Behind the Leather Jacket: Sustainability and the Tanneries of Fez

When I visited Fez, Morocco, I did what many travelers do: I wandered through the market and bought a beautiful leather jacket. But seeing where and how that leather was produced changed the experience completely.

From above, the historic tannery looked almost like an artist’s palette—large stone vats filled with shades of red, yellow, brown, and blue. Below, workers moved among the vats, handling and processing animal hides using methods passed down through generations. I watched men physically enter the vats and work directly with the leather. It was fascinating, but also unsettling.

The traditional tanneries of Fez represent centuries of artisanal knowledge and are an important part of Morocco’s cultural and economic heritage. Yet, they also illustrate one of tourism’s most complicated questions: How do we preserve traditional practices while improving environmental sustainability and protecting workers?

Leather tanning can expose workers to biological agents, chemicals, dust, and physically demanding conditions. The International Labour Organization identifies chemical exposure, biological hazards, and occupational injuries as significant concerns in the global tanning and leather industry. Recent research on Morocco’s leather sector also points to environmental challenges associated with tannery wastewater, waste management, and pollution.

Standing above those vats, I was not thinking about academic research. I was thinking about the people I could see working below me—and the leather jacket I had just purchased.

Travel sometimes does that. We buy a beautiful product, enjoy a meal, or photograph a centuries-old tradition without considering the labor and environmental systems behind the experience.

I still have my leather jacket from Fez. But now, when I look at it, I remember more than the market where I bought it. I remember the workers standing in those vats—and the complicated intersection of cultural heritage, tourism, labor, and sustainability.

References

International Labour Organization. (2025). Advancing a Safe and Healthy Working Environment and Decent Work in the Tanning and Leather Industry.

Saad, A. M., et al. (2024). “The Moroccan Leather Sector Between Modernity and Tradition: Challenges and Prospects for Sustainable Development.” Discover Sustainability.