Vegan Leather or Pleather or Leaderette

Disha Gopal
Masters in Fashion Management, National Institute of Fashion Technology, India
Bachelor of
Arts(Hons.) Economics, University of Punjab Category Manager-Brand
ADDIDAS
___________________________________________________________________________

“So it is always preferable to discuss the matter of veganism in a non-

judgemental way.
Remember that to most people, eating flesh or dairy and using animal products
such as
leather, wool, and silk, is as normal as breathing air or drinking water. A
person who
consumes dairy or uses animal products is not necessarily or usually what a
recent and
unpopular American president labelled an "evil doer.”
― GaryLFrancione

Vegan Leather Market Will Be Worth US$89 Billion By 2025, Asia To Dominate Sector

A new report by Bangalore-based tech solutions company Infinitum Global estimates

that the
market for vegan leather will reach US$89 billion by 2025, citing the growing
consumer
awareness about animal welfare as the primary reason for growth, especially in the
Asia-Pacific
region. The study also reveals that as consumers become more concerned about
sustainability,
the sector will be driven to innovate more eco-friendly types of vegan leather
alternatives, which
for now tend to be plastic-based products that have a shorter lifespan than
traditional animal-
based leather.

Introduction: The word ‘leather’ according to the Oxford dictionary is the material
made by
tanning or otherwise dressing hides. (Hides are the skins of animals) Anything made
from
synthetics or natural cork cannot be called leather. ‘Vegan leather’ is a term
created by marketing
experts to convince Vegans they are getting a product as good as the real thing.
Vegan leather
may sound like an oxymoron because- it is an oxymoron. So what is vegan leather
besides being
an ethical, sustainable, and cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather? Well,
as you probably
already suspected: It isn’t leather at all!

1
Vegan leather, also known faux leather, or a leather alternative—is a leather-like
fabric that isn’t
made from the skin of animals. Instead, vegan leather is made from a variety of
plastic and plant
materials.
Is Faux Leather Fabric Really A Viable Alternative?

leatherette is essentially just another type of fake leather -a synthetic material

that mimics the
real thing and contains no animal by-products, which makes it an attractive
alternative for vegans
at first glance.It’s composition can vary, however, with natural and synthetic
cloth fibers used to
create the base material before being coated in either polyurethane or PVC.

Manufacture of leatherette : As a synthetic material, leatherette goes through a

longer
production process than real leatherand the term leatherette is commonly used in
the automotive
and furniture industries where fake leather is often utilized as an upholstery
fabric, whereas the
fashion industry will opt for the frankly better sounding “faux leather” to
describe synthetic
alternatives to animal hide.

There are, however, several terms to describe this material.

1. faux leather
2. synthetic leather
3. fake leather
4. artificial leather

2
 5. pu leather
6. vegan leather
7. pleather
8. vinyl

Difference between leather and leatherette: The main difference between leather and
leatherette
is the price. Despite essentially being a by-product of the meat industry, leather
still commands
an extremely high price and is often associated with premium goods. Leatherette, on
the other
hand, is relatively cheap and will often be selected by those who are looking to
make savings that
they can then spend elsewhere. This is especially true in the automotive industry,
where cars will
often be sold with optional extras available.

Durability: Leather is a very durable product, but it does need to be cared for.
Stains and spills
need immediate attention or else you’ll be left with unsightly marks. If you’re
looking for an
upholstery material you can just forget about, then leather really isn’t the best
option for
you. Real leather also scratches very easily.Even though the life span of
Leatherette is less than
real leather it can last 5- 10 years out of it before it deteriorates, depending,
of course, on how
one uses it and well maintained, leather will outlast leatherette.

Maintenance
Maintaining leather can be hard work. This naturally porous material will soak up
spills and
smells and is impossible to wash. Leatherette, too, is usually not washable, but it
does have the
benefit of being a lot less porous than real leather, so you’re able to wipe
leatherette furniture
down to keep it clean and you’ll also have a window of opportunity to mop up a
spillage before
it soaks in. A leather seat or sofa requires regular dusting, vacuuming,
conditioning, and
nourishing and some even recommend keeping it covered when not in use.

Choice
Leather was once s restricted to three options: black, brown, and, occasionally,
white but today a
variety of dies have been produced to dye leather to any color one wants. The range
of colors
available for synthetic leathers is far wider, which gives consumers greater
choice.

