Ethical Car Design: Leather
Despite a rampant and ravaging global pandemic, electric car sales continued their rapid growth in 2020 and this trend is only expected to persist in the years to come as consumers and commuters look to reduce their carbon footprint, and governments outlaw polluting internal combustion engines.
At IrishEVs, we are focused on fighting the common myths and disinformation around electric cars to show you how they can help you to make greener choices that will impact everything from the climate crisis, to your health and your wallet.
While it is undeniably true that electric cars are better for both human and environmental health, much media attention is paid to the fuel and emissions that go into cars, rather than how cars are made and what they are made of.
In a new series we look at why EV manufacturers must commit to designing more ethical cars – covering everything from what they’re made of, to how recyclable they are – and why consumers should consider these factors when choosing their next car.
Looking at leather
The idea of a fully leather interior has been synonymous with driving luxury since the turn of the last century, but in the face of the climate crisis we need to stop and consider the wide-ranging implications of this choice.
The use of leather for vehicle interiors represents the meeting of two of the largest greenhouse gas emitting industries – transport and agriculture, which combined account for 26% of total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
Yet that figure doesn’t show the full impact of industrialised agriculture, with the industry occupying 50% of all habitable land on Earth – of which 77% is dedicated solely to livestock, according to Our World in Data. This depletes Earth’s ability to absorb carbon emissions due to the destruction of natural environments, while also producing greenhouse gases which are considerably more harmful than CO2.
Furthermore, the type of leather used for car interiors typically has a higher carbon footprint than that used in other leather products, such as shoes and handbags.
While leather (and wood) has been shorthand for luxury in the car market, its ecological impact is vast and needs to be considered as part of ethical car design. Credit: Bentley
This is because the leather used in cars needs to be thicker to increase its durability – and that means that the majority of it comes from larger bulls with higher rates of consumption, which in turn produce more CO2 and methane.
This was demonstrated in a 2014 study by the National Taipei University of Technology, which found that the thicker the leather, the higher its carbon footprint: “As seen from the results, the thickness of finished leather is a true influencing factor in GHG emissions assessments, especially in the raw material extraction stage”.
“Ultimately, what is the point of driving a car that produces zero-emissions in a bid to lower your carbon footprint, when it is lined with dead animals which are responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gases?”
And yet, due to how picky we are about blemishes in our leather seats such as insect bites and fence scratches, as little as 50% of the hide produce for the automotive industry is actually used – the rest is just thrown away. That’s a lot of waste, especially in larger vehicles, such as the Bentley Mulsanne which uses 14 hides to produce a single car.
On top of all of this, the average life expectancy of a petrol, diesel or hybrid car is just nine years, so all the energy, emissions and effort used to produced that leather interior (and the car around it) is likely to end up on the scrap heap in under a decade.
This is the epitome of unsustainable consumption.
Ultimately, what is the point of driving a car that produces zero-emissions in a bid to lower your carbon footprint, when it is lined with dead animals which are responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gases?
A growing issue
Yet, despite the obviously high carbon footprint and contribution to the climate crisis, the use of leather for car interiors shows no sign of slowing down.
By 2014, around 30% of all leather produced on Earth was used for car interiors according to Bloomberg, and this market is an incredibly lucrative one, with the leather market for automotive interiors expected to grow from $28.32bn in 2017 to $42.5bn in 2026.
The increased marketing and use of SUVs and Crossovers is a leading cause of this growth according to Future Market Insights, and these vehicles are expected to consume 5% more leather by 2026.
It is worth remembering that SUVs were the second largest contributor to the increase in global carbon emissions from 2010 to 2018 and that if SUV drivers were a single nation, it would rank as the 7th largest emitter of CO2 in the world.
Those stats are only based on the emissions produced by the cars on the road, and do not include emissions from production or the production of things like their leather interiors. You can find out more in our article SUVs Are Killing The Planet.
Combined, agriculture and transport account for 54% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Credit: CIE
What can you do?
Like all brands, car manufacturers respond to consumer pressure and will ultimately make decisions on what sells the most units – so in this respect consumers have a huge amount of power when it comes to pushing more ethical car design.
As such, deciding not to buy a new EV with a leather interior is a good start.
In addition to the plethora of fabric seats and trims – which are more durable and breathable than leather – there are also a wide range of synthetic leather alternatives, including vegan, animal-free options that are approved by PETA.
VW’s EV line-up offers leather-free and wool-free interior options, while Mercedes’ EQC can be fitted with Nappa leather made from recycled plastic. Even Bentley has jumped on board for its EV concept car, which uses vegan grape leather produced from the waste from the wine industry - although we’ll wait to see if this makes the transition from concept to production before heaping too much praise on them.
Our advice is to consider your options carefully to avoid vinyl and leatherette materials which are produced from oils and plastics, and those which are less recyclable. Be honest and frank with your car dealer and give them feedback that you want vegan, sustainable options – this really can make a difference.
We’ll be looking more in-depth at the use of plastics in cars in our next Ethical Car Design feature, and discussing the importance of making cars more recyclable.
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