A single piece of leather used in teaching may embody the blueprint for the industry’s evolution. Real Talk—a program for uncovering the past, present, and future of the real leather sector—invites you to the state-of-the-art laboratories of Sichuan University. Through the lens of a real leather scholar, let’s explore solutions to industry challenges and redefine slow fashion.
At Sichuan University’s College of Biomass Science and Engineering, a dialogue on material innovation is unfolding. At the forefront is Prof. Yang Luming, whose team employs technology as a scalpel to dissect the limitations of the traditional real leather industry, merging millennium-old craftsmanship with smart innovation. In this transformative process, each piece of leather becomes a narrative vessel—one that carries science, culture, and sustainability all at once.
At Sichuan University’s College of Biomass Science and Engineering, a dialogue on material innovation is unfolding. At the forefront is Prof. Yang Luming, whose team employs technology as a scalpel to dissect the limitations of the traditional real leather industry, merging millennium-old craftsmanship with smart innovation. In this transformative process, each piece of leather becomes a narrative vessel—one that carries science, culture, and sustainability all at once.
Prof. Yang Luming
Head of the Department of Fashion and Accessory Design, College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University
A young scholar under the Ministry of Education’s Key Talent Program
Real leather is the only material that carries both the legacy of the past and the promise of the future. “Real leather is not merely a material; it is a carrier of technology, culture, and sustainable principles. Our research aims to ensure that every piece of leather tells its own unique story—exploring the secrets of ergonomics, pushing the boundaries of material science, or preserving craftsmanship and cultural essence,” explains Prof. Yang.
In Prof. Yang’s lab, ion gel-based flexible sensors are breathing new life into leather. As athletic insoles evolve into health monitors and orthopedic braces into intelligent rehabilitation tools, real leather goods are breaking through traditional physical limits and opening up new frontiers in the smart wearable sector. Such “awakening of materials” not only aligns with the Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan but also signals a shift of real leather products from functional objects to data terminals.
Prof. Yang is sure about the natural and sustainable attributes of real leather: “Real leather is a natural polymer, transformed from rawhide through a combination of physical, chemical, and biochemical processes, with collagen as its primary component. This characteristic makes leather inherently more biodegradable than synthetic polymers.”
To address the environmental controversies surrounding the real leather industry, Prof. Yang’s team presents a groundbreaking solution: turning waste into resource, achieving ‘zero waste’ with collagen technology.
“The leather industry is a model for the recycling of animal biomass, as it transforms rawhide—a by-product of livestock and meat processing—into high-value-added leather products. This process prevents rawhide from being discarded into the environment, where it could otherwise generate significant greenhouse gas emissions.” As Prof. Yang noted, the convergence of intelligent manufacturing and the circular economy is positioning traditional sectors as a frontrunner in advancing the ‘dual carbon’ strategy.
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We look forward to seeing more designers redefine sustainable fashion through leather.
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