Cow leather vs Plant leather
Leather is not simply a by-product: hides carry a share of cattle's enormous footprint, and chrome tanning is a serious water-pollution source. Cactus, cork, mycelium and pineapple-leaf alternatives now perform for bags and shoes.
Per per m²
Greenhouse gaseskg CO₂e / m²
Cow leather
110
Plant leather
15
Chromium tanningrelative
Cow leather
1
Plant leather
0
Animals usedrelative
Cow leather
1
Plant leather
0
Land usem² / m²
Cow leather
45
Plant leather
4
Source: Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science · Our World in Data · USDA FoodData Central
Verdict
Cactus, cork and mycelium leathers avoid both the herd and the chrome tannery.
Questions people ask
Aren't plant leathers just plastic?
Many are plant fibre with a polyurethane coating; cork and mycelium have the least plastic. Look for bio-based coating percentages on spec sheets.