Ethical and deforestation-free leather
Addressing the impact of supply chains is a challenging task due to the intricate connection of issues involved. The supply chain of the leather industry exemplifies this complexity. While it is essential to acknowledge that leather serves as a durable coproduct of the food industry, preventing a significant amount of waste annually (1), it is critical to confront concerns within cattle farming. Some of these concerns regard regions like South America, where industry practices have been at instances associated with deforestation (2), modern slavery (3), animal cruelty (4), and potential water source contamination stemming from leather tanning processes (5).
These challenges are met with the economic impact of leather production, a subject that cannot be underestimated. The industry employs around half a million individuals globally, influencing sectors such as footwear, garments, furniture, automotive, and aviation. This influence consequently elevates the significance of the economics of associated industries (6).
In this scenario, the importance of leather within the fashion industry might easily be considered neglectable. However, many brands heavily rely on leather products as their key creations, prompting questions of correlated socio-environmental impact.
In the same vein, recent research indicates an ongoing change in consumer patterns where transparency of a brand’s impact on communities and the environment is the desired direction forward (7). Thus, the traceability of the supply chain of leather products is not only a step that brands are taking to improve their reputation, identify risks, improve performance, and comply with regulations but also a measure consumers desire. Considering these factors and recognizing that complex problems require an equally elaborate set of solutions, tech platforms can work as catalysts of good practices, engaging different actors in the supply chain of leather.
Tackling risks: Traceability Systems
Traceability systems can assist farmers in identifying animals*, tracing acquisitions, sales, registering sanitary measures, and processes of direct and indirect suppliers in the supply chain of leather. The information provided by farmers is submitted to different kinds of cross- verifications and registered in the blockchain, providing an elevated standard of reliability and security throughout the entire process. These systems also integrate animal welfare protocols enforced by law in different countries in South America, allowing for specific indicators.
Understanding that this process unqualifies certain farmers, platforms can offer support by identifying means of readjustment, and according to the type of problem presented, farmers can achieve the required standards for compliance.
When it comes to water resources, certifications play an important role by providing third-party verification and certifying sustainable practices in the production of leather (8).
These certifications are also registered and linked to the evidence generated by the different actors in this supply chain. In addition to environmental destruction, food production, and by extension the leather supply chain, can be linked with illegal practices such as modern slavery.
Another important concern is the invasion of indigenous and Quilombola communities’ lands in Brazil for agriculture. In this case, systematic cross-verifications can be conducted through private and public databases. These verifications ensure environmental, social, and human rights compliance indicators providing a comprehensive overview of compliant actors in the supply chain of leather.
The initial challenge of such platforms is to address the concern with data privacy by stakeholders. This issue is tackled by blockchain systems that protect the information, allowing them to provide and request information by demand. This challenge highlights the difficulty to associate such initiatives as allies for encouraging good practices or tools that can offer means of readjustment, in case of irregularities.
Finally, robust traceability systems handle a massive volume of information, often integrating public databases and corporate platforms. Consequently, effective systems are required to seamlessly integrate or display relevant information allowing stakeholders to easily assess the issues involved in their agricultural supply chains. Given the complexity of problems involved, technological systems are the first step to embark into deep and concerning aspects of agricultural supply chains. Therefore, the understanding of power imbalances causing deep inequalities, and strategies to restore the damage caused to nature, its people, and animal welfare should be at the core of responsible sourcing initiatives.
Miriam Pavez Conecta Platform by Safe Trace
References
* All the information related to the life of animals, including death.
(2) Brazilian beef exports and deforestation
(3) Criação de bovinos é o setor com mais casos de trabalho análogo à escravidão
(4) Investigation: The Secret Slaughterhouses of Brazil
(5) Impacts of Tannery Effluent on Environments and Human Health: A Review Article
(6) Where does leather come from?