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Leather is an ideal material for footwear – it is breathable, permeable and protects the feet against changing temperatures and wet conditions. It also looks great!
Leather is tanned animal skin. Traditional methods of tanning include air or salt drying and treating with vegetable tannins or oils – all biodegradable and harmless to the environment.
However, the majority of modern tanning is chrome tanning – using chromium salts. This is a much cheaper and quicker method of tanning but releases toxic chemicals as byproducts in the waste water from tanneries which are damaging to the environment. Some sources also state that residues of chemicals used in the tanning process may remain in the finished leather. In addition, modern leather may also be treated with synthetic coatings such as polyurethane so that the leather looks uniform and 'perfect', but looses it's natural character and is no longer breathable.
Obviously, we would recommend products made from leather tanned using natural tanning materials since these won't damage the environment. It also makes sense to avoid leather that has been coated in plastic – aside from the environmental concerns, it means that you get a product that will retain the natural character of the leather – breathable leather is far better for feet!
Scene Green recommended products
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Leather Slippers - Pololo |