Is leather excluded from the EUDR? The 2026 rules, explained
The EU's deforestation regulation was set to add a heavy due-diligence layer to every hide entering the market. In 2026, Brussels changed course. Here is what was excluded, why — and what a brand buying leather should still demand.
A guide by TL San Martín, a tannery of origin in Elda (Alicante, Spain) since 1995, LWG Gold certified under the Leather Manufacturer standard — the only standard where a Gold medal exists.
Yes — under the European Commission's simplification package published on 4 May 2026, cattle hides, skins and leather are being removed from the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Brands buying leather will not need EUDR due-diligence statements for it. Traceability, however, remains a commercial requirement: LWG certification and upcoming Digital Product Passport rules still apply.
What changed in the 2026 EUDR simplification?
The EUDR originally listed cattle-derived products — including raw bovine hides, tanned and crust hides, and finished leather — among the commodities requiring geolocation-level due diligence. The May 2026 simplification package reversed that: leather in all its stages (raw, wet-blue, crust, finished) is proposed for exclusion, together with items such as re-treaded tyres and vehicle seats. The public consultation closed on 1 June 2026, and the Commission has stated it will not re-open the regulation itself — the change is handled as a product-scope amendment. The Commission estimates its simplification measures cut EUDR compliance costs by around 75% versus the original 2023 projections.
For everything that remains in scope (cattle meat, soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, rubber, wood), the regulation applies from 30 December 2026 for most companies.
Why was leather taken out of the EUDR?
The core argument, supported by industry bodies including the Leather Working Group, is that hides are a by-product of the meat and dairy industry, not a driver of deforestation: cattle are not raised for their skins, and the hide typically represents a low single-digit percentage of the animal's value. Environmental groups dispute the exclusion, pointing to leather supply chains linked to deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and the Paraguayan Chaco — which is exactly why documented origin still matters commercially, even without the legal obligation.
What still applies to leather after the exclusion?
The EUDR exclusion removes one compliance layer. It does not remove the traceability expectation that major brands and retailers have already built into their sourcing policies.
| Requirement | Status for leather (2026) | Who demands it |
|---|---|---|
| EUDR due diligence (geolocation of origin) | Excluded — no longer legally required | — |
| LWG audit (traceability scoring included) | Fully active, commercial standard | Most major footwear / leather goods brands |
| ESPR / Digital Product Passport | Coming — leather articles will need product-level data | EU regulation, phased by category |
| REACH (chrome VI, restricted substances) | Fully active | Legal requirement, EU market |
| Brand ESG sourcing policies | Increasingly strict on origin | Luxury and premium groups |
In practice, a brand that dropped traceability work because of the EUDR exclusion would be moving against the market: luxury groups are integrating tanneries precisely to control origin and compliance data.
How should a brand buying leather respond?
Treat the exclusion as breathing room, not a green light. Three practical moves:
- Source from audited tanneries. An LWG Gold certified tannery already documents traceability, water, energy and chemistry under audit — you inherit that documentation with the material.
- Prefer European raw material and tanning-of-origin. European hides tanned at origin shorten the chain and simplify any future documentation requirement. See how to buy leather from Spain.
- Get ahead on chemistry. With EUDR gone, buyer scrutiny shifts to tanning chemistry — chrome vs chrome-free is now the more frequent compliance question in RFQs.
Where can you ask sourcing and compliance questions directly?
Regulation questions like this one rarely have a one-size answer — MOQ, article type and destination market all change the picture. On The Open Board, TL San Martín's free B2B community board, the Processes & advice category exists for exactly this: post your compliance or sourcing question and get answers from tanners, factories and technicians working in leather daily. It's open and free at tlsanmartin.com/#community.
Frequently asked questions
Does the EUDR exclusion apply to all leather types?
The proposed exclusion covers bovine hides and skins raw, tanned (wet-blue), crust and finished leather, along with items such as re-treaded tyres and vehicle seats. Products from commodities that remain in scope (e.g. natural rubber components) are unaffected by the leather exclusion.
When does the EUDR apply for products still in scope?
From 30 December 2026 for most companies, with later application for micro and small enterprises. Leather itself falls out of scope once the product-scope amendment is adopted.
Is LWG certification a legal requirement?
No — it's a voluntary audit standard. But it has become the de facto commercial requirement for supplying major brands, and it covers much of the traceability ground the EUDR would have demanded. See what LWG Gold audits.
Does chrome-free tanning have anything to do with the EUDR?
Not directly. EUDR addresses deforestation; chrome-free addresses tanning chemistry. But both feed the same buyer concern — a documented, lower-risk supply chain — which is why they appear together in sourcing questionnaires.