Dear Ms. Katie KUTSKILL, first of all we would like to get to know you.
I earned my Environmental Policy degree from the University of Michigan and wanted to work in my hometown, Detroit — the “automotive capital of the world.” While applying to local factories, I discovered Rochester Hills was a major automotive leather hub, home to Pangea, Eagle Ottawa, Lear, and Bader. In 2012, I joined Eagle Ottawa as one of their first product environmental scientists and later completed my Master’s in Leather Technology in Northampton, where I became passionate about leather’s Life Cycle Analysis. I went on to work in Product Development and Sales across Eagle Ottawa and Pangea, ultimately becoming Executive Director of Global Product Development. I then served as Technical Director at the Sustainable Leather Foundation before taking on my current role as President of Is It Leather?, leading the campaign to share the truth about leather with consumers.
Who is IS IT LEATHER and what kind of activities are available?
Is It Leather is a global campaign that launched in 2021 aimed at global consumers on behalf of the leather industry. We work to clarify the truth about leather by addressing greenwashing, misleading terminology, and misinformation.
Our activities focus on educating consumers through creative ad content, engaging videos, and fact-based posts that present verified information about leather. We create resources that are accessible, shareable, and relatable to consumers, helping people understand leather in a modern, informed context.
How should we understand the importance of Leather from past to present?
Leather as a product is similar to food, there are brilliant chefs (in our world, tanners and chemists) that create products unique to each region, culture and resources available. The people and generations that are behind each recipe is what brings people together around meaningful meals that we serve to our friends and families. The chefs take pride in the quality, science, and art that goes into each dish.
The consumers enjoy the meals prepared as a way to nourish themselves physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and culturally. This is what leather does. This is what leather is. Leather is living history – just like how family recipes are passed down, so is leather. Our industry must realize that to sustain ourselves in the present, we have to source quality ingredients, and advertise our truth, just like any good restaurant owner would do. Our world has changed, and we must find a home for the history and truth of leather to exist in a modern context – advertising our industry and product is simply one way to honor our past and bring ourselves into the present.
IS IT LEATHER, as a family, we see your interactions on social media by presenting the wrong ideas about leather in the light of correct information, but have you ever received any opposing opinions? If so, how did you share the right information by presenting an opinion to those opponents?
Yes, we have encountered differing opinions, which is expected and welcome. Engagement from viewers and consumers, even disagreement, opens the door for dialogue. Our approach is always to respond respectfully with facts. We all have our own opinions as to what material we would rather own, but facts cannot be denied and we raise these points when defending our statements. Whether the concerns are around the misinformation there is towards animal welfare, sustainability, or alternatives to leather, we provide sources, transparent data and information, as well as educational content that invite the person to learn more rather than feel dismissed. We are not here to argue, we are here to inform.
In terms of sustainability, what would you like to say in general to inform about the trade of hides under international organizations such as Farms and animal welfare issues (relating to certifications) and exotic leather?
It is important that as a global leather industry, we stand together. We will fail as an industry if one region takes advantage to say “buy from my region, because of X, over another region”. It is unfair to our global community – even if they are competitors. Our industry does this not only regarding animal welfare, sustainability, or exotic leather vs. standard cattle/goat/sheep leather – we do it with chrome versus veg tan, deforestation-free material or not, and finished versus unfinished leathers. All we do is air our dirty laundry to our true competitors which are alternatives. We share all of our woes with the public instead of working together to solve and improve our industry. Let’s stop acting like “crabs in a bucket” trying to claw our way to the top and sit down and honestly share our concerns about the sustainability of our product and offer a hand to help each other. Because if the market for leather grows, then everyone does better. A rising tide lifts all ships.
As IS IT LEATHER, do you think that internationally recognized store chains of leather clothing or leather products should inform the end user about leather? Or how should they explain leather?
