Photo/Illutration A pair of Asics Corp.’s DS Light X-Fly Pro 3 soccer cleats made with Silkywrap synthetic leather (Provided by Asics Corp.)

Sporting goods manufacturer Asics Corp. has announced it will stop using kangaroo leather for its soccer and rugby cleats, as well as futsal shoes, by the end of the year.

It follows the lead of Puma, Nike, Adidas and other world-famous brands that are phasing out the use of kangaroo leather due to ethical concerns raised in the United States and Europe about the commercial hunting of kangaroos.

With Mizuno Corp. also planning to follow suit, kangaroo leather looks destined to soon disappear from the market.

Leather from the hides of kangaroos was used for sports shoes because it is light, fits well on the foot and offers other advantages.

But many users griped that it was not durable and stretched too much, according to Asics.

So, the company developed a synthetic leather it calls Silkywrap and started selling cleats using the new material last December.

Asics plans to expand sales of cleats in the business year ending in December 2026 to at least 5 billion yen ($33.7 million), a more than 50 percent increase from two years earlier.

“We developed a product that is highly sustainable,” a company representative said, adding, “We place importance on ethical procurement.”

Like other sports goods makers, the company had been approached by animal welfare organizations to stop using kangaroo leather. 

Companies are increasingly emphasizing ESG management, which refers to the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into their operations and investment strategies.

In doing so, they place greater importance on the opinions of shareholders and consumers to raise brand awareness and minimize managing risks.

For the past dozen or so years, between 1.1 million and 1.7 million kangaroos have been commercially hunted in Australia each year, according to overseas media.

The animals are mostly hunted at night.

Activists say kangaroo hunting is inhumane as the animals can be left to suffer if they are not killed outright. Concerns have been raised about the treatment of joeys found in the pouch of their dead mothers.

Australian authorities maintain that kangaroo culling is needed to protect the ecosystem from an explosion of kangaroo numbers. Another factor is crop damage.

Critics argue that ending the use of kangaroo leather for sports shoes would be at odds with making effective use of culling, which would have ramifications for the meat and tanning industries.

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