Ethically produced leather?  Did you make that up?  

Yes :)   What else would you call real leather formed into jackets that have a social and environmental positive impact?!  

Like with most garments, we have to consider several things in the manufacturing process.   Steps in the process include sourcing fabric, cutting and sewing fabric, dying, and add on details.    Mauritius Leather has been a staple at Boa since 2017.   As an ethical fashion buyer, I always look for product that is produced with reasonable standards.   Here's the thing.   The world was introduced to 'Vegan' Leather in the 2000's.   We bought into the green washing that this was best because it doesn't harm animals.   If you are an animal lover, then this is best... for you, but sometimes you can't support one issue without taking down the other.    In this particular case, the vegan leather we featured was showing signs of cracking and chapping, sometimes still while on the sales floor.  If you have ever bought a polyurethane vegan jacket, then you know they don't stand the test of time.   If you are an animal rights activist, you may be willing to deal with that, but if you are a friend of the environment, it may be an issue.   With a limited life span, this faux leather jacket often ends up in landfills within 5-10 years.  Leather on the other hand can survive decades and still be cool enough to wear, or pass on to another generation through thrift.    Worst case scenario, with non toxic dyes and grommets removed, it is biodegradable.    

Non toxic dyes are a rare find.   Mauritius leather jackets are made with vegetable dye, making it.... biodegradable.  Why else is this important?  Take the dye industry, viciously polluting rivers in far away countries.  People bathe in the Ganges river.   This is bad, really bad!  Team environment is excited about this.  Yay to vegetable dye.  

Animal rights folks are probably still like 'but you're killing an animal'.   I get it, some leather manufacturers actually slaughter animal for the purpose of leather.  This is also bad, really bad!   Mauritius leather sources hide that is from animals post food consumption.   So no animal is slaughtered for fashion.   

When I order products, I have to heavily weigh these pros and cons.  I'll also consider how you weigh them.  Just know that there are options out there for you, and this is one carefully thought out and sourced option free of some guilt, that I put before you.   Choose wisely :)