Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
With 53% of apparel and footwear companies reporting no visibility into their leather supply chain*, this represents one of the industry’s largest traceability gaps.
Visibility is often limited beyond Tier 1, and heavy reliance on documentation means many brands lack confidence in where their leather truly originates. As regulatory pressure grows and internal sourcing commitments evolve, companies are increasingly being pushed to verify leather origin with greater certainty.
In this webinar, Michela Mossali, Business Development Lead at Oritain, explores the current realities of leather traceability, drawing on industry data and pilot programs. The session will cover key challenges, the drivers accelerating demand for better origin insight, and how scientific verification can complement existing traceability efforts. It will also highlight the benefits of extending verification programs across materials like leather and ways to make traceability more accessible within tighter budgets.
*Sourcing Journal x Oritain: The Future of Fashion Traceability Report – 457 survey respondents
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- To understand leather traceability challenges.
- Insights from pilot programs.
- How to overcome reliance on documentation alone.
Speaker:
Michela Mossali
Business Development Lead
Oritain
Michela Mossali is Business Development Lead at Oritain, bringing over six years’ experience helping fashion brands improve ESG, responsible sourcing, and supply chain transparency. She previously held roles in legislation monitoring, policy analysis, government engagement, and strategy development to help brands navigate complex sourcing and compliance challenges.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a Master’s degree in Human Rights, Michela has worked across European institutions in France and Austria, supporting portfolios including migration, human rights, and environmental policy, giving her a strong policy perspective on sustainable fashion and leather traceability.
AAFA Host:
Conor O’Brien
Sustainability Policy Specialist
AAFA
Conor O'Brien joined AAFA's policy team in 2024 as its Sustainability Policy Coordinator after completing his Masters in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University. Prior to joining AAFA, Conor worked for several years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Boston, where he engaged with RCRA compliance, state coordination, climate adaptation planning, and environmental justice application. Initially trained as a chemist at Princeton University, Conor combines scientific research with policy analysis and application to provide holistic approaches to sustainable resource usage in pursuit of a more circular economy. Conor supports the work of the AAFA Environmental Committee and AAFA Product Safety Council by engaging with public and private stakeholders on issues of sustainability, product safety, and chemical management germane to the apparel and footwear industry.
Unable to join on April 20?
Register for the webinar to receive an email containing the direct link to access the recording of the webinar and the PDF version of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the webinar.
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong