K-leather ban reintroduced in US Senate

K-leather has been used to manufacture high-end soccer cleats for decades. However, its use has fallen out of favor in recent years as information about the commercial harvesting of kangaroo hides created a backlash. In the statement announcing the bill, Duckworth’s office said the legislation was designed to protect kangaroos from the largest commercial slaughter in the world.

“When I first learned how widespread and brutal the kangaroo hunt is, I could hardly believe my ears,” Duckworth said in an email. “Australian law requires joeys to be bludgeoned to death, decapitated or shot if found in the pouch of a mother kangaroo. It’s barbaric — and by still allowing the sale of k-leather within our borders, our country is aiding and abetting the largest commercial slaughter of mammals in the world. That is completely unacceptable. We banned the sale of seal pelts in the U.S. over fifty years ago because it was similarly inhumane — it’s long past time we do the same for kangaroos.”

Athleticwear giants Puma, Nike and New Balance announced in 2023 that they would discontinue their use of k-leather, and in May of this year, Adidas and Asics followed suit. Earlier this month, Mizuno also said it would phase out its use of the material.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, said the kangaroo trade is driven by profits from the sale of kangaroo parts.

“Senator Duckworth’s bill is a tremendous complement to the decisions by all the big athletic shoe brands to halt sourcing of kangaroo skins for cleats and her measure has the potential to spare the lives of hundreds of thousands of the iconic marsupials every year,” Pacelle said in the release.

Booker, the Senate bill’s co-sponsor, said the legislation would help conserve the kangaroo species.

“We should not allow the unnecessary killing of animals just so that big corporations can maximize profits,” Booker said in the release.