Loading video... VIDEO: The process of making the silk leather begins with dissolving the fibers and reformulating the protein for extrusion and printing into swatches with customized patterns view more Credit: Laia Soldevilla, Fio Omenetto, Tufts University SilkLab Leather is an ever growing multi-billion dollar industry requiring more than 3.8 billion bovine animals - equal to one for every two people on earth - to sustain production each year. And while the products - clothing, shoes, furniture and more - can be quite elegant and durable, the environmental impact of leather production has been severe, leading to deforestation, water and land overuse, environmental pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.