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There are different trends for which people are going after these days. Some are going for plantations, opting vegan, and many more. These days a lot of people are trying vegan dishes, foods, snacks but which amazes me most was how we can now go for vegan leather.
Vegan leather also known with many other names as well such as “artificial leather” or “synthetic leather” known with many names but it is not made with the animal skin. So it is made without any cruelty. It is the best alternative for those who love leather but also don’t want to use animal leather.
Most vegan leather is made by using Polyvinyl Chloride or Polyurethane, both of which are Plastic-Based materials. And while we’re well aware of our planet’s plastic problem, “pleather” is still the more sustainable and ethical option when it comes to handbags, belts, wallets, shoes, and anything else you’d typically find using leather.
What Exactly is Vegan Leather?
Vegan Leather, also known as faux leather, or a leather alternative- is a leather-like fabric that isn’t made from the skin of the animal. Instead, it is vegan leather is made from a variety of plastic and plant materials.
What is Vegan leather made from?
Much like how normal leather is made from the skin of different animals, vegan leather is made from the skin of different kinds of non-animal materials.
Even though vegan leather is technically leather made without the exploitation of killing the animal just for the sake of skin, alternatives fabrics are far from perfect.
“PU is made in a strictly controlled and regulated chemical process, during which only a few grams per ton of chemical is ever released into the environment. The final polyurethane polymer is chemically inert, and therefore harmless. PU is also biodegradable by way of fungus in landfills and soil.”
Another example is a vegan shoe retailer who explains how their shoes are using the PU leather technology which is a good alternative to normal leather extracted from the animal skin.
Vegan leather made from Pinatex:
Pinatex is an alternative leather product made from the waste parts of a pineapple plant, mainly with the pineapple leaves. It was first originated in the Philippines, where Dr. Hijosa noticed that the plant is creating a lot of waste and which can be used and utilized. She saw it as an opportunity to turn these off-cuts into a sustainable leather alternative.
Vegan leather made from cork:
Cork leather is made from the bark of the Cork Oak trees, which grows in the Mediterranean regions, including Portugal, Spain, and even France.
Cork leather is typically used to make handbags, wallets, luggage, shoes, umbrellas, and upholstery.
There are many other alternatives also which different companies are trying and testing and also their sustainability. Some of the other examples are- Wine leather which is made from the grape, and also mushroom leather. It is just a matter of time when the animal-based leather industry and companies will be totally replaced with the plant-based or waste material based leather.
Companies which are making products from the plant-based products or waste:
- Cereal Crop Leather by Will’s Vegan store:
The company is trying to move away from using polyurethane to make its vegan leather and recently rolled out a new product using viscose made from eucalyptus bark.
- Pineapple leather by Pinatex:
Piñatex is made of natural fibers and polylactic acid fibers (PLA), which are biodegradable. However, Piñatex is coated with a petroleum-based resin, meaning the material not biodegradable — yet. Ananas Anam is working on a bio-based coating that will hopefully make Piñatex biodegradable in the future.
- Cactus leather by Desserto:
Desserto vegan leather is made from nopal cactus leaves, and it is organic, "partially biodegradable," soft, and durable — so durable that it can be used to make furniture and car interiors in addition to fashion items like wallets, purses, and shoes.
- Corn leather by Veja:
The corn leather material is a waxed canvas, coated with resin from the corn waste industry that looks and feels similar to leather.
- Flower leather by Fleather:
As per the company's website, the founders came up with the idea to repurpose temple flowers when they noticed the dyes, chemicals, and pesticides seeping from the flowers and into the river after people set them to float away on the water. So they came up with a great idea to use it in making different types of products out of it. Such as Handbags.
- Apple peel leather by Verah:
The apple peels which are usually bein wasted are bein used for a better purpose. It helps the company to make man-made leather out of it.
Read More- The difference between Vegetarianism and Veganism
