Citizen joins the Leather Working Group

Watchmaker Citizen has become a member of the Leather Working Group (LWG) to promote the use of sustainable leather.

LWG is an international non-profit organisation comprised of tanneries, traders, suppliers, technical experts, as well as brands and retailers. The group is dedicated to conserving the natural environment and providing consumers with safe, responsible leather and has more than 1,800 member organisations in 65 countries worldwide.

As a member, Citizen will undergo an audit of its environmental metrics in its leather-making process, including the safety of chemicals used in leather manufacturing processes, wastewater treatment, and energy use. LWG awards certification only to companies “who meet its rigorous international standards,” currently, this accounts for around 25 percent of the world’s total production of finished leather.

Leather is a popular material for watch straps, but the process of making leather from raw hides uses large quantities of water and chemicals and can lead to environmental pollution and negative health outcomes. As part of its efforts to be more sustainable, Citizen states 60 percent of the leather it currently uses is sourced from LWG-certified tanneries and aims to increase this to more than 90 percent to reduce its environmental impact.