The leather enterprise is worth billions of dollars a year, and it is predicted to rise in the upcoming decades as more people around the planet seek to buy luxury goods. Vegan leather is considered a substantial part of this lucrative leather industry, along with real leather. The most standard vegan leather is faux, i.e., made out of petroleum-based products. However, vegan bags can also be made of waxed cotton, recycled rubber, and faux fabric. Even the corks of a bottle are being used to construct environmentally durable bags for us to enjoy guilt-free.
The vegan leather bags are flexible, lightweight, and can be as and, in many cases, more durable than original leather. They can also be created in different shades. There are many reasons why vegan leather can be more satisfying to work with, and their end results can be excellent, especially in the case of handbags or jackets that can survive for years. There is no suspicion, that there are many alternatives for vegan leather in the fashion industry that are making a splash.
Kinds Of Vegan leather
Well, there are different types of vegan leather available in the market, but they can be separated into two main classifications:
- Synthetic Vegan Leather – This Synthetic leather material can be appropriate for shoes due to its lower abrasion resistance, water resistance, and cost. Synthetic vegan leather includes materials such as PU leather fabrics that can be made up of plastic-based items and polyurethane. Sometimes it is referred to as “pleather,” it is directly made up of petrochemicals, but they can be created from recycled plastics as well.
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- Natural Vegan Leather – Natural Vegan Leather is primarily made up of plant-based materials such as walnut, pineapple, cork, fungus, etc., and can be collectively referred to as “plant leathers.”
Some Pros And Cons Of Vegan Leather
There are some advantages as well as disadvantages that come along with these vegan leathers, as we all know nothing is flawless in this world but the plus point for vegans is that none of the products are derived from animals. In addition, there are some environmental benefits to vegan leathers compared to animal leathers. So in the next section, let’s see some of the advantages and disadvantages of vegan leather to get the full perspective about the topic we are studying.
Advantages Of Vegan Leather
There are a number of environmental and ethical reasons for vegan fashion to be good.
- ANIMAL-FRIENDLINESS
We need to prioritize the welfare of all living animals on this planet, and the use of vegan leather is an incredible way to begin this.
- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Original leather needs to go through extensive processing before it can be used as end materials, and the toxic chemicals used to process the leather – can be very harmful to the environment. Eco-friendly vegan leather made from recycled plastic and/or plant-based materials has a genuine leather feel and is less dangerous for the planet.
- DURABILITY
Vegan leather is eminently long-lasting and can be stain-resistant, water-resistant, and durable. Vegan leather products can endure climate conditions and wear and tear over time.
- COST-EFFECTIVENESS
Preparing and treating leather can be very expensive. When factoring in every cost, from the rearing of cattle to the final manufacturing phases, vegan leather can be easier to manufacture and comparatively cost-effective.
Disadvantages Of Vegan leather
Although there are positive reasons to choose vegan leather over animal-produced leather, vegan leather does not claim to be environmentally friendly; it claims to be cruelty-free. By this, you should understand that vegan leather does not mean being an eco-friendly leather too. So let’s see how non-eco-friendly vegan leather can be bad.
- Bad For The Environment
Vegan leather is not eco-friendly as vegan leathers are usually made up of PVC and its derivative synthetics, which are toxic and can cause various environmental damages and could even be the reason for cancer.
- Poor In Quality
It isn’t obvious that if you compare vegan leather with authentic leather, you will see the difference yourself. For vegan leathers to be of good quality, they must use raw materials up to the same standard. Vegan leathers tends to be thinner than authentic leather, which is good because it makes them lightweight and good for fashion, but this can also make them less durable at the same time.
- Hard To Wear
When we compare vegan leather to authentic leather in terms of clothing, the authentic leather is more breathable than vegan leather because authentic leather has minute pores on it while vegan leather made up of PVC is non-breathable and could be uncomfortable to wear for a long time.
Four Reasons You Should Consider Buying Vegan Leather
Veganism is here. Be it in fashion or food trends, the followers of veganism have made their voices heard: loud and clear. All in all, the benefits of vegan leather rival genuine leather. While not all, some vegan leathers can be more sustainable, eco-friendly, and ethical. So what are you waiting for? Give vegan leather a try.
1. They’re Trendy in Practice
As the world’s population is becoming more aware of animal cruelty, they are increasingly adopting vegan lifestyles. Yes, it’s a trend – a good one. On average, producing vegan products decreases the quantity of trash discarded in the process, making it one of the most efficient methodologies in the fashion industry. What’s not to love? As fashion experts say, their modern approach to bag-making will revolutionize the fashion industry in upcoming years.
2. Ecosystem Friendly
Veganism means honorable treatment of animals; the practice can also be beneficial to our environment.
The process of creating vegan leather bags is considered to be less stressful on our natural resources and creates less air or water pollution than a leather sawmill. When you consider disposing of all the waste and carcasses that animals might produce while developing the leather, choosing vegan leather appears to be the obvious healthy choice.
3. No Dark Origins
All of us know that leather is typically sourced from animals, and in the case of bags, it’s usually from bovine or cowhide. In accordance with People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), factories that accept cattle for leather often overcrowd them, driving the animals to live in intense distress.
Vegan purses and vegan handbags are commonly made up of synthetic means like PU (polyurethane), which doesn’t involve endangering or hurting animals in the method. More fashion, less guilt.
4. Natural Look & Feel
Most leather experts say they wouldn’t be able to distinguish between vegan leather and natural leather asunder from eye level. This is because vegan leather has natural leather’s exact roughness and texture. They are also more versatile than genuine leather due to their ability to hold coloring well.
Conclusion:
Veganism is not just an ethical subject; it’s more of a lifestyle. There are some advantages of adopting a vegan lifestyle in the above article. Try to see the impact you make when you choose vegan.