3
Ethics
This should be a no-brainer but, as with so many things in life, it’s not quite a
black and white
issue. While the benefits of opting for an upholstery fabric that does not cause
harm to animals
are obvious, there are other considerations to take into account, such as the
environmental impact
leatherette can have.

From an eco standpoint, both polyurethane and PVC are not good, so opting for a
vegan leather
may not be the best choice for the planet even though it is far kinder to our furry
friends.

Distinguishing between leatherette and leather

The truth is that it is getting harder and harder to make the distinction between
the two. Newer
technology is making fake leather better than ever at mimicking the real things,
but there are still
a few tell-tale signs you can look out for.

The main one is to check the material’s pores. Unsurprisingly, real leather’s pores
will be far
more inconsistent than that of a synthetically manufactured leather. So, if the
pores of the
material are uniformly spaced, it’s a good chance that the product is made from
fake leather.
Another way to spot the difference between real and fake leather is to check the
edging wherever
possible. If you can see the edges of the product, you will be able to ascertain
whether or not the
leather is real or synthetic by again looking for uniformity. If the edges seems
clean and
consistent, then it’s likely to be faux leather. If the edges appear to be ragged
and rough, it’s
probably real leather.
Finally, use your senses. Smell and feel will give you a good idea of what the
material is made
of, regardless of how old it is. Leatherette will never smell like leather and will
often have a
plasticky feel to it (although manufacturers are getting better at reducing this).
Giving the
material a firm press will also reveal a lot, too. A fingertip on real leather will
cause a “spider’s
web” like pattern to appear, whereas fake leather will not crease in quite the same
way.When it
comes to ethical and sustainable standards of the leather industry, there’s a lot
to consider as a
mindful consumer.Unfortunately, vegan or not, leather can be an incredibly harmful
fabric at
multiple levels of the supply chain Infinitum Global analysts predict that global
demand for

4
vegan leather is expected to rise by an annual rate of 49.9% to reach US$89.6
billion by 2025,.
The primary reason for its rapid growth will be the evolving awareness about animal
welfare and
rights, which will send consumers looking for more animal-free products, especially
in the
footwear, garments and furniture industries. animal welfare and rights, which will
send
consumers looking for more animal-free products, especially in the footwear,
garments and
furniture industries.

Asia will be the predominant driving force of the market, says the report. While
animal cruelty
regulations may already exist in Europe, these policies are likely to become more
stringent over
time and will also begin to surface in the Asia-Pacific, particularly as more
consumers become
inclined to purchase animal-free products made from synthetic vegan leather in the
region.
This projected growth in Asia will take place as the continent experiences a rapid
rise in
population and disposable income, especially in China and India. Although North
America and
Europe will continue to see stable substantial growth owing to the cruelty-free
consumer trend,
the Asian market is expected to propel the majority of the growth rate as middle-
income earners
begin to shun conventional animal-based products.

The report also finds that mounting concerns over the environmental impact of
traditional leather
will be another factor driving the ascent of vegan leather. This will work to
incentivise greater
innovation in the sector, as current versions of vegan leather tend to have a
shorter lifespan
compared to conventional animal-based leather and are less durable to heat exposure
and
moisture.
Concerns about the sustainability of vegan leather will therefore promote tech
development to
create more sustainable materials that are less susceptible to wear and tear, as
well as leather
substitutes that require less plastic and use fewer synthetic treatments such as
bleach, which
contributes to fossil fuel production and water contamination.
Consumer trends highlighted in the report are already underway globally,
particularly in the
realm of cruelty-free, sustainable and vegan fashion. Globally, vegan-friendly
sustainable
fashion businesses are experiencing a watershed year, with independent boutique
brands and fast
fashion giants offering more alternative choices to conscious shoppers.