Absolutely. This is going to become a vital component to shopping – the transparency of what you are buying and where it comes from. If we think about 2 or 3 generations before us, they knew exactly where all of their products came from. It was all locally sourced. Some regions still have a strong emphasis on this – but the majority of the world (particularly where I’m from in America) has become far removed. This has created an upswell of consumers wanting to know more about the products they are buying and using for themselves and their families. Brands want to ensure responsible sourcing to secure their reputation. Transparency is only scary when you have something to hide. Leather has to lean into the fact that transparency will set us free. No brand or consumer is expecting perfection, they simply are expecting our authentic truth and a motivated industry to choose the responsible choice.
How does Artificial Intelligence and technologies affect the course of the sector today? What would you like to say?
AI and advanced technologies (robotics for example) are something our industry must understand, respect, and learn intimately – because if we do not, we will be left behind as an industry and product. This is not to say that the advancements should take away from the heritage craft and science of our product, but it is vital to understand what is available to us so that we can master its use in a way that helps us modernize and grow with the global information shift. I will go back to my food example. If restaurants didn’t integrate technology into their reservation, ordering, and delivery process – they may have lost out on millions of dollars of opportunity during covid. They may have preferred the paper menu and the foot traffic in their restaurant, but they needed to find a way to reinvent the way their food got to their communities.
Now (post-covid) they have the best of both worlds – serving customers in their restaurant and have delivery services stop by to take orders to customers that are home. Balance is the most important thing in life and it is the only way forward for the leather industry. We are imbalanced right now, stuck in the past and we must not be afraid of learning so that we can integrate technology in a safe, responsible, and balanced way.
Do you promote IS IT LEATHER at international fairs or do you have activities?
Yes, our goal is to present and speak directly with the global leather supply chain so that we can get the word out that we need the global industry’s support. Advertising is a tricky business – where our competition is spending millions of dollars every year to misinform consumers about leather’s truth.
We have thousands of leather companies around the world. If 2000 companies gave $5000 USD a year ($13.70 USD/day) towards advertising, we would have $10 Million dollars to fight the global messaging back. We need to stand together and it is at these fairs that we communicate this to the globe. Many hands make light work – our industry doesn’t have a choice. We must fight together.
Do you have cooperation and activities with universities for international sector employees? (Regarding trained qualified personnel and qualified personnel)
We collaborate with a multitude of organizations and universities to source information and the latest research for informing our ads and communication to the end consumer. Our goal is to link consumers to the best data that the industry currently has and utilize creative and engaging content to engage consumers into the world of leather.
I personally have kept touch with many of my colleagues from the University of Northampton and utilized this network to engage in discussions that educate our team to make well-informed content and presentations around the world. The advertisements are only as good as the research and data behind them – and our industry has some of the best scientists and collated data in the world. The sad thing is, this data is not reaching the consumers at the rate it needs to and we must come together to change that.
Finally, what would you like to say to people who are dedicated to the profession?
Your leather world as you knew it is changing, or for many of you has already changed. It’s disheartening and upsetting to be at the peak of your career in an industry that is without doubt struggling. We may be facing a decade ahead of us ridden with consolidation, acquisitions, and bankruptcies. This reality keeps many of us up at night. So how do we stop it?
We can’t – but we can change its trajectory, we can alter its path and the only way to do this is through 3 key traits that we as humans do all the time in our personal lives.
(1) Focus and root into our authentic truth – what is it that we are here to do and why? (2) Find solutions through self-reflection with ourselves, our leaders, and our employees – where are we uncomfortable? Where are we failing? And what is our role in our failure? and lastly
(3) Spread the world that we WANT leather competition. We WANT a consumer to be choosing between chrome and veg tan leather – because right now, they are choosing between plastic-based fabric and plastic-based “leather”.
We as an industry are much stronger together than we are separate. You WANT to lose business to another leather supplier – NOT to another alternative petroleum-based material. Lifting up your industry, your competitors, and your sector is uncomfortable (and may even seem counterintuitive) – but it is the necessary final step to your own organization’s survival. A growing leather market is our goal, and we will only get there together.
Well, thank you for your interest in Magazine Leather Publishing.
Thank you, I wish you good publications.
