems and digital design tools, such as the application of new technologies such as 3D printing, virtual fitting and augmented reality (AR), not only improve production efficiency, but also enable leather products to be customized.

In terms of design, color design is more diverse. Leather is no longer just the traditional black. This season, designers have chosen a variety of colors from brown to olive green. The personalization of style design has also become a trend. Consumers pay more attention to the design style of the product and tend to choose products with unique design style and personality characteristics. For example, in 2024, the sales of customized leather products increased by 28%, and the popularity of designer co-branded and limited edition products among young groups increased by 40%.

In terms of functions, the upgrade of intelligent functions is the key. The penetration rate of intelligent leather products will increase from 5% in 2023 to 12% in 2025. The core functions include intelligent temperature control, health monitoring, anti-counterfeiting traceability, etc., to meet the higher requirements of modern consumers for convenience and safety. In addition, the expansion of health functions has also become a trend. The demand for healthy functional leather products such as antibacterial leather insoles and ultraviolet disinfection bags has increased by 25% annually, meeting consumers' pursuit of healthy life.

In terms of concepts, the concept of sustainable development has been deeply rooted, and global environmental protection policies have forced the industry to innovate. In 2025, the proportion of environmentally friendly materials will reach 30%. The concept of circular economy has also promoted the scale of second-hand leather trading platforms to exceed 5 billion yuan, and the renovation process has extended the product life by 3 times. Personalized customization has also become a new trend in the market. Consumers can choose materials, colors, patterns, etc. according to their preferences and needs, and even participate in the product design process.