What happened to all the cowhide? PU "leather" is just dreadful.

This is a valid question that deserves an answer, but I don't have one.

Leather shoes are becoming hard to find. Work boots are still leather, usually, aside from the very lowest end boots.

I assume that in cars with leather upholstery, the leather is still genuine leather.

And while I'm assuming: people are still eating meat, so animal hides are still being generated. It's safe to assume the hides are all sent to China for processing (since it involves yucky chemicals and some measure of physical effort). Maybe the Chinese are keeping it all for themselves.

Yes, that's what I think, the Chinese are keeping all the good leather for themselves or other countries are outbidding us and willing to pay outrageous prices for leather.

I just want a simple, nice black leather pair of comfortable dress shoes for work, definitely can't find in the stores, so looking online, just can't find much.

As for car leather, I know have a relative who got a very large Suburban I think it was and it was brand new. He paid cash, big bucks, and I asked him if it was real leather and he said no. I think it was around $90,000, I was just floored that it wasn't real leather.

I think he was kind of embarrassed that it wasn't leather, at least he acted that way, so about a year later he traded it in and got something with leather, so to answer your question, yes, they're literally making vehicles with fake PU leather.

There are companies that use real leather, like Red Wing and Nick's.

OH, and while we're at it, what is it with velcro on all the sandals now? I mean high end sandals have velcro now. I'm not special needs. Is this for the millenials?

I can figure out a buckle, not to mention the velcro peels and falls off, whereas a buckle will last for decades if it's good and pared up with leather.

I have a pair of brown leather sandals with buckle that are over a decade old and fine.

Sure, there are if you want to spend a fortune, and I think Red Wing is more work boots. I'm looking for casual/dressy, although would love a pair of authentic combat boots, all leather, with the not so chunky heel, like from the 90s.

Also, I know there are leather shoes out there, BUT the actual percentage of shoes made out of leather now has dropped significantly, that's more of what my point is.

I used to be able to even get leather at the flea market here, came in straight from Mexico. China took that industry over in Mexico, the vendor there told me. They had cool leather purses and wallets and other things there, super cheap, nice leather.

If you went to a nice store like Peltz, it was almost 100% LEATHER years ago, now it's like IDK, 30-40% leather. I'm not paying big bucks for PU crap.

Research: "The Leather Industry is in Real Trouble".

[link to modernfarmer.com (secure)]

But it still doesn't add up to suit me. Insufficient demand??? Hardly. I'd pay a dollar more for a leather shoe vs. a plastic shoe.

Maybe plastic shoes are easy and cheap to mold, so even if they're sold for a low-ish price, it's almost all profit.

Maybe ranchers are making so much money off the edible parts of the cow, the hide money isn't worth bothering with.

I was correct in my guess that leather processing is all done overseas, according to the article.

underground bases..

China is full of fake leather too. I remember reading about a guy who visited luxury stores in China and he would test if their leather was real or not by putting a cigarette lighter to it. Almost all of the clothes started cracking and smoking, indicating they were PU.

Our country doesn't make anything anymore

Abattoirs have been closed in many communities

Eco rules and the government taking their "pound of flesh"

Yeah, my guess is that some green/liberal group paid someone to write that article. I would definitely pay more for leather. It's just not an option anywhere.

And I don't even see advertisement for it either. It's clear the green climate change nuts have really been going after the leather industry.

LOL, I can just see a Chinese vendor getting pissed about that. My mom used to sniff her stuff to see if it was real leather (she was blind).

I think for the most part it just has a certain look and feel to it, and actually a lot of times you can smell it.

You just feel classy wearing leather.

Okay, so here's what I'm looking for, and it's a pretty good deal, name brand, and real leather, and don't have my size. I think this is third pair I found tonight that does not have my size, so something is just up with these leather products:

[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]

In 2004 I bought a new Buick Century, in large part for the leather seats. But at some point, I realized that only some panels were leather. The covering of the seats were mostly plastic.

GM had used the weasel-word phrase "leather appointed" seats.

The central panels, the part that you actually sat upon and sat against were leather. But the panels were stitched to a plastic imitation leather that was close in appearance. So you really couldn't count on the seats lasting any longer than regular plastic or cloth seats.

Keep your eyes off my Corinthian leather!

What a scam. I noticed that a lot too in furniture. I had a real leather couch a while back, and it lasted me quite some time, but I think the side panel of the couch was PU.

I love all the slick marketing euphemism for plastic fake leather too, "leather appointed", how do they even get away with that legally, especially on a car.

Oh, well live and learn. I'm sure it put a bad taste in your mouth for Buick. I mean that was my dad's favorite car. Sounds like they stooped pretty low there with the false advertising.

I have a very old Lexus and the seats are leather and in great shape. Real leather lasts much longer than the fake leather, and just feels better.

LOL, nice seats though, so cushiony and soft leather.... don't make them like that anymore ...

Seems like semi gay shopping.

Had a look.

What about Ralph Lauren lofers?

You get what you pay for,, you goofy broad.

Total bullshit.. shop at a real store and pay for quality..

Quit bitching,,batching,,, cuz your Chinese crap is crappy

What the hell is PU? Why can’t people type out full words anymore?

Sofia Nera Granata?

polyurethane.

I had a PU belt that lasted less than 2 weeks before splitting apart.

Oh! Yea why would anyone pay for that shit? Apple leather would last longer. I go for actual plastic, leather smells funny.

VEGANISM

Plastic.. dunno people just assume other people know what stuff is..

Plastic shoes stink after about 6 months of wear.

Rockports are still good as ever
do they do womens?

lol it never occured for me to look back-in-the-day

oh well.. too late now:)

I went to bed with this same, exact question in my mind.

When I was young so many things were made of leather. Almost every shoe, almost every belt, almost every purse, many jackets.

WHERE IS ALL THE LEATHER GOING?

We must (just because of numbers) be eating more cows than when I was a kid!

Are they just leaving the leather to rot because tanning isn't "green" or something?

How is making vinyl green, LOL?