Bio-based leather substitutes are an emerging class of ethically and environmentally responsible natural fabrics that are increasingly exceeding consumer aesthetic and functional expectations as an alternative to bovine and synthetic leathers. This literature review creates a clear and elaborative overview of conventional leather processing along with innovative potential bio-leather substitutes. Plant-driven, fungal-origin, bacterial-driven, and animal-origin bio-leathers are the current innovative research advances addressed in this literature. While traditional leather and its alternatives are sourced from animals and synthetic polymers, these renewable and sustainable leather substitutes are gained from bacterial cellulose, mycelium, plant cellulose, and animal cells using tissue engineering and other eco-friendly techniques. In conclusion, bio-based leather alternatives are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and sustainable and ultimately can substitute natural leather made by conventional processing.

Although the leather processing industry is vital in terms of employment creation, revenue generation, consumption of by‐products from the meat industry, and the production of the valuable commodity called leather, the industry is considered “red marked” due to the discharge of solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes from each unit operation. In addition, different cleaner production options were investigated to mitigate the negative effects of the leather industries. Cleaner options in curing were mostly focused on the use of plant extracts and the sodium chloride‐free preservation method, which eliminates the salinity and 70% TDS of the discharged water. The application of enzymes in the soak and unhairing facilitates the operation, reduces COD, BOD, and TDS in the effluent, and yields better results than the conventional method. Saltless and waterless pickling with nonswelling acid and chrome‐free tanning was considered cleaner options for pickling with salts and conventional tanning methods. This article provides an in‐depth analysis and review of conventional leather processing, hazardous chemicals in each unit operation, the environmental impact of conventional operations from curing to tanning, and cleaner leather production approaches in each unit operation.

Natural colorants play a vital role in the production of eco-leather by substituting environmentally hazardous and toxic synthetic dyestuffs. In this study, a natural dye is extracted and optimized from the bark of Ficus sycomorus, a plant species locally known as shola, by designing different combinations of concentration, temperature, and time parameters. A dye extracted from 120 g/l concentration at a temperature of 1000°C for 60 minutes showed the highest absorbance value, and it has been used for further dyeing processes with and without mordant. Properties such as color strength (k/s), Lab values, and color fastness of a dyed leather specimen were measured and analyzed. Oxalic acid mordant-dyed leather samples mordanted with the postmordanting method have revealed the highest k/s value among other experimental samples. Moreover, better color fastness properties were obtained from a leather sample mordanted with oxalic acid. Consequently, a dye extracted from the bark of Ficus sycomorus can be used as a leather dyeing material.

The leather industry has undergone substantial transformations due to technological innovations, fostering more sustainable and efficient production methods. Several studies have been reported on innovative technologies and strategies employed in this industry so far. Despite the available literature in the field, a thorough analysis that summarizes and evaluates the recent advances in those innovations is still in its infancy. This review aims to provide an extensive overview of the latest developments in innovative technologies utilized in the leather industry. The findings from the literature indicate that technologies such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, additive manufacturing, and total quality management are at the forefront of this evolution. These state-of-the-art technologies have significantly transformed traditional production methods, addressing pressing environmental and sustainability challenges. Overall, these innovations have enabled manufacturers to enhance their business performance while addressing ecological and sustainability concerns at the same time.

The leather industry processes approximately 17 million tons of hides and skins annually, resulting in the discharge of over 600 million m ³ of complex wastewater characterized by extreme pollutant loads. Continuous efforts have been made to mitigate wastewater pollution via conventional treatment methods, although issues including incomplete contaminant removal, high operational costs, and secondary sludge generation remain unresolved. Recent research has increasingly shifted toward nanobased treatment systems due to their remarkable efficiencies in removing heavy metals and recalcitrant organic pollutants. However, despite their promising laboratory‐scale performance, substantial challenges remain in translating these technologies into sustainable industrial applications. This review critically examines how nanoparticle‐assisted effluent remediation can address the limitations of conventional tannery wastewater treatment, identifies barriers underlying the translation of laboratory performance to an industrial context, and proposes an integrated treatment strategy by evaluating the trade‐offs between nanoparticle performance and implementation constraints, including technoeconomic feasibility, sludge management, scalability, and life cycle assessment considerations. The findings revealed that although nanobased treatment technologies exhibited remarkable pollutant removal efficiencies at the laboratory scale, their widespread industrial application remained limited by challenges related to operational cost, nanoparticle recovery, and insufficient large‐scale validation. The review further emphasized that future progress in tannery wastewater management should focus on the development of integrated, recyclable, and economically sustainable treatment systems supported by technoeconomic analysis, process intensification, and life cycle assessment–based optimization to enhance both environmental sustainability and industrial applicability.

The global leather industry processes about 17 million tons of hides and skins annually, producing approximately 600 million cubic meters of tannery wastewater with pollutant levels often exceeding regulatory standards. The main aim of this review was to synthesize, evaluate, and compile information on the potential of eco‐benign plant phytochemicals by examining their effectiveness at the pretanning, tanning, and wet‐finishing stages of leather processing, employing the PRISMA methodology. The findings confirmed that reductions of 53.56%, 53.13%, 50.92%, and 47.10% in Cl ^- , TDS, BOD, and COD levels were observed in soaking effluent compared to conventional methods. Additionally, these natural agents replaced toxic chromium salts in tanning, significantly lowering chromium effluent levels and associated environmental hazards. Furthermore, the presence of coloring compounds, essential oils, and waxes has enhanced the fastness and functional properties of the leather at the wet‐finishing stage of leather making. Collectively, the integration of plant‐based phytochemicals at various stages of leather processing presents a sustainable approach that addresses critical environmental concerns while maintaining the quality of leather.