The leather industry updates its Manifesto ahead of COP31

The global leather industry is renewing its call for leather to be recognized as a circular and bio-based resource ahead of COP31, the United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled for November 9–20, 2026, in Antalya, Turkey.
Titled “Leather – The Circular Choice,” the new manifesto—promoted by the International Council of Tanners (ICT) together with COTANCE, IULTCS, CICB, the Global Leather Alliance, and some twenty other industry organizations—calls on policymakers to recognize leather’s contribution to the circular economy. The document specifically highlights leather’s potential to reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, and promote more sustainable consumption patterns.
Among the key points, the document reiterates that the raw hides used by the tanning industry are primarily byproducts of the food industry. Citing the UNIDO guidelines for assessing the environmental impact of leather, the signatories therefore challenge interpretations that directly attribute an increase in livestock farming—and the resulting environmental impacts—to leather production.

The document also calls for recognition of the role of leather in reducing the environmental footprint of consumer goods, promoting slow fashion, and creating durable, reusable, repairable, and reconditionable products. Finally, it calls for prioritizing, wherever possible, the use of natural and renewable materials, thereby limiting dependence on alternatives derived from fossil fuels.
Through this initiative, the industry aims to ensure that leather is given greater consideration in future climate strategies and sustainability regulations, highlighting its contribution to resource efficiency, waste prevention, and the development of a more circular economy.