Official launch of the “Guidelines for Assessing the Environmental Footprint of Leather”

SPIN360 is pleased to announce the publication of the Guidelines for Assessing the Environmental Footprint of Leather – Recommendations for Harmonisation, developed on behalf of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The Guidelines were officially presented by UNIDO on June 6th, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the global leather industry.

This achievement is the result of nearly two years of work and represents a major step forward in addressing a critical challenge facing the sector: the lack of harmonised, consistent, and comparable methodologies for assessing environmental performance at a global level.

The initiative was launched in 2024, when SPIN360 was appointed by UNIDO to coordinate the development of a unified methodological framework. The process was supported by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) coordinated by SPIN360 and composed of 55 experts from 16 countries, representing a wide range of stakeholders, including brands, tanneries, chemical companies, universities, NGOs, and representatives from other industrial sectors.

The Guidelines establish a harmonised and scientifically robust framework for evaluating the environmental footprint of leather, based on key methodological elements such as:

• product system definition and system boundaries
• allocation rules
• impact assessment methods
• durability considerations
• data quality requirements

By consolidating these elements into a single global reference, the framework enables:

• consistent and comparable calculation of environmental impacts
• improved transparency across the entire value chain
• stronger and more reliable data validation
• alignment with international standards and evolving regulatory requirements

Beyond standardisation, the Guidelines introduce several important methodological advancements. Among the most relevant:

• the recognition of biogenic carbon removals occurring at the agricultural stage,
• the integration of material durability as a key environmental parameter,
• the definition of a new allocation factor for bovine hides, based on primary economic data from 299 studies conducted by SPIN360 between 2022 and 2024, covering 87 tanneries in 26 countries.

A central element of the framework is also the recognition of leather as a non-determining by-product, offering greater clarity in environmental assessments and contributing to a more accurate positioning of leather within broader sustainability discussions.

While specifically developed for leather, the methodological approach of the Guidelines has been designed with broader applicability in mind. It can be extended to other natural materials such as wool, mohair, alpaca, cashmere, silk, and others, providing a foundation for cross-sector alignment.

“We are extremely pleased and proud of this achievement. This marks an important milestone in the advancement and evolution of environmental standards for leather, which can now rely on a more robust and harmonised scientific framework,” said Federico Brugnoli, CEO of SPIN360. “I would like to personally thank UNIDO and Ivan Kral for their trust, leadership, and commitment throughout this process.”

The publication of the Guidelines represents a key step toward greater transparency, consistency, and credibility in environmental footprinting, supporting both industry stakeholders and policymakers. It reflects the shared commitment of UNIDO and SPIN360 to advancing sustainability through international collaboration and scientific rigour.

SPIN360 looks forward to continuing this work and to sharing further developments as the Guidelines are progressively adopted and implemented across the global value chain.