Leather crafting is an expensive hobby, and some people still do it. My husband is one of those people. He made us matching cell-phone holders and he made me luggage tags just this summer.
If cows were killed ONLY to get the hides for leather, I'd be one of the first people in line to oppose doing that.However, the slaughter of cattle occurs basically for people to be able to eat their flesh, not tan their hides. Hides are sort of a by-product that are used in commercial manufacture of high-end shoes, belts, bags, and so on. While I don't eat the meat, I do wear leather shoes (when I'm not wearing Crocs). Otherwise, the hides would pose a disposal problem.
