Apple Watch Leather Bands May Be Discontinued for Series 9

[East India Company]

This drives me crazy - I’m a leather technician and if people understood leather is made from taking a byproduct (waste, if you like) of the meat industry, and reusing it as a sustainable, long lasting material. What do we think happens if we don’t use these hides for leather - they go to landfill 🤷‍♂️ I’m all for apple creating different bands/using different materials, but don’t tell me something synthetic, bound by acrylics, is going to be more sustainable and better for the environment. The move by apple for sure is to appear ‘greener’ to certain consumers, but in reality will come down to cost savings.

I see people commenting that they are all for saving animals - but animals typically used for leather (Bovine) are never killed for the hides - they are killed for the meat.

These animals will be slaughtered if apple makes leather bands or not.

Good opinion but don’t forget that the sale of leather is an inherent part of the cattle rearing business, not a byproduct or a waste. The revenue from leather is probably quite lower than from the meat but it is a revenue nonetheless.
Not using the leather will in the long term increase the price of meat and that will reduce the consumption of it. This business will inevitably become a luxury for the majority of people.

That being said, I think providing petrol based materials as a replacement is far worse. Ideally we should go for some new materials based on cotton, silk, linen or the like. That would be an amazing improvement!

 

[coredev]

Leather has been produced for 4 millennia

True. Just like clothes have been made and food prepared for thousands of years.
That does not mean that industrial production of today is in any way comparable to what people did in the very early days of mankind.

 

[Sevendaymelee]

I'm fine with this. In 2023, it seems almost medieval to require animal skin as a watch band. Totally archaic and pointless.

 

[alexjholland]

Not at all the same thing.

Since you are obviously a city-dweller who has no idea the real world works (cities being a totally artificial environment) I'll point out that killing an animal solely for its skin is vastly different than killing an animal to eat it, then finding uses of the rest of the carcass. There is an old saying about pigs, that you can use every part but the squeal. That is green ethics.

And yes I have killed a great many animals in my time, mostly by crushing whether by hand and with a flyswatter. I just had to take down two colonies of wasps with a vile poison. Those did not get eaten, it was a matter of self defense. What, you don't think wasps count as animals? Only mammals count? Phylumist!

I grew up in the countryside and spent most of my childhood on farms.

It's a shame that you feel so little confidence in your own intellectual skills that you have to pre-amble your own argument with a woefully inaccurate ad hominem.

I don't eat animals either - so arguments about making use of all their body parts are irrelevant.

 

[alexjholland]

Exactly. If the animal is going to be killed anyway, why not respect the animal and utilize the entirety? Don't discard something that can be of use; Native Amercicans showed us the way ages ago. It's just like the elimination of plastic bags in retail; it makes you feel like an eco-warrior but in reality does more harm than good.

Right.

But a rapidly-increasing % of us don't eat meat.

So no - that animal does not have to be killed.

 

[alexjholland]

I'm fine with this. In 2023, it seems almost medieval to require animal skin as a watch band. Totally archaic and pointless.

100%.

It's always totally unimpressive 'men' who glorify hunting.

Pseudo-hunters are even more unimpressive.

'Wow. You bought a steak at Walmart - and a leather watch band.'

Truly, an apex predator.™

 

[East India Company]

Please let us leather fans alone. Why are there always some radical groups that want to force the decisions of others. Like there is only one right answer. I for example prefer eco friendly tanned leather that is disposable. I fully understand vegans and would never try to change their beliefs or would try to convince them to use natural products. Every vegan I know is like a preacher -.-

This happens a lot when people are emotional about their topic. I find this very annoying.
However I fail to understand what you mean by “vegan beliefs”? As far as I understand it is not a religion but a legal and moral question: should we or not give basic rights to other species and if so, up to what level of sentience.

 

[titanium alloy]

Maybe one day Woven Nylon will come back...

 

[alexjholland]

This happens a lot when people are emotional about their topic. I find this very annoying.
However I fail to understand what you mean by “vegan beliefs”? As far as I understand it is not a religion but a legal and moral question: should we or not give basic rights to other species and if so, up to what level of sentience.

Right.

It's a scientific fact that humans don't have to eat animals in order to sustain health - or to achieve any specific athletic goal. Including bodybuilding and MMA.

World-class nutritionists like Layne Norton and Mike Israetel (neither of whom are vegan) have both conceded this fact - even though they suggest that a vegan diet may require more planning.

(Spoiler - soy contains all nine essential amino acids and has no measurable impact on human hormonal composition).

Moreover, multiple studies confirm identical muscle gains for vegans and omnivores - given the same training load and calorific surplus (most recently at the University of Sao Paulo).

If you still want to eat animals then that's your choice.

But countless bigger, stronger and more physically impressive athletes than 99% of people in this thread compete at professional levels without animal-based protein.

 

[macduke]

This drives me crazy - I’m a leather technician and if people understood leather is made from taking a byproduct (waste, if you like) of the meat industry, and reusing it as a sustainable, long lasting material. What do we think happens if we don’t use these hides for leather - they go to landfill 🤷‍♂️ I’m all for apple creating different bands/using different materials, but don’t tell me something synthetic, bound by acrylics, is going to be more sustainable and better for the environment. The move by apple for sure is to appear ‘greener’ to certain consumers, but in reality will come down to cost savings.

I see people commenting that they are all for saving animals - but animals typically used for leather (Bovine) are never killed for the hides - they are killed for the meat.

