99% of all hides that are used to make leather, come from animals that are raised for food. The main sources of animal hides are cattle – 69%; sheep – 13%; goats – 11%, and pigs – 6%. As long as people eat meat and dairy, there will be hides leftover. By using these hides and transforming them into a durable, versatile material, the leather industry is recycling a waste product.
Source: leathernaturally.org
There still is a growing meat consumption worldwide. Simple because of the fact that the world population is growing. By 2050 it is expected that 9.8 billion people are living on this planet. In tandem with this population growth, the demand for milk, meat and eggs is projected to increase by more than 20 percent between 2020 and 2050 (source: FAO report 2023).
In the foreseeable future, hides will always be there. And in abundance.