Global non-profit Textile Exchange’s Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather initiative is a rallying cry for companies to commit to sourcing their bovine leather from deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier. But is it “too little, too late” for our rainforests?

Cattle farming is responsible for around 2.5 million hectares of Amazon deforestation every year, significantly impacting biodiversity, human well-being (particularly that of indigenous peoples), and contributing to global warming. Cattle rearing for the meat industry remains the key economic driver for large-scale land-use change in the region. Because of its seemingly-innocent status as a by-product of the meat industry, leather goods production and supply chains historically have not been subject to the same levels of scrutiny as other products which are more direct drivers of deforestation, and companies have been able to operate with vague accountability when it comes to leather sourcing.

Despite leather still being the lesser opponent in the fight against deforestation, brands trading leather goods – and indeed the leather industry at large – have an opportunity to drive change towards more sustainable supply chains. In June 2023, global non-profit Textile Exchange launched the Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather, which aims to support signatories in transitioning to deforestation-free suppliers through a long-term commitment to traceability, sourcing requirements, investment targets and progress recording. Ultimately, Textile Exchange hopes that through signatory brands’ commitment to the cause, the leather industry will see increased availability of deforestation-free suppliers, improved communication between brands and suppliers and transparent reporting of progress.

First, what does the science say?

Currently, industries are at varying stages of tackling land-use change, and reliable short-term figures relating to deforestation are hard to obtain. Professor Julia Pongratz is the Geography Department Director and Chair of Physical Geography and Land-Use Systems at the University of Munich. An expert on the unique significance of forests and the effects of deforestation upon them, she shares what we do know about the effects of land-use change on the world’s ecosystems in recent years:

“Globally, land-use change – in particular deforestation – contributes approximately a quarter of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and land-use change is the number one driver of biodiversity loss. Deforestation in the Amazon hits highly biodiverse ecosystems that are partly still pristine – there are likely species disappearing even before we get to know them. And there are other effects on climate that are of particular concern in the Amazon; the reduction in forest cover could mean that we reduce plant transpiration levels and therefore precipitation, to a level at which it can no longer sustain the remaining forests – the entire rainforest ecosystem could change irreversibly into a savanna-like state,” Professor Pongratz explains.

With such a seemingly bleak outlook for the Amazon, it’s difficult to picture a future for these intricate biomes that are integral to the fight against climate change. Speaking about policies already in place to protect rainforests, Professor Pongratz explains that while progress has been made, their efficacy largely depends on uptake by businesses and brands.

“While it’s hard to get reliable numbers for recent years, there certainly have been some positive signs over the last decades. For example, studies suggest that corporate policies like the Zero-Deforestation Commitment have brought down cattle-driven deforestation by around 15% in some regions, but that such policies are lacking effectiveness as they are not sufficiently widely adopted yet.”

Commitments must be “meaningful and credible”

Research shows that reducing deforestation is one of the most cost-effective land-based measures we can take to mitigate climate change in the long-term. Making the switch to deforestation-free leather sources through the Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather is a process that will undoubtedly impact businesses logistically and economically in the interim, and brands will face barriers in the transition process. A compromise will almost certainly have to be made in the name of protecting the planet, but encouragingly, the initiative has been well-met so far.

“Since the launch, there has been great interest from brands; we are busy setting up one-on-one calls to guide them through the Call-to-Action process and how best to engage,” shares Anne Gillespie, Director of Impact Acceleration at Textile Exchange.

“Brands want to be sure to fully understand what we are asking of them before they sign on to the Call to Action, and we often have one or more calls to answer their questions and be sure that they know where to find the information they need. They are making a serious commitment, and that requires a thorough understanding of what will be involved. Brands have expressed concerns about the level of financial commitment needed, but our ask is simply that any commitment is ‘meaningful and credible,’ to support in mitigating this barrier.”

How it works

Once a brand has committed to the Call to Action, Textile Exchange and their partner organizations will be on-hand to offer support, and to guide the reporting process for signatories. It’s not simply a matter of signing up, but accountability and transparency are requisite in the scheme too – this two-way process prevents instances of greenwashing or token claims, as well as helping brands to better understand the process and stay on track with their commitment.

“We have already scheduled and ran follow-up calls with all signatories to be sure that they fully understand the guidance documents, to ascertain where they are already at in terms of mapping their supply chains, and to answer any questions they have. Leather Working Group and Textile Exchange are also working with other organizations such as WWF to support brands as they assess their supply chains, set commitments, and implement plans to move towards deforestation-and conversion-free supply chains,” Anne Gillespie explains.

Moving forward, Textile Exchange will develop a Progress Tracker to help brands chart their journey along a roadmap, who will then be asked to report into the Textile Exchange Materials Benchmark starting in 2024. A working group is also being formed, where signatories can discuss the challenges and opportunities in moving towards deforestation and conversion-free leather supply chains.

Brands that have already committed to the Call to Action span multiple sectors including luxury goods, car manufacture, fashion, sports and outdoor clothing and footwear brands. One such brand is Icebug – the Swedish running and hiking shoe manufacturer has for many years now only used leather that is Gold standard certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG), and sources from tanneries that use lower-emission processes and techniques that require less water consumption. Sustainability Manager for Icebug, Maria Munther, explains why committing to the Call to Action was important for the brand in order to build on their existing leather credentials.

“As a footwear company using two of the commodities driving global deforestation (natural rubber and leather), we feel a big responsibility to secure sustainable sourcing in our supply chain, and to make sure not to contribute to deforestation,” she explains.

 

Is 2030 target ambitious enough?

While other NGO initiatives and The European Deforestation Regulation (whose scope also includes commodities such as beef) have fulfillment target dates of 2025, Textile Exchange believes that the Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather has adopted a more practical approach in their 2030 target. This timeframe allows for the fact that leather supply chains are longer and more complex than those of more direct deforestation-drivers like beef, and anticipates that long-term, sustainable change will be a lengthier process requiring close collaboration with the beef industry. There is no deadline for brands to register with the Call to Action, leaving signatories to decide when is most appropriate for them to register based on their individual strategy, ambitions, resourcing, and priorities. With the number of signatories totalling eighteen within the first month of launching, the outlook for the Amazon already seems a little brighter.

Recent data from the Brazilian government also suggests that the situation there is improving, with a reported reduction of 34% in Amazon deforestation in the first half of 2023. This would be Brazil’s lowest deforestation rate in four years. The changes can largely be attributed to tougher environmental policies being introduced under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in an attempt to rescue and restore native ecosystems that were ravaged under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Despite the uplifting statistics, the area cleared in the Amazon so far this year is equivalent to an area more than three times the size of New York City, prompting questions over whether legislation and initiatives such as the Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather will go far enough, fast enough. Professor Julia Pongratz is hopeful:

“It is never too late. Given that national and international regulations are always compromises and take time, voluntary action by companies such as this is welcome. The important aspect, as always, is that there is transparency throughout the whole production chain – which is not easy – that it is closely monitored to avoid greenwashing, and that leakage into other sectors is avoided,” Professor Pongratz explains, before concluding:

“Every little bit helps. Given the urgency of deforestation and climate challenges, we should absolutely not criticize small steps, as long as they don’t undermine efforts for larger action.”

 

Lead Photo: Ana Caroline de Lima