Leather products and where they come from?

[Twoply 0]

My woman and I just went shopping for a new wooden rocker at a furniture store. I've not been to a furniture store in a while and I got to thinking where the hell all that leather on the furniture comes from? Cow? Other animals? Seems it would take a few cows to make those big thick leather recliners. Now mind you, we aren't at a super high dollar store, we're at the local family owned one. It is amazing how much leather items I see used everywhere. Where does it all come from? How many cattle do we raise per year?

[Royd 0]

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I got to thinking where the hell all that leather on the furniture comes from? Cow? Other animals? Seems it would take a few cows to make those big thick leather recliners.

Pretty much. Think of all of the products that are made with animal hides. Boots, shoes, belts, leather skirts, whips, on and on.

[leapdog 0]

There is a thing called naugahyde or in the 80’s was called pleather (plastic-leather) However-

A Holstein cow weighs between 1100 and 1500 pounds when milking. A Jersey cow weighs 700 to 1000 pounds. About 41.8 million beef cattle are slaughtered annually in the United States.

Damn. That is a lot of leather.

http://www.goetzecandy.com/playarea/cowfacts.cfm
http://www.svar.org/lovequiz.html

Gunnery Sergeant of Marines
"I would like it if I were challenged mentally at my job and not feel like I'm mentally challenged." - Co-worker

[skybytch 273]

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A Holstein cow weighs between 1100 and 1500 pounds when milking. A Jersey cow weighs 700 to 1000 pounds. About 41.8 million beef cattle are slaughtered annually in the United States.

Holsteins and Jerseys are dairy breeds, not beef breeds. Beef breeds include Hereford, Angus, Brahman, Santa Gertrudis, Charolais, Limousin, Beef Shorthorn, Red Poll, and Brangus, amongst others.

The difference is that dairy cattle are bred for increased milk production; beef cattle are bred for size and muscle in the areas where more expensive cuts of meat come from.

[leapdog 0]

I'm not a farmer, i would have no idea as to these matters. I only did a simple google search and open the first few links I got. The size I pointed out was to illustrate a point as to the amount of hide that was being used.

So- if the beef breds are even bigger then again Damn. That's a lot of leather.

Gunnery Sergeant of Marines
"I would like it if I were challenged mentally at my job and not feel like I'm mentally challenged." - Co-worker

[masterrig 1]

Cattle hides, come from all breeds. Dairy cattle, too old to re-produce or give milk, are sold to 'chain' hamburger restaurants. For instance... to make one pair of cowboy chaps, takes 1/2 of a full-grown cow hide. The average leather recliner, uses real cow hide on the parts of the chair that touch the human body. The backs and sides are of man made materials. The back portion of the hide is the thickest part. Tapering down the sides of the hide to thinner. The back portion is used primarily.


Chuck