Toxic Leather: European Brands Fail Due Diligence In India

The Palar River, a lifeline for millions of people in Tamil Nadu, India, is heavily polluted by tanneries supplying major European brands, despite supply chain due diligence laws.

"I feel like crying when I think that we are losing this place to pollution," says Manivisagam, an activist from Ranipet in Tamil Nadu, southern India. "There used to be beautiful lakes and rivers - now there is nothing," he adds.

India is the world’s second largest exporter of leather, with 35% of its exports coming from the 449 tanneries operating in the Palar basin. These tanneries supply major European brands, many of which do not disclose the origin of their materials. The team traced key buyers from Tamil Nadu’s tanneries, including Inditex (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Tempe, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear), Geox, Max Mara, Deichmann, Gabor Shoes, Ecco, and H&M.

Beyond the severe land, air, and water pollution affecting the local communities, activists report that workers often endure hazardous conditions, low wages, and a lack of effective compliance mechanisms.

This situation raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of European due diligence legislation, in particular the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), set to take effect in 2027, and the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz), which came into force in 2023. These regulations require companies to take responsibility for human rights and environmental violations throughout their supply chains.

Through interviews with activists and workers on the ground, the investigation reveals that, so far, little to no action has been taken to ensure compliance with these regulations - leaving workers vulnerable to ongoing exploitation and environmental damage.

Photo: Karthikeyan Hemalatha