Organisations that lead the global leather industry have joined forces to raise awareness of the benefits of leather ahead of COP29.

The twenty-ninth United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place this year, with Baku, Azerbaijan, hosting the event from November 11 to 22.

In advance of the event, the International Council of Tanners, the Leather and Hide Council of America and Leather Naturally have united to reissue a manifesto calling on delegates to recognise the positive role that long-lasting leather products can have in reducing consumption and the environmental impact of fashion industry.

A first leather industry manifesto appeared three years ago in the build-up to COP26. In total, more than 20 leather industry organisations around the world put their names to it and have done again for COP29.

Expanding on previous messages, this latest edition of the Leather Manifestoaims to highlight to delegates the capacity for leather “to be part of the solution to climate change”, but it also calls for “informed, holistic measures of the impact of materials”.

The text states: “Products made from long-lived leather can have an undeniably positive action in reducing the climate impact of fashion and other sectors. Owners cherish their leather products, repairing them and even passing them on to subsequent owners.”

It then calls for regulators to recognise the challenges faced by the leather industry, noting that it is “constantly working towards ever greater sustainability and circularity”, but that its efforts will be undermined if regulators and brands do not give “proper consideration to the real impacts and benefits of natural materials like leather”.

It goes on to say that leather is “an ideal choice for a sustainable future”, encouraging re-use and slow fashion. It calls for measures of environmental impact, including lifecycle analysis, to take full account of all aspects of the production of any material.

Finally, it asks COP29 delegates to support the promotion of durable products, items that can be used many times, repaired and refurbished.

Next year’s COP conference will take place at Belém in Brazil.

Image shows the Baku Stadium, the venue for COP29.