Alligator Leather
Did you know your purchase of American Alligator Leather helps with Louisiana Alligator and wetland conservation efforts? Since 1972, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department has led conservation efforts by working with landowners and farmers to create a world renowned program. Each year, the alligator population continues to increase, thanks to this program. As a result, they have been removed from the endangered species list. Our leather is purchased from Louisiana farmers. They collect eggs, hatch and grow the gators, and release 10% back to the landowner's property. (1)
American Alligators are native to the wetlands in the US southern region. Wetland conservation is vital to their survival. Each year, Louisiana loses an average of a football field of coastal wetlands per hour, much of which is caused by the Mississippi River levees and storms. (2) Planting trees and marsh grasses helps conserve land along the coast by collecting sediment that would have been washed away. Groups like the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (https://www.crcl.org/habitat-restoration) work through donations to plant and educate on wetland issues. We donate a portion of profits from our alligator products to their mission.
Alligator meat is a Louisiana staple. When the gators are processed, the meat is sent to a commercial processor, where it's sold to restaurants and consumers. The skins are salted and sent to a tannery. The leathers we purchase are tanned in Italy and sent back in either crust form (not tanned) or dyed form. We purchase all our leather from legacyleatherllc.com. If you're in the market for leather, be sure to check them out.
(2) Source: https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_3128024a-cc03-57a0-9b37-18f5eb519d4b.html