Major fashion brands are taking note of the backlash against exotic leathers

During the last Paris Fashion Week that ended in October, a woman caused a scene by crashing the show of French luxury brand Hermes and holding a sign above her head that read “Hermes: Drop Exotic Skins.”

The woman is an activist with the global animal rights organization PETA, which opposes the use of ‘exotic leather’ such as crocodile and snake skins. The group protested this fall at shows at Coach in the US, Gucci in Italy and Burberry in Britain.

Exotic leather had come into fashion after an intensive campaign against mink and other furs, which had long been the symbol of luxury fashion.

As with fur, major brands are reconsidering their use of exotic leather made from rare creatures in response to growing consumer awareness of the importance of protecting animals and preserving nature.

Crocodile and alligator skins are especially popular as exotic leathers and are used by a number of luxury brands to make wallets, bags, belts and other products.

According to the UN Environment Program’s World Conservation Monitoring Center, an average of 1.42 million alligator or crocodile skins were distributed worldwide annually between 2012 and 2021. Of that, 90% came from animals farmed for their hides and meat.

Animal rights groups have been scrambling to use social media to inform consumers about the dire conditions on alligator and crocodile farms. They have also bought shares in Burberry, Ralph Lauren and other brands, using their power as shareholders to demand a ban on the use of the skins.

The efforts have paid off. In 2018, Chanel announced it would stop using alligator and crocodile skins, and Burberry followed suit in 2022.

Consumer attitudes are also changing. A 60-year-old housewife in Tokyo, who has a history of buying leather bags, said: “Lately, I feel like I don’t want to be in fashion if it means animals have to suffer.”

Prof. Shuichi Ito of Tokai University, an animal welfare specialist, said animal care is beginning to spread worldwide.

“Since the 2000s, laws have been introduced in Europe requiring companies to take into account the pressures on animal breeding,” he said. “The idea of ​​giving importance to animal welfare is a global movement.”

It is no longer rare for investors to inquire about a company’s stance on animal welfare when considering making an investment in the company.

Setting their own standards

The products have a fairly loyal fan base. A 53-year-old self-employed person in Tokyo, who has been using a crocodile bag and similar products for a decade, said: “Because they are rare and luxurious, I feel inspired when I have them.”

Some brands have set their own standards when purchasing alligator or crocodile skins.

Luxury brand conglomerate LVMH, which also includes French brand Louis Vuitton, established purchasing standards for such skins in 2019 as a show of social responsibility. The criteria stipulate that efforts must be made to help conserve the species by doing business with farms that raise the animals properly.

The company also set up new workshops for exotic leather products in France in February last year.

Hermes similarly claims that it uses leather from alligators and crocodiles raised with full attention to the agricultural environment and working conditions of farm workers.

With the aim of producing sustainable items, some brands have started using new types of faux leather that rely on neither animals nor petroleum.

British brand Stella McCartney is among the companies using mushroom-based faux leather developed by an American company for their bags and other products.

“There is an increasing number of consumers expressing their opinions through social media,” says Professor Yuko Nishimura of Komazawa University, author of the book “Hikaku to brand” (Learning and Brands). “If a brand is judged to lack empathy for employees, the environment or animals, this could lead to a boycott campaign. We are now in an era where brands must give importance to ethical issues.”