Industry reaction to Volvo decision rumbles on
The chief executive of specialist automotive leather producer Wollsdorf, Andreas Kindermann, is the latest senior figure in the leather industry to publish a response to Volvo. This follows the Swedish group’s announcement that it will make all of its car interiors leather-free by 2030.
Mr Kindermann suggested that Volvo was wrong to claim that synthetic materials, based on plastic, were a better option than leather for animal welfare reasons. He pointed out that that plastic contributes greatly to pollution in water, affecting drinking water and life in the oceans. Plastics lead directly to the death of aquatic animals and fish, he said.
He explained that, in his opinion, Volvo’s decision was based on money and that it was opting for synthetic materials for its car interiors because these are cheaper. Rather than admit this to consumers, though, it was dressing its decision up with “a vegan story”, he said. Nevertheless, the Wollsdorf chief executive said he respected the right of vegan consumers not to use leather for ethical reasons.
However, he added immediately that arguments against using leather for environmental reasons are false. He issued an open invitation to members of the Volvo board of directors to visit a tannery and see for themselves how a by-product from the meat industry can be converted into “a modern, durable and sustainable material”. And if this upcycling process fails to take place, the hides that are by-products from the dairy and meat sectors become waste and go to landfill.
He warned Volvo that consumers will realise, sooner or later, if companies present them with inaccurate environmental claims.
