Advantages of animal leather over alternatives and its medical applications

The leather industry, grounded in ancient practices, utilizes animal skins composed of collagen protein polymer as materials. This versatile animal-based material is crucial for crafting items like shoes, clothing, and car interiors. While animal-based leather has faced criticisms for environmental challenges in the production process, including wastewater and solid waste generation, as well as concerns about animal ethics, it holds numerous merits compared to synthetic leather and plant-based vegan leather. This paper reviews the advantages of animal-based leather and its potential medical application. The widespread use of animal leather reveals that, despite the passage of time, it remains an important material for humans. The benefits of animal-based leather, in comparison to synthetic leather and plant-based vegan leather, encompass biodegradability, biocompatibility, natural feel and aesthetics, breathability, durability, and longevity. Animal-based leather has been utilized in various medical applications, including pharmaceuticals, sensors, and medical implants. These advantages could make animal-based leather more suitable for manufacturing medical implants compared to alternatives. Therefore, this paper suggests further development of medical equipment and materials based on animal-based leather to promote human health.