These animals will be slaughtered if apple makes leather bands or not.

This is a good point and I also think we should use what we have. I have never been one to avoid leather products and my new car has all leather interior. The only counter I have to this is that I see red meat consumption trending down over time, and even more if it is regulated (supply constricted) or taxed (less affordable) for methane emissions. People like to joke about cow farts, but I remember when I actually looked into it, it is not an insignificant source of greenhouse gas emissions. And this year is yet again breaking heat records and we got hurricanes hitting California and multiple major hurricanes simultaneously in the Atlantic for the first time and the highest sea surface temperature ever recorded off the cost of Florida of 102F. Regulation is coming for everything big and small, including cow farts.

Apple is well connected and their supply chain, especially under Tim Cook, is nothing short of incredible. I have to imagine this is motivated by the headwinds they're seeing years in advance. Apple knows people love leather and are willing to pay more for it. I don't think they would just leave all of that money sitting on the table if they could help it.

 

[minik]

I have a few Hermès leather bands and okay if they found an alternative.

 

[East India Company]

Right.

It's a scientific fact that humans don't have to eat animals in order to sustain health - or to achieve any specific athletic goal. Including bodybuilding and MMA.

World-class nutritionists like Layne Norton and Mike Israetel (neither of whom are vegan) have both conceded this fact - even though they suggest that a vegan diet may require more planning.

(Spoiler - soy contains all nine essential amino acids and has no measurable impact on human hormonal composition).

Moreover, multiple studies confirm identical muscle gains for vegans and omnivores - given the same training load and calorific surplus (most recently at the University of Sao Paulo).

If you still want to eat animals then that's your choice.

But countless bigger, stronger and more physically impressive athletes than 99% of people in this thread compete at professional levels without animal-based protein.

You are preaching to the convinced, but the legal and morale question is disconnected from the lifestyle choice of a plant based diet.

 

[nathansz]

Tim is going all out to save the animals this year. The non leather alternative will of course be the same price.

Why wouldn’t it be the same price?

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Why wouldn’t it be the same price?

Because sometimes prices change 👍

 

[unQuestionable]

If anyone that is able to would be willing to get me a Hermès Noir Swift Leather Gourmette (Metal) Double Tour for $100 plus shipping, DM me on Twitter @ForSureByDesign and I will keep it private. Thank you.

 

[mansplains]

I used to admire the leather bands, primarily for formal occasions. It looks really nice on SS models. Apple has ditched pure black bands (aside from link and Hermès for those who wanna pay more than the watch) instead using Midnight or other grey variants. Apple also cannot make up their mind on any consistent grey, Space Grey is all over the place between product lines over the years. Similarly, Saddle Brown has a few different tones, the next best choice for formal wear. My favorite hypothetical leather would be 2017 Classic Buckle design in the Saddle Brown from 2015. Favorite real would be MPW92/MPWR2. Do not even get me started on the change from leather loop to the sausage leather link.

Once I got my Ultra the leather I tested did not match for me anyway, so the best I could do was black/grey trail loop. Fingers crossed Apple releases better Ultra bands in a couple of weeks, in additional materials. They would rather I buy a second watch for formal occasions anyway, so there is not much motivation 😂

 

[technole]

All of it is out of stock, but the word is Hermes partnership will continue. They usually short out quantities at the end of each season like Apple as well for new models.

I'm fine with this. In 2023, it seems almost medieval to require animal skin as a watch band. Totally archaic and pointless.

It's okay, my feet rest on UGG sheepskin while responding to your pointless post.

 

[Boardiesboi]

No need to end the partnership!

Apple Watch Hermès Edition with new Nylon Bands reimagined 👀 🫠

View attachment 2255349
View attachment 2255350
View attachment 2255351
View attachment 2255354
Credit: Parker Ortolani

Interesting renders.

That is actually a rubber band Hermès uses for their actual (non Apple) watch H08. Plenty of high end Swiss watches use rubber or plastic bands.

Hands-On: Hermes H08 Watch With New Colors & Style For 2023

The new Hermes H08 "Colors" Watch, released in 2023, with expert analysis, specs, price, and original photos.

www.ablogtowatch.com

 

[SFjohn]

Good move. I’m all for saving animals.

And yet exactly zero will be saved as long as people eat meat. 🫶🏻

 

[nathansz]

And yet exactly zero will be saved as long as people eat meat. 🫶🏻

It's not necessarily so simple. Leaving aside the fact that some animals are indeed killed solely or primarily for their skin or fur, it can also be part of a larger process of denormalizing the industrial slaughter of animals for human use, food or otherwise, and all of the ethical and environmental problems that entails.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

What a sad day 😭😭

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699201818356572307

 

[CazalKing]

Gross

 

[Four oF NINE]

Billions of (potential iPhone owning) people all over the world avoid cow or pig leather for religious reasons. There’s no point winding up potential customers when you can just outsource any potential reputational risk to third party case manufacturers.

These "potential customers" can jolly well buy whatever material they prefer. Why should the rest of the world be bound by their preferences ?

 

[nathansz]

These "potential customers" can jolly well buy whatever material they prefer. Why should the rest of the world be bound by their preferences ?

you can also buy whatever material you prefer. you are not bound by anyone's preferences

 

[Four oF NINE]

you can also buy whatever material you prefer. you are not bound by anyone's preferences

I expect I will, but I'm not dictating Apple corporate policy.