{"id":10628,"date":"2013-10-07T04:30:31","date_gmt":"2013-10-07T11:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145696.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=10628"},"modified":"2013-10-07T04:30:31","modified_gmt":"2013-10-07T11:30:31","slug":"faux-leather-3d-printing-leather-without-cruelty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/articles\/faux-leather-3d-printing-leather-without-cruelty\/","title":{"rendered":"Faux Leather 3D Printing: Leather without Cruelty?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"3D<\/h2>\n

Could 3D printed leather produce cruelty-free faux leather goods?<\/h2>\n

Andras Forgacs developed a method of 3D printing that could produce human body parts and organs for medical purposes. Now he’s working to use that same techbology to create animal products without the animals, including faux leather.<\/p>\n

The Trouble with Leather<\/h2>\n

Leather – like all animal-derived products – comes with a dash of animal cruelty<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I’ve heard the argument that since leather is a by-product of the meat industry, it actually reduces waste to consume it. In fact, the leather industry helps support the meat industry, because leather sales are an additional income source for farmers raising cattle for slaughter, it’s not just picking up the slack. According to Keegan K. at Care2:<\/p>\n

It is estimated that leather makes up half of all profits<\/a><\/strong> of slaughterhouses that process cattle. Leather is a not a by-product, it is a co-product.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because the profit margin is rather small on the sale of animal flesh (relatively speaking), most cattle exploiting companies are dependent upon the sale of hides<\/a><\/strong> to remain in business.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When dairy cows reach the end of their milk-producing years, they are also slaughtered and turned into leather goods, which is why dairy is just as bad for animals as meat. They produce the milk while they’re alive, but once they’re beyond usefulness, they’re sent to slaughter.<\/p>\n

Beyond Cruelty: Leather’s Eco Impact<\/h2>\n

Even if these animal deaths don’t bother you, there’s the environmental impact of raising all of these cows.<\/p>\n

Forgacs estimates that it takes 100 billion cattle to satisfy our tastes for meat and leather by 2050, and that is going to wreak havoc on our air, water, and land. For example, nearly 70 percent of Amazon deforestation is due to cattle farming<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

3D Printed Faux Leather Goods<\/h2>\n

In this interesting TED Talk, scientist Andras Forgacs talks about the trouble with the leather and meat industries and explains how he’s working to produce faux leather and meat with 3D printing technology:<\/p>\n

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