Two major leather industry membership not-for-profits, Leather Naturally and Leather Working Group, have teamed up in an effort to clarify what sustainable leather is and where it can be sourced from.

The Leather Working Group (LWG) aims to enhance the worldwide leather supply chain by reducing the environmental effect of leather production while also inspiring, educating, and challenging its members. The Leather Working Group (LWG) is the overall standard for leather manufacturing, encompassing all parts and actors in the value chain.

Leather Naturally (LN), an industry membership organization, is dedicated to the promotion of leather and the supply of leather education. It promotes the use of internationally manufactured sustainable leather and tries to inspire and inform designers, makers, and consumers about its beauty, quality, and versatility through its activities, studies, and worldwide resource center.

LN and LWG have committed to work together more in the future. One of the more important joint-focus areas is providing consumers with accurate leather facts and numbers, which will help consumers overcome common misconceptions about leather and more clearly define what sustainable leather is and where it can be obtained, such as from an LWG certified tannery.

Christina Trautmann, head of LWG, said that this reciprocal membership agreement marks the solidification of their relationship with Leather Naturally. Their shared goal is to educate consumers about sustainable leather and to help firms communicate more effectively about leather obtained from LWG supply chains.

Egbert Dikkers, chair of the Leather Naturally management board, said that they look forward to working in educating about leather and highlighting the role leather plays in a circular society where nothing is wasted and everything can be re-used.

The consumer research paper 'Leather and the Consumer,' published this month by Leather Naturally, Leather UK, and the University of Northampton (ICLT), explores the opinions and purchase behaviors of 2,000 UK consumers for leather and leather equivalent products.

LWG plans to use industry and consumer research, such as this, to provide more tangible backing for product and brand-level claims, as well as engage with LN on direct messaging to consumers, thanks to its network of brand and retail members. In this way, booth LN and LWG will be able to make use of their combined resources and can reach the entire leather value chain.