I get asked this question a lot, and I think it’s time we get into the weeds of how this industry actually works.
There’s a common myth—one that I believed for a long time before I started Wayne Studio—that animals are raised and killed specifically for their hides. It’s a scary thought, and to be honest, if that were the case, I’d be in a different business.
But the reality is much more practical: Leather is a byproduct of the food industry.
The 95/5 Rule
Here is how it works on the ground: When an animal is processed for the meat and dairy industry, the hide represents only about 5% of the animal's total value. No farmer is raising cattle for a 5% return. They are raising them for the 95%—the meat and the milk.
This means that the leather industry doesn't create the demand for the animal; it simply reacts to the waste left behind by the food industry.
How and when is it "fetched"?
The "fetching" of the leather happens at the very start of the supply chain. Immediately after the meat is processed, the raw hides are salvaged. If they weren't, they would become a massive environmental hazard.
Every year, the world produces millions of tons of hides. If tanneries didn't step in to "fetch" and preserve them, these hides would be sent to landfills or burned in pits. We’re talking about billions of pounds of organic waste that would rot, release methane, and pollute groundwater.
From Waste to "Upcycling"
At Wayne Studio, we see ourselves as part of a massive upcycling project. We take that raw hide—which was destined for a trash heap—and we put it through a months-long process of tanning, oiling, and hand-stitching.
The Bottom Line
I believe that as long as the world eats meat, it is our responsibility to make sure the hides don't go to waste.
Choosing a pair of real, hand-welted leather shoes isn't just a style choice. It’s a choice to support a circular economy. It’s the difference between buying a plastic shoe that will rot in a landfill in two years, and buying a leather shoe that respects the animal by lasting for twenty.
It’s about making sure nothing goes to waste.
Stay real, Ayush
