no diga cuero si es plÁstica – or in english….”don’t call it leather if it’s plastic”!

No diga cuero si es plàstico. In other words: “Don’t call it leather if its plastic”! That’s the “statement” made by Argentina’s tanneries! As a matter of fact, the tanneries have decided to begin “a contrasting campaign against the improper use” of the word “leather”. The Cámara Industrial de las Manufacturas del Cuero y Afines (CIMA), is working on a legislative proposal to ban the use of the word “leather” when describing “materials and product made of fake leather”. CIMA’s top representatives have decided to support the drawing of a law to make sure that products that are now defined as “eco-leather” will no oner contain the word “leather”.

“We don’t want the term eco-leather to be used anymore. It’s a lie: It is nothing more than a plastic sheet under which to hide”, explained CIMA’s secretary general, Martin Occhione. According to data published by Argentinian tanners, national revenue fell by 25% between 2018 to 2019. Throughout the last 4 years, revenue has decreased at a yearly rate of 20%. At the same time, imports have gone up from 28 million in 2018 to a shocking 62 million in 2019! And most of this is attributable to the unfair competition from the so-called “alternative” materials! Which Is Plastic!