Lab-Grown Leather?

[HellcatLeathers]

WTF?!!!! Really? Growing leather in a LAB? Thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss.....read the article and discuss!

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/lab-grown-leather-coming-to-a-mall-near-you/

[TexasJack]

WTF, indeed. First, why would anyone want to screw around with a useful material that has thousands of years of history?

What are the alternatives for getting rid of animal hides? Burning?? Burying? Stupid.

Finally, this: “By the end of the year, I think we’ll be able to produce a two centimeter by two centimeter sample of leather that’s made without killing an animal,” Really?!? Ooooh, that's impressive! Who's giving them money to waste on this project??

[HellfireJack]

They're just aiming at making items with the look and feel of leather to fill a niche market of people who like leather and don't like killing animals. Real leather will never be replaced.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

They are growing human skin in labs for burn victims, and even ears for cosmetic reasons, so why not leather? Imagine if they get it perfected. You could possibly get perfect hides in sizes, and weights that are impossible now. No stretchy belly parts, no wasted edges, just sheets of genetically perfect leather.Why wouldn't it be "real leather" it is grown from the same cells cows use to make their own hides from.

Posted a comment on the site, we'll see if it gets approved.

Edited September 26, 2012 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[CitizenKate]

Nothing wrong with it, I guess. It'll be interesting to see how it compares with the real thing. But the author is in for a disappointment if she thinks it will spare many livestock that are raised "for leather", since we don't generally raise livestock for leather. Guess we'd all have to find another hobby/profession if the human population were herbivores.

Also ironic to note how there is getting to be so much on the market to substitute meat and leather products. Have you ever read the labels of what goes into a veggan meat substitute? The list of chemicals is kinda scary to me, yet this is considered by some a "healthier" diet, since the main ingredient is plant-based. How twisted is that?

They are growing human skin in labs for burn victims, and even ears for cosmetic reasons, so why not leather? Imagine if they get it perfected. You could possibly get perfect hides in sizes, and weights that are impossible now. No stretchy belly parts, no wasted edges, just sheets of genetically perfect leather.

Interesting thought. What you're referring to requires human DNA to produce. It's definitely not plan-based, but I suppose we could do the same thing with DNA samples collected from animals without harming them.

[Wishful]

IMHO: Most animals are killed for the meat with the skin as a by product that is put to go use as leather. I do not see how this will save any animals.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My reply got posted which explained that leather is a byproduct of meat production.

Why is this lined out???

Edited September 26, 2012 by Art

[Art]

I unlined it for you. If you hit the S with a line through it and you have the text highlited, it will show line This.

Art

[George B]

After reading the article I read the author's little bio. I lived in Boulder for about 6 months and could not move fast enough. Great city with a lot of things going for it, but it is one of the most liberal places I have ever hung my hat. Probably why she was so excited about saving all those hamburgers on the hoof. Or, maybe it's more about all those cow-farts messing up the climate.

That being said, it would be nice to just go to the machine, punch in my requirements and bingo I have what I want.

Buck Rogers would be so proud!

Of course it may be too expensive for me to buy in this lifetime...guess I'll save a cow tonight and eat some pork instead.

Hey what about all those lil' pigs that need saving? How about some lab grown pigskin too.

[TwinOaks]

I don't think I'd do too well in a world with perfect hides with zero blemishes, no scars, no fat marks....no UNIQUE qualities....it'd get too boring.

Besides, where's all the <insert anagram/description of choice> people protesting for Naugas? Those little critters ARE harvested only for their skins.

[oldtimer]

After reading the article I read the author's little bio. I lived in Boulder for about 6 months and could not move fast enough. Great city with a lot of things going for it, but it is one of the most liberal places I have ever hung my hat. Probably why she was so excited about saving all those hamburgers on the hoof. Or, maybe it's more about all those cow-farts messing up the climate.

That being said, it would be nice to just go to the machine, punch in my requirements and bingo I have what I want.

Buck Rogers would be so proud!

Of course it may be too expensive for me to buy in this lifetime...guess I'll save a cow tonight and eat some pork instead.

Hey what about all those lil' pigs that need saving? How about some lab grown pigskin too.

The will grow the pork in a lab so the little pig is saved!

:-)

[kwelna]

I think you have to look at this article in many ways.

First as with all greenies instead of working with the current situation , they again want us to alter out entire life style overnight to suit their paradigm of how things need to be. This paper must be an alternate front for PITA.

