Few people realize it, but leather is actually a by-product of meat production.
Aside from fur-bearing animals, there are very few animals in the world today that are killed for their skin. The leather business is one in which supply of, and demand for, our product are totally unrelated. In an ideal market, supply and demand would be fairly closely matched and prices would remain stable, but in today's market, however, demand from virtually all leather-using sectors is strong, and supply is on the decline. Evidently high demand on leather yet shortage of supply in commodity undoubtedly has caused our raw material prices to rise at what often seems like an unbelievable rate. The old methods of tanning and finishing yielded a firm durable material that could literally wear for years.