Everything we do in our lives affects not only us but also the people around us, the environment, as well as other living beings. We are used to exploiting animals for everything, starting from the meal on our plates, up to the accessories we use and the clothes that we are wearing.
There are a lot of issues that are rising because of this, but luckily, there are people who are looking for long-term solutions that will help everyone make a difference. Here, we are going to talk about one of those people, and we will tell you more about the impact of Asif Ali Gohar on the leather industry.
More about the leather industry
Source: englandleather.co.uk
The leather industry is one of the biggest ones in the world, and in most countries, the goods that are manufactured here are extremely popular and sought after. The market size is close to 500 billion dollars, and the growth rate is about 6 percent.
Every year more than 30 billion square feet of leather are produced, and that costs more than 60 billion dollars each year. Note that these numbers are rising every day, so that number is continuously growing. As you already know, this material is used for everything, starting from our jackets up to the furniture in our homes and even in our vehicles.
One thing that not many people are aware of is that footwear and shoe production is actually the biggest consumer on a global level. Tens of billions of pairs are produced every year, and this affects the world in many different ways.
There are many reasons why people love these goods and why they are some of the most popular goods, clothes, and accessories in the world. They are extremely durable, they look good, and in some countries, they are seen as a sign of luxury and impeccable style.
The problem with these goods is that billions of animals are killed because people want to have their skin on them, and even though most of us try to forget this fact when we go to the store to purchase new boots, it is still a fact that cannot be changed just with our ignorance.
There have been a lot of tries for people to make a change in this, and there has been a lot of petitions to stop manufacturing these goods and to turn to some type of fabric where animals will not be affected by our greed.
The reason why this was not as successful before was that people did not have a good way to replace genuine leather goods with something that will be the same or better when it comes to looks, durability, and feel. Luckily, people like Asif Ali Gohar started working on this problem and they found a long-term solution to this problem.
Who is Asif Ali Gohar?
Source: greenqueen.com.hk
Asif Ali Gohar, born in Karachi, Pakistan is a graduate of the University of Hamburg, and even though he was born in Pakistan, he and his family moved to Germany when he was twelve years old. In Germany, he started and finished his formal education, and throughout his whole life, he had the idea that something needs to be done when it comes to animals, their products, and how we treat them.
As you already know, Pakistan is a place where animals are greatly used not only for food but also for manufacturing products out of them. Even when Gohar was still in high school, he knew that he wanted to do something that will create a solution for at least some of the ways we negatively impact other beings on the planet.
During his university years, Asif Ali Gohar started working on his idea, and he started exploring what can be done to create a vegan substitute for leather goods that will provide similar, if not the same experience for people who enjoy these products.
He is also a great veganism advocate and he is working on raising awareness that we don’t have to rely on other creatures to get our food, clothes, or any goods that we use in our daily lives.
Gohar’s impact
Source: proveg.com
Now that you know more about Gohar, let’s talk about his ideas and how they are implemented on the market. As we mentioned before, he always had the idea in the back of his mind that animals should not be abused and used just like products in our lives, and we need to turn them into other sources that will not harm living creatures.
When he started actively exploring his idea, Asif Ali Gohar started working on leather substitutes that will offer the users the same experience that they have with genuine leather, but this time, no animals will be harmed during the production process.
Even though he is just one person, he still managed to make a change on the global market, as well as the one in Pakistan. His current focus is the market in his home country since this country is one of the global leaders in producing goods that are made of animal skin.
The way that his idea works is that he offers the world a substitute that is made of rice, and even though it sounds like something that would not work, in this case, it does. Rice combined with other materials that are not harmful to the environment or the animals create a beautiful product that can be a great substitute for animal skin. Almost one billion dollars are made each year from leather exports, and this country contributes almost 10 percent to the world rice trade.
What this means is that a change is started in this country, chances are, other places will follow and people will be more interested in making the change on their own. This is already in motion, and many other countries are looking into creating a vegan substitute for the main product.
As you can see, even one person with a good idea is enough to set things in motion. Gohar is continuously looking for investors and supporters who will help him spread his idea and make a difference. Even the smallest change can make things better for us and for the animals, and the sooner we find a vegan substitute, the better the world is going to be.
