So is it going to affect India? Leather is prominent industry in India. To what extent will it be affected?
Leather workers should see a small increase in demand.
America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
141–150 of 202 posts
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#142The article claims natural tanning methods result in an inferior product. I believe this to be false. The reason nasty chemicals are used is because it is cheaper, especially if the toxic waste can just be dumped in the environment.
If they are "looking" for a natural method, look no further than Chouara tannery in Fez, Morocco. It's an open air tannery that has operated continuously since the 11th century, with the techniques handed down through the generations.
They use cow urine, pigeon feces, quicklime, salt and water in the tanning process. It smells about as bad as you would imagine. They give visitors a sprig of mint to hold in front of your nose. It helps, a little bit.
The end result is gorgeous leather that stands up very well. I have a pouf that is dyed with saffron, it is still soft a decade later. If you get a chance to buy some of this leather, I would highly recommend it. I'm sure it is available online, too.
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#143I'd be interested to know how much of this has to do with the dilution of the meaning of 'leather' in terms of consumer goods. The market is flooded with garbage products, which are produced by slicing a thin veneer of leather and gluing it to a plastic backing, which is then sold as "bonded leather." It's gotten so bad that full-grain leather products are exceedingly rare. Since 90% of "leather" products are such aw…
I had a really awesome leather belt that I got when I was 15. I stopped wearing it when I was 30 because my weight finally out outgrew the belt. Still have it. It's no worse today than it was when I got it as a teen. I go through about a belt a year now. Because I always seem to end up with this crap you describe. Even if I try to avoid it. Guess I need to do a better job looking... Or just lose some weight so I can…
I didn’t appreciate how durable leather was until four years ago when I was recommended some quality men’s dress shoes on eBay.
The shoes were $100, because they retail for $400-$500, but when I purchased them they were 10 years old and in good condition. I have since been wearing them quite regularly, and they still look as new as the day I got them.
I used to spend $100 a year on typical men’s shoes, not realizing how wasteful it all was. Leather is an amazing material when it is cared for, and it can be a very eco-friendly clothing solution to our throwaway culture of petroleum products.
I am now sold on quality leather shoes, because they are in fact cheaper and better for the environment than any petroleum shoes when properly cared for (for the simple fact that they can last 10 to 20 years).
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#144If you have read Richard Henry Dana, "Two Years Before the Mast", much of life in California used to revolve around the processing and trade of hides, in fact seemingly in many places that was the only activity going on. How the times have changed.
An excellent book and insight into a slice in time.
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#145“According to Hidenet, a leather markets research firm, a hide from a branded cow went for as little as $4 the week of July 15, down from as much as $81 just five years ago.” Wait, what? Consumer trends have shifted so radically in 5 years that even with a white hot economy leather prices have dropped by 20x?
This is explained near the beginning of the article. Just five years ago... leather outpriced itself, forcing shoe and clothing designers to cut the material from their products. Combine that with the rise of athleisure and the growing popularity of “vegan clothing,” and one can see why demand hasn’t come back.
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#146Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would be sympathetic to the idea that in-game economies should try to be "real" except that Ultima Online tried that and it failed spectacularly (think: tragedy of the commons) and so they had to abandon it.
To be fair, Ultima Online’s economy was tanked by the innovation of bard/tamers and the Trammel ruleset introduced in Renaissance. Massively increasing the supply by having it possible for players to trivialise the ransacking of dungeons without risk of losing their haul to PKers. Classic inflationary spiral.
The virtual economy of UO was killed by the time the beta test ended. We're talking about the NPC shopkeepers here, not the player owned vendors. The NPCs were supposed to follow things like supply/demand as well as having preferences as to what they wanted. Players got mad as they wanted to just be able to dump any old crap (typically bucketloads of skullcaps) to any old NPC.
The NPC shopkeepers also kept hours, would take breaks & walk around town, etc. That was another thing they wound up getting rid of quickly
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#147Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wearing one now. Good quality at a fair price as I haven’t had to pay western landlords and bankers via land rent.
On the other hand, if you're in the US, your belt's shipping from China was paid for entirely, or at least heavily subsidized, by American taxpayers. (Not sure how this varies across other non-US western countries)
What about Canadians, based on our close proximity and depending on the specific logistics, might you guys be subsidising us as well?
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#148Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can understand a reason why would you want something last a lifetime, but what about comfort? I've never had a leather jacket - they seem heavy and not really weatherproof. Something like merino hoodie + gore tex windbraker is my go to for last 4 years now. Absolutely love it.
It's true that leather jackets aren't very comfortable because they can't stretch. But they're definitely warm and proof of that is that they're worn by motorcyclists for ages. And then there is the fact that you can wear them in multiple occasions, from a social event to a casual stroll with your friends. You can even wear them with a tie.
Bikers wear leather for abrasion protection in the event of an accident. Its heft also means it doesn't flap at high speed, particularly if tight fitting as recommended (again, in case of an accident). But it doesn't stretch, so it's not easy to wear more layers underneath.
For protection against the elements, technical clothing with fancy fibres are a better option - way more waterproof, and can work with a heated vest if it gets very cold. Not as good in a long slide though.
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#149I'd be interested to know how much of this has to do with the dilution of the meaning of 'leather' in terms of consumer goods. The market is flooded with garbage products, which are produced by slicing a thin veneer of leather and gluing it to a plastic backing, which is then sold as "bonded leather." It's gotten so bad that full-grain leather products are exceedingly rare. Since 90% of "leather" products are such aw…
I had a really awesome leather belt that I got when I was 15. I stopped wearing it when I was 30 because my weight finally out outgrew the belt. Still have it. It's no worse today than it was when I got it as a teen. I go through about a belt a year now. Because I always seem to end up with this crap you describe. Even if I try to avoid it. Guess I need to do a better job looking... Or just lose some weight so I can…
If you happen to live in SoCal, Wil Leather of Abbot Kenny is legit leather. They're expensive, but I have a few of their things and I love them dearly.
Re: America has no use for hides, so leather prices plunge
#150Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's just lot of signalling. If they are vegetarians they eat no meat, ever. No chicken, seafood or taco Tuesday.
I don’t think it is. A lot of people have serious concerns and take steps because of that.
A lot of people do but go back some because of health issues, others because there friend circle changed and others keep going forever.
The parent poster mentioned everyone around him.. when the majority has accepted a viewpoint many will signal they are on board but eat meat with their other friends or parents. People want to fit in. It may seem like everyone but it may not be true.