Leather Industry Loses Legal Battle Against Animal Welfare Advocates
Duden Expands Entry on Leather Following Talks with PETA
After the Association of the German Leather Industry (VDL) sued vegan handbag manufacturer Nuuwai over its use of the terms «apple leather» and «vegan leather», the Hanover Regional Court today announced its decision in the case: contrary to the VDL's position, the terms were neither misleading nor anti-competitive. The presiding judge made it unmistakably clear during the oral hearing that there was no risk of confusion with animal leather whatsoever, as it is widely understood that the term «vegan» is no longer applied exclusively within the food industry. Furthermore, Nuuwai carries the «PETA-Approved Vegan» label of an organisation widely known to advocate veganism.
«We welcome the court's decision. Animal-free leather alternatives based on apples, cork, or polyurethane (PU) are a thorn in the side of the leather industry, as they have become an increasingly popular alternative to animal hides . Vegan leather is often considerably more environmentally friendly and, above all, animal-friendly», said Johanna Fuoss, specialist adviser for clothing and textiles at PETA. «Even disputes over terminology cannot distract consumers from the fact that more than 1.3 billion cattle, goats, and sheep are killed in agony every year for animal leather.»
Leather from Apples, Cork and More Is Growing in Popularity
PETA responded to this attack by the leather industry and called on dictionary publishers to broaden the definition of leather. More and more consumers and companies are choosing vegan leather alternatives, and this should also be reflected in everyday language. The Duden was the first dictionary to publish the change in its online dictionary .
In the automotive, clothing, footwear, and upholstery industries, leather types based on plant-based or synthetic materials are already firmly established. The market research company Grand View Research (GVR) found that the vegan leather industry will continue to grow strongly and will be worth over 85 billion dollars in 2025. Innovative companies produce vegan leather, for example, on the basis of pineapple fibers and mushrooms, or use yeast cells to grow pure collagen — entirely without animal suffering.
Leather production harms animals, humans, and the environment
PETA points out that leather is not a by-product of the meat industry, but that the leather sector is an independent industry in its own right. There, animals are locked in overcrowded stalls and have no opportunity whatsoever to express their natural behavior. In addition, workers brand cattle with painful marks, dock their tails, trim their horns, and castrate them — often without anesthesia or pain relief. They are then crammed together onto transport vehicles and taken to the slaughterhouse. There, stunning is frequently carried out improperly, meaning that some animals have their skin cut from their bodies while still alive.
Added to this is the fact that, for example in India and Bangladesh, both people and the environment are considerably burdened by leather production, as highly toxic chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde are used to prevent the decomposition of animal hides. These are often disposed of in nature without filtration.
PETA's motto is: animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or exploit in any other way. The organization campaigns against speciesism — a worldview that regards humans as superior to all other living beings.