5
Iconic footwear brand Dr. Marten’s, for instance, saw the sales of its vegan boots
skyrocket by
an astonishing 279%. Meanwhile, Swedish fast fashion behemoth H&M will be making a
number of eco-friendly and plant-based products using vegan leather derived from
wine waste,
and global sportswear giant Reebok revealed its launch for the first plant-based
performance
running shoe.
Most recently, London-based sustainable label Luxtra has partnered with Dutch
company
FruitLeather Rotterdam to create a new collection of vegan leather handbags made
from leftover
mangoes that would otherwise be thrown away as waste.
In response to the spike in demand for ethical, cruelty-free and sustainable vegan
products, a
number of certification bodies have launched new standards and guidelines to verify
businesses
in the fashion industry. In February this year, the British Retail Consortium (BRC)
set out new
guidelines to ensure that vegan fashion items are 100% free of animal and animal-
derived
products throughout the supply chain of the brand. It follows the move by Friend of
the Earth, a
certification body of the World Sustainability Organisation (WSO), to launch a new
standard for
sustainable fashion which covers sourcing, production methods and waste reduction
amongst its

requirements.1

6
Most vegan leather is made using polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane, both of which
are plastic-
based materials (hence the popular, albeit maybe dated, portmanteau “pleather,”
which originally
stood for “plastic leather”). 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.

The most commonly used materials for synthetic leathers are polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) and polyurethane (PU), which are plastic based materials. Another term for
fake leather
is “pleather” which comes from the term plastic leather. These two commonly used
synthetic
materials in particular have raised questions about the safety and dangers of vegan
leather to the
environment. Very few vegan leathers are made from natural materials although it is
possible to
find more eco friendly products made from materials like cork, kelp and even
pineapple leaves.

Leather sellers often describe vegan leather as toxic, poor quality, lacking the
variety and colors
of “real leather”, and as overall a poor investment. In reality, even inorganic
modern vegan
leathers are made from similar materials as all other synthetic materials and
plastics, which have
become much less toxic, while horrible toxic chemicals are used in leather
processing, as well as
the factory-animal farming industry. Vegan leathers come in a variety of colors and
textures, as
much as animal-based leathers, and often are easier to care and maintain. The
quality in terms of
look and durability of vegan leather has improved dramatically, as the demand for
its use in
fashion, as opposed to utilitarian functions, has increased. At this point the
often the only way to
tell it apart from real leather is to examine the backing. Like animal-based
leather, it longevity is
tied to how well its conditioned and maintained.

Consumption of animal products — yes, leather and hides included — is the single
best thing
an individual could do to help the planet. As researcher Joseph Poore put it, “A
vegan diet is
probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just
greenhouse
gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use. It is far
bigger than
cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.”

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HOW IS VEGAN LEATHER MADE?

\Vegan leather made from wine waste

Synthetic leather is produced with different chemicals and a totally different

industrial process to
real leather. Bonding together a plastic coating to a fabric backing is the most
common way to
make faux leather; the types of plastic used in these coatings vary and this is
what defines
whether or not it is eco friendly. Although PVC is in much less use than it was in
the 1960’s and
70’s, it can still be found in the composition of some vegan leather. PVC releases
dioxins, which
are potentially dangerous in confined spaces and especially dangerous if burnt. It
also uses
plasticisers such as phthalates to make it flexible. Depending on the type of
phthalate used,
they’re extremely toxic.

The more modern and slightly less damaging plastic is PU, which is constantly being
technically
developed to reduce its flaws such as the hazardous toxins it releases during
manufacturing and
the oil based polymers it’s made with which make use of fossil fuels.

WHAT DOES VEGAN LEATHER SMELL LIKE?

Vegan/Faux leather that is made with PVC or PU often has a very strange smell from
the
chemicals. It’s often described as a 'fishy' smell and can often be very hard to
get rid especially
while trying not to ruin the material. PVC can also outgas dangerous toxins that
give off this
nasty smell.

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WHAT DOES VEGAN LEATHER LOOK LIKE?
Vegan leather comes in several different forms and qualities, so some are more
'leather-like' than
others. Generally speaking, and focusing on good quality vegan leather, there isn’t
that much
difference to real leather. However, as vegan leather is synthetic, it doesn’t form
a patina like
real leather does when ageing and it is much less breathable as the pores that are
printed onto the
surface of pleather are artificial.

VEGAN VERSUS REAL LEATHER:

The main concern for most people when deciding between vegan and real leather is
the impact it
has on animals and the environment. However, whilst the term vegan leather might
imply an
environmentally friendly product, this is not always the case.

IS VEGAN LEATHER GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? And IS it BETTER THAN

REAL LEATHER?

