# Where does all that leather come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052 "2011-01-01T15:40:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/1 "2011-01-01T15:40:17Z")
Of course I know that the source is dead\* cows, but I wonder if enough are enough cows are raised for food to meet the demand for leather. Especially “Italian” leather. I mean, the stuff can be pretty inexpensive. \*I sure _hope_ they’re dead. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/2 "2011-01-01T15:50:13Z")
There are about 1.5 billion cows in the world and about 100 million in the U.S. right now. In other words, the U.S. has about 1 cow for every 3 people and they are constantly being bred, slaughtered, and processed so there will be many cows for every person throughout a typical person’s life. Cows are big animals and produce lots of leather of varying grades each. Leather generally lasts for a long time as well. Cows aren’t the only animals that are used to make leather however. Sheep, goats, and horses are also commonly used. The total number of livestock in the world that could be processed for leather is enormous and more than enough. High quality leather is more rare but it has a higher price as well to keep the demand in check. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/3 "2011-01-01T16:18:34Z")
People. Soylent Leather is made from People. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/4 "2011-01-01T16:42:35Z")
Thanks, **Shagnasty**. I just found a new number. There are about 37 million cows slaughtered each year. That’s about one cow for 8.3 people. Each year. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/5 "2011-01-01T16:47:00Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > People. > > Soylent Leather is made from People. [Yeah](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://movie-monster.de/max/images/old_green_leather_couch_powered_by_buttkicker2_9.jpg&imgrefurl=http://movie-monster.de/max/old_green_leather_couch_powered_by_buttkicker2.html&h=864&w=1152&sz=251&tbnid=XjJVtcSRaKSmsM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522green%2Bleather%2Bcouch%2522&zoom=1&q=%22green+leather+couch%22&hl=en&usg=__4EVIwOXhKbEpUxG1EuPyf6RZ37k=&sa=X&ei=9VkfTeH9CISosQPmleCOCw&ved=0CCsQ9QEwAA) ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/6 "2011-01-01T21:08:07Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Cows aren’t the only animals that are used to make leather however. Sheep, goats, and horses are also commonly used. And more. Kangaroo leather is/was the hot ticket for motorcycle gloves. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/7 "2011-01-01T21:31:15Z")
And pigs. Pigs is why Muslims can’t play (american) football. Don’t know about soccer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/8 "2011-01-01T21:55:10Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > And pigs. Pigs is why Muslims can’t play (american) football. Don’t know about soccer. > 😉 IMO the best soccer player of all time was Zinedane Zidane who’s a Muslim (though admittedly most people would probably go for Maradona or Pele) \*I know you’re being tongue in cheek as pig’s bladders are no longer used to construct American or Association footballs, infact association footballs these days do not use any materials from animals. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/9 "2011-01-02T00:55:49Z")
I’ve known and worked with many Muslims, and not a terrorist among them. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/10 "2011-01-02T13:20:12Z")
Bear in mind also that leather is frequently split, so that often leather goods are not made with the full thickness of the animal’s hide. They separate out various layers of various qualities; thus one beast will provide several times its surface area in leather. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/11 "2011-01-02T15:34:32Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Of course I know that the source is dead\* cows, but I wonder if enough are enough cows are raised for food to meet the demand for leather. Especially “Italian” leather. I mean, the stuff can be pretty inexpensive. > \*I sure _hope_ they’re dead. > Peace, > mangeorge Should anyone with better search skills than myself wish to dig it up, there was a facinating thread about this in gq a few years back. If it helps **Blake** was heavily involved I believe. I would love to read that thread again. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/12 "2011-01-02T15:49:09Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > I would love to read that thread. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-all-that-leather-come-from/566052/13 "2011-01-03T14:37:53Z")
Found it. Maybe not as on topic as I remember but still an interesting thread: [What determines how much livestock gets raised/killed?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346953)