Production and Sustainability at BUDDY.
An Honest Assessment Between Ideal and Reality
We know that leather is polarizing. Hardly any material is so caught between ethical demands, ecological responsibility, and the reality of global production systems. That's why we openly explain how our dog toys are made, what criticism we perceive, and why we make the decisions we do under current conditions.
This article is a transparent inventory of our production and our values.
We welcome suggestions, feedback, and an honest exchange.
- Read out loud
Origin of the leather
In summary:
We only use existing leather waste from the fashion industry – not because it's ideal, but because it's available.
The leather for our dog toys comes from the meat industry. More precisely, from animals raised for human consumption. The hides are a byproduct of this system. They are processed into leather and predominantly sold to the fashion industry for items such as bags, backpacks, or shoes. This processing generates scraps and offcuts. For the fashion industry, they are unusable. Their waste is our raw material.
Without our use, these leather scraps would be disposed of or incinerated. We intervene at a point in the chain where waste would be generated, further burdening the environment.
Critique & Our Assessment
The Vegan Critique – And Why It's Understandable
The Vegan Critique – And Why It's Understandable
Vegans rightly argue:
"Any commercial use of leather indirectly stabilizes the meat industry. By-products also create value and thus incentives to maintain the system."
This argument is logical and valid, because leather is not a neutral material. Every euro earned from it supports a system that often causes suffering. So why do we still choose leather?
Our classification of the current state
Our classification of the current state
We are aware that using waste does not grant a moral free pass.
It does not change the fact that animals are bred and kept for human products, and that leather is a product of this system. At the same time, we face a reality that we cannot ignore:
Animals are slaughtered – regardless of our existence
Leather is produced – regardless of our decision
Waste is generated – regardless of whether we use it or not.
Under these current conditions, we cannot abolish the system. But we can decide how to deal with its consequences. Our decision explicitly refers to this current state. Not to an ideal future we wish for, but to the responsibility we bear today.
Animal welfare
In summary:
We understand the ethical criticism – and yet we draw a clear line: We do not cause animal suffering!
One thing is clear: leather is the skin of a dead animal. There's no sugar-coating that.
However, our stance is unequivocal:
- Our toys are made exclusively from remnants (e.g., from the fashion industry)
- We only use certified material that already exists before we come into play.
- We would never breed or slaughter an animal for our products.
- We do not commission additional leather production.
Critique & Our Assessment
The Review
The Review
"Whether a byproduct or not, every use normalizes animal suffering and perpetuates a system that turns animals into commodities."
We understand this perspective. Those who strive for a fundamentally different relationship between humans and animals cannot accept leather – regardless of how efficiently it is used or how much waste it prevents.
Our classification and assessment
Our classification and assessment
We do not live in a world without meat consumption. Nor do we live in a world where all dogs are fed a purely plant-based diet. As long as both are a reality, animal by-products will be created.
The question is not only: Are we allowed to use them?
But also: What is more responsible: throwing them away or putting them to good use?
Our decision refers to the current state of the world. It is not an ultimate ethical truth. It is a pragmatic decision under non-ideal conditions.
More about the Leather Working Group's approach and certification: https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/our-impact/animal-welfare/
Plant-based leather
In summary:
Unfortunately, a real alternative does not yet exist and shifts the ethical discourse to a health and sustainability problem.
Plant-based or "vegan" leather is often presented as an ethically superior solution. However, a closer look at the current state of these materials is worthwhile.
According to our current knowledge:
- "Vegan leather" is always based on a chemical or plant-based composition or a mix of both.
- Plant-based leathers require binders to be stable, tear-resistant, and durable.
- These binders almost always consist of petroleum-based plastics.
- A purely plant-based, plastic-free, durable leather is not currently available on the market.
Critique & Our Assessment
The review
The review
You often hear:
"Plastic may be problematic – but it's still better than animal suffering."
We respect this prioritization. It is an ethical weighting, but not a fact. Unfortunately, this also shifts the problem in another direction...
Our Thoughts and Decisions
Our Thoughts and Decisions
We must ask ourselves another, equally inconvenient question:
"Do we want dogs to chew on petroleum-based materials?"
For us, this is not a viable solution, but a shifting of the problem – from animal ethics to health and environmental issues.
We are closely monitoring developments in this area. As soon as there is a genuine, reliable, plastic-free alternative, we will switch. Not for marketing reasons – but out of conviction.
But we refuse to call something healthy or even sustainable just because it doesn't contain animal products, if it is based on fossil fuels.
Sustainability & Environment
In summary:
Leather is only acceptable if processed under strictly controlled conditions – we reject all other options.
Leather processing has a significant environmental impact. That is precisely why we set clear standards for the entire production chain.
- Our leather comes exclusively from LWG-certified facilities.
- This certification strictly regulates, among other things:
- Chemical and wastewater management
- Energy and water consumption
- Transparency and traceability of the supply chain
In addition, our products are regularly tested for harmful substances by independent SGS laboratories to protect our dogs and the environment.
Again, this does not make leather environmentally neutral, but it reduces actual harm to dogs and the environment compared to uncontrolled production.
👉 Further information:
Fair Production
In summary:
Production in India is not a problem if done correctly – lack of transparency is.
Our dog toys are manufactured in India. We are also familiar with the generalized criticism:
Cheap production at the expense of people.
We show that it can be done differently with our toys, because we work exclusively with a producer who is:
- SEDEX certified,
- audited according to ISO 9001:2015
- and regularly, independently checked
The certifications can be viewed and verified with the respective certification bodies. Furthermore, we regularly have the audits submitted to us. They cover working conditions and safety, wages, child labor, and related sub-topics.
An audit is not a promise of perfection.
But it is a tool to make grievances visible, address them, and improve them, instead of ignoring them. The resulting certification shows how important fair production conditions are to our partners as well.
Our Position – No Excuses
We would rather live in a world
- where no animal has to die for products,
- where there are genuine plant-based alternatives
- and where no industry produces waste.
This world does not yet exist.
So we work with the status quo – not because we like it, but because we want to make it more responsible.
We don't claim to have the perfect solution.
But we take responsibility for the lowest possible impact under current conditions.
And we clearly state:
As soon as better alternatives are realistically available, we will pursue them.