Quality and durability are also important things to consider when comparing vegan
and real
leather. Vegan leather is often a lot thinner than real leather and much more light
weight which is
great for fashion as it makes it potentially easier to work with, however it also
makes it less
durable than real leather. A real, good quality leather can last decades when cared
for, whereas
you might only get a year or so out of a pair of shoes made from good quality faux
leather. This
is an important factor when deciding between fake leather and real leather as the
environmental
impact of replacing a fake leather product multiple times is arguably more damaging
than the
purchase of one real leather item.Synthetic leathers also wear out very
unattractively whereas
real leather ages over time and forms a patina, which is considered to add
character to leather.

Faux leather, especially PVC based, isn’t breathable either where as real leather
has pores
through which skin is able to breathe. So for clothing items such as jackets, vegan
leather can be
uncomfortable when worn for long periods of time.In addition to environmental
factors, faux
leather is typically a lot cheaper than real leather products. This is because it’s
cheaper to
produce synthetic plastic leather than it is to produce real leather. The
craftsmanship of leather

9
products is a highly skilled job and bespoke leather products such as sofas,
jackets and luggage
can be thousands of dollars. Manufacturers are able to command these prices because
they are
considered both high quality and highly durable.

MAINTAINING VEGAN LEATHER

As vegan leather is made with a plastic coating, it is already waterproof. This

makes it easier
to clean by using a mild detergent or just by wiping it with a damp cloth, however
it also means
that conditioningproducts can’t penetrate it to stop it from drying up and
cracking, which can
happen if the fake leather is in the sun a lot and also if it’s a particularly poor
quality material.
However, you can get certain products, which will cover the surface of the plastic
to prevent high
temperatures and sun rays from cracking the surface. Such products can also help to
soften the
material.
HOW TO REPAIR VEGAN LEATHER
You can replace or patch up the damaged area with a faux leather repair kit that
can be bought
online - they’re easy to use and suited to different types of faux leather.

IS VEGAN LEATHER GOOD QUALITY?

Vegan leather can come in different standards of quality and as with real leather,
the higher the
quality, the longer it will last. Faux leather is generally a lot cheaper and of a
lower quality to
real leather, even at a high standard. Vegan leather is ultimately much less
durable than real

10
leather and tends to be thinner so it’s not uncommon for it to tear or scuff badly
over time.

HOW TO UNWRINKLE VEGAN LEATHER

It is important that you do not try to iron wrinkled vegan leather by putting the
iron directly onto
the material. The method you should use to remove wrinkles depends on the quality
of the
material – because synthetic 'pleathers' have plastic in them, they do not mix well
with heat and
it can often ruin the product completely. High quality faux leathers can be steamed
to remove
wrinkles if protected with asheet, towel or lining as they are much more forgiving
against heat
however there still should be a lot of care taken when doing this. It is important
that you don’t
heat your fake leather for more than 30 seconds.

HOW TO SHRINK VEGAN LEATHER METHOD:

1. Wash the item in your washing machine on warm to clean off the article and
prevent any
contamination from 'baking' into the plastic material of the pleather.

2. Put the polyurethane item into an old pillowcase and tie off the top with a
shoelace or piece of
string to prevent it from falling out. Materials like this may get hot enough to
stick to the dryer’s
drum, damaging the jacket and making a mess, so avoid this happening at all costs.

3. Set the dryer on high. Let the cycle go for about an hour. Allow the jacket to
cool off and then
test fit it. Repeat the cycle as needed, using progressively shorter drying times
until satisfied.

CAN YOU STRETCH VEGAN LEATHER

Faux leather does stretch, but not as much as real leather. You need to be careful
when trying to
stretch fake leather because it increases the risk of it cracking, so it’s best to
avoid it all together.

CAN YOU DISTRESS VEGAN LEATHER?

Trying to distress faux leather will more often than not result in damaging the
item. Most people
tend to create a distressed affect on faux leather using thin layers of
acrylic/fabric paints –
thick layers can result in the vegan leather cracking and peeling the top layer
entirely. Be sure to
use paints/dyes suitable for the material, as solvents often eat away at pleather.
Remember to test

11
the paint on a small inconspicuous area of the product first before applying all
over.

HOW TO DYE VEGAN LEATHER

Faux leather is not as permeable as real leather, which means the material cannot
easily absorb
coloured dye. Therefore, even after dyeing your faux leather product you should be
aware that
the process will most likely need to be repeated throughout the products life span
as the colour
wears off over time.:
1. Prepare the pleather surface by wiping it down with a clean cloth to remove any
dust or dirt
particles. For a thorough clean, it’s recommended to wipe the product down with
pure alcohol.

2. Once clean and dry your vegan leather product is ready to be dyed with
upholstery paint.
Please see the instructions on the paint product for the recommended drying
time.Remember to
test the paint on a small inconspicuous area of the product first before applying
all over.

HOW TO SOFTEN VEGAN LEATHER

Vegan leather is less permeable than real leather, and therefore traditional
leather conditioning
products have little impact on softening the material. Vinyl conditioner is
typically
recommended to soften faux leather, and should be applied with a soft cloth in
small circular
motions. Excess conditioner should then be removed with a clean cloth before
leaving the
product to dry. The process can be repeated until the level of softness desired is
achieved.

Vegan “leather” is, like all products made from petroleum, far more toxic to Life
than natural
materials treated, cured and prepared with natural products without any petroleum
derivatives or
products in them. Whether or not modern plastics fabrication is less toxic than it
used to be, it
remains more dangerous to Life than natural, REAL leather. Really, the problem lies
in the
maniacal nature of consumer culture. Yes, purchase things when you need them but be
sensible
and reasonable about being a consumer. Choose natural products that, when cared
for, last
decades or centuries. There needs to be an end to living chemically and in a death
bath of
petroleum.

12
And switching to vegan leather is a change that the world has thankfully embraced.
According to
a recent report by consulting group Grand View Research, the world market for vegan
leather is
estimated to be worth $85 billion by 2025,

Currently, the most popular alternative to PVC for faux leather is polyurethane.
Polyurethane, however, presents its own set of economic and environmental
challenges. The
chemistry behind it is complicated, which causes the price point to go up, and also
creates a
wider variation in quality and performance. From an environmental perspective, the
main
concern with polyurethane-based synthetic leather is that solvents are used. The
production
process involves painting polyurethane in liquid form onto a fabric backing. Making
polyurethane into a liquid requires a solvent, and those can be highly toxic.
“The newest versions of polyurethane are using a waterborne coating, and those are
a lot better,”
says Dent. Ultimately, though, the type of polyurethane used in a piece of clothing
is only one
part of the environmental equation. Its impact will also depend on the quality of
the supply, the
way it’s put onto fabric, and the sorts of chemistry used in every step of the
manufacturing
process. With so many steps, there is plenty of opportunity for bad things to
happen. But is
it better or worse than actual leather? Dent says, “It depends on who you ask and
it depends on
how you assess.” Obviously, for the vegan whose ethical concerns favor animal life
above all
else, leather is out. But for those who don’t put animal ethics at the top of the
list, there are other
factors at play. The biggest is that, as Gwendolyn Hustvedt, an associate professor
in Fashion
Merchandising at Texas State University points out, “most cows don’t die to become
a purse.”
The bulk of hides used in leather production come from cattle that are raised for
beef and milk,
so not using their hides could be deemed wasteful. This by no means alleviates
concern over
animal cruelty or other environmental concerns like deforestation, it’s just that,
for those who do
eat meat, this gives leather, environmentally speaking, an advantage.

It’s an advantage, however, that can be easily rendered moot by the tanning
process. “The
tanning process for leather has traditionally been awful,” says Dent. “People don’t
live very long
if they become a tanner in certain parts of the world.” Chemicals used in tanning
include
formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and some finishes that are cyanide base. One
study of the

13
Chiampo Valley, a tanning region in northern Italy, showed that more than 30
solvents were
released into the air from the surrounding tanning factories.
Ultimately then, what can give leather an environmental edge is its sustainability.
PVC and
polyurethane aren’t going to last nearly as long as leather and, as Dent points
out, when synthetic
leather does begin to wear out, it doesn’t wear out as attractively. “What
constitutes ‘worn out’ in
a leather is different from what constitutes ‘worn out’ in a polyurethane,” he
says. In many cases,
leather actually looks and feels better with age, giving it the ability be recycled
and re-used for a
much longer period of time.

The holy grail of sustainability is a closed-loop system. “With leather, nature has
created its own
sort of closed-loop system,” says Hustvedt. “The carcass of an animal can decay in
the ground
and nurture plants that are eaten by the next generation of animal.” Faux leather,
on the other
hand, won’t decay and, is at best, “down recycling,” meaning it can’t be made into
another item
of faux leather. That would require a complete molecular breakdown in order to then
re-
manufacture it. Instead, if PVC or polyurethane faux leather is recycled at all, it
is usually
repurposed as something like a vinyl awning.
For Hustvedt, the real question we should be asking, then, isn’t whether to buy
real leather of
faux leather, it’s whether to buy anything at all. Accepting that we live in a
consumerist age,
however, she suggests we at least think beyond simply how the product was made. We
must
consider its entire lifecycle. “How long will this product last, when will I need
to replace it, how
will I use it, how long will I use it, and then, when I do dispose of it, what will
happen to it?”
Certainly a lot more than just, real or fake?

Quality and durability are also important things to consider when comparing vegan
and real
leather. Vegan leather is often a lot thinner than real leather and much more light
weight which is
great for fashion as it makes it potentially easier to work with, however it also
makes it less
durable than real leather. A real, good quality leather can last decades when cared
for, whereas
you might only get a year or so out of a pair of shoes made from good quality faux
leather. This
is an important factor when deciding between fake leather and real leather as the
environmental
impact of replacing a fake leather product multiple times is arguably more damaging
than the
purchase of one real leather item.

14
Synthetic leathers also wear out very unattractively whereas real leather ages over
time and
forms a patina, which is considered to add character to leather.Faux leather,
especially PVC based, isn’t breathable either where as real leather has pores
through which skin
is able to breathe. So for clothing items such as jackets, vegan leather can be
uncomfortable when worn for long periods of time.In addition to environmental
factors, faux
leather is typically a lot cheaper than real leather products. This is because it’s
cheaper to
produce synthetic plastic leather than it is to produce real leather. The
craftsmanship of leather
products is a highly skilled job and bespoke leather products such as sofas,
jackets and luggage
can be thousands of dollars. Manufacturers are able to command these prices because
they are
considered both high quality and highly durable.

There have never been more alternatives to real leather on the market than there
are today. From
fruits to vegetables to rocks, manufacturers are getting creative with materials,
and there are tons
of options available, with more in production. Below is a comprehensive guide that
will explain
why vegan leather is better than traditional leather. We will also discuss how
traditional leather is
made, the effects on the environment of both cow and vegan leather, and the various
alternatives
available. So grab a cup of fair-trade coffee, and let's get started!

THE OUTLOOK IS GOOD

You know the outlook is good when big companies like BMW, Tesla, Ferrari, Mercedes
Benz,
and Lexus offer vegan leather seating in their high-end vehicles. Vegan leather is
changing the
world! Is there a vegan future for leather? Absolutely! It's already here with us
in the present!
Leather and faux leather are outdated, cruel, and pollutant heavy-industry. Its
days are ultimately
numbered -and that can only be a good thing. Like vegan foods, which are more and
more in the
main-stream, so are vegan accessories and clothing.

Your savvy vegan shopper cares just as much about what they wear as much as what
they eat.
In addition to the environmentally friendly vegan companies listed above, other
great companies
are growing by the day.The cruelty-free industry is expanding not only its food
choices but
product choices too. It's a great time to live as a vegan, on our own terms!

15
Vegans just don't do leather from animals. Aside from the issue of killing an
animal to make a
handbag, real leather is not an environmentally friendly product, and we shouldn't
include it in
our fashion.The processes used to make genuine leather products put the health of
traditional
leather-workers at risk. The lax regulations in factories leave the potential to
deposit toxic waste
into the environment in the form of wastewater and airborne solvents that make it
into our water
and food supply. All so that we can wear products made from animal hides?

VEGETABLE TANNED
There is a chemical-free alternative to chrome tanning, but it takes months and is
considerably
more expensive to implement. You will probably not be surprised to read that
vegetable tanning
is the original tanning method for leather, dating back to 6000 BC.
The cheaper, faster, chrome tanning process came about in the mid-19th century, and
it quickly
eclipