Keeping the Amazon Rainforest Out of Leather

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Unfortunately, leather goods are playing a role in changing that.

Cattle raised for leather and beef in Brazil have been shown to contribute to the deforestation of the Amazon Biome, which not only leads to a loss of biodiversity but also a big loss when it comes to protecting the planet from the effects of climate change. So we made a change in our supply chain to avoid contributing to that.

Beginning with our Spring 2023 procurement, we prohibited all suppliers from purchasing any leather hides from the country of Brazil.

Impact Media recently raised awareness about leather's connection to deforestation in the Amazon and shared how brands like KEEN are shifting to more sustainable options. Learn more here.

Deforestation-Free Leather

We've actually always sourced Amazon deforestation-free leather. The problem is, certain parts of the leather supply chain can be opaque and challenging to control, and we weren't 100% certain we were getting it due to pervasive corruption within the cattle industry in Brazil. It became increasingly challenging to prove cowhides coming from Brazil weren't contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon Biome, so we solved that by prohibiting any hides from Brazil, period.

The leather we use in our shoes, sandals, and boots now originates in the United States, where cattle farming does not typically cause deforestation. We are able to get high-quality hides from trusted suppliers.

Ethically Sourced, From Start to Finish

The Leather Working Group (LWG), together with the World Wildlife Fund and Textile Exchange, are calling on brands and retailers to commit to sourcing all their bovine leather from deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier.

We're already there, and we're excited to see more folks join the LWG movement. We've been a member of the Leather Working Group since 2017, when we began our transition to using LWG-certified tanneries exclusively. That's because the environmental impact of leather isn't just about where the cattle graze and where the hides come from. The tanning process plays a huge, often destructive, role due to chemical and water use.

Supply chain transparency is key when it comes to making shoes in a more sustainable way - and when you're deciding which shoes to purchase. Rest easy knowing that when you buy shoes, boots, or sandals that contain leather at KEEN, they are Consciously Created and Amazon Biome-free (and they're PFAS-Free, too).