Second notice how all tanning processes according to the arrticle uses toxic\dangerouse chemicals? I am not a tanner, but insn't i t mostly just a solution of tree bark adn water (for veg tanned leather anyway) This article is being used to spread incorrect \inaccurate data to be used later by another writer that will site this article as a source. Again a trick used buy these groups.

Third is the lie that all these animals are being killed just for their skin. One of the above responders is correct, leather is a byproduct of the meat industry as is glue, Jello and many other businesses.

Notice that none of the inaccuracys are truely egregious and are at least 1\2 way truthful. This is intentional, and that makes it worse as no one will call them on it or challenge the statements made by the author. This allows them to perpetuate these 1\2 lie(s). In time the lies will become facts. This process has been used for years by politians on both sides, but the left seems to be a bit more adept at its application.

Remember, these groups are about control.. Control of your life and how and where you live it. Thankfully these mental midgets are in teh minority. Unfortunately they are a rather vociferouse group and tend do do wata ever it takes to get their views into the mainstream of america. HMmm they work of the premise the Ends do justify the means.....There as a popular book written a few ( ~2000) years ago warning about this.....;-)

Finally the basis of the article. I find it fascinating,especially if they can some how utilize algea or bacteria to grow the stuff. What a great source for a homogenous and unblemished material. It would be great for gussets and some clothing articles. Alas, there are few if any man made materials that will out perform what nature has wrought. I no doubt that what ever they come up with will be in some if not may ways inferior to the real thing. Getting back to the "homogenous and unblemished material", I agree with one of the other responders, it is the imperfections that make each leather piece unique. This can only drive up the value of "real" leather items should this ever get that far. Lets not forget the smell! That smell is at lest 20% of the charm of leather! Oh yes, one final thought. Once they grow the stuff, wont they still have to tan it or is it "self tanning" Huh, so much for saving the envirnment looks like they will still need to use those "Dangerouse and Toxic" chemicals. So where exacly is the gain in this?? Oh yea to control what you can and can not buy\aquire.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I made a comment on the article, and so can you. Just add your comment at the bottom of the page. They approved mine.

As to "character marks" on hides. I see a lot of posts here complaining about them , and where to get unmarked hides-mainly for high end items. There will be a market if they pull it off.

Why wouldn't it smell like leather? Even if it is grown in a lad, and tanned as other leather is, it should smell like leather. They are using cells from cows to reproduce the same skin the cow has.

This could also possibly control prices since this leather isn't dependent on meat market fluctuations, droughts, disease, etc that can vary the amount of natural hides on the market.

Edited September 27, 2012 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[kwelna]

Well Biggundoctoryou make many good points and I hope for their sake it does smell like leather. I read the article and it is interesting. If offered I would gladly play with some to see what it is like. to me the trick will be to produce leather that mimics not only the feel and smell, but also different areas on the animal. I am not expert, just a novice, but I have gleaned from others that differnt areas of the animal lend themselves to different leather products. That being said, it would be nice to have a perfectly square piece of leather to work with especially when making messenger bags of a consistent thickness, desity and hand.

Again I noticed in the article they talk about toxic chemicals used in the tanning process. I can see this with chrome tanned leather, but what toxic chemical(s) is used in the tanning of veg tanned leather? And the even with chrom tanned, how toxic and how much is needed and lost to the environemnt? How does this compare to other industries that use the same chemicals? I wonder what toxic chemicals will be used to produce the leather itself?

Cool article though and it will be intersting to see it it ever makes it into the main stream or luxury itmes. I some \most cases synthetic or lab produced products are looked upon as inferior or less desriable especially when you are talking about luxury items. Like diamonds and rubys high end\quality leather products etc. Time will tell.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Kwelna, as to synthetic diamond, and ruby gemstones. There is one woman whose company makes rubies for lasers, and she has been asked to leave out the marker she puts into them. Seems there are some who want the perfect rubies she makes for gemstones. She won't do it, as they are so perfect without the marker that they could easily be passed off for huge money to unsuspecting jewelery customers.

As to tanning toxicity. You may want to look up some info on tanning. Some even see a problem with veg, as it consumes large amounts of trees for the tannins. Course there is always the brain tanning method, but then you have to keep an eye out for zombies.......

The one product that I have yet to find a substitute even remotely close is wood. A really nice piece of walnut in a gunstock has no competition for beauty, or feel.

[Harthfire]

My thought that does not repeat what others have said so far. And thats "COST" will this processes make a cheaper hide you can buy making naturals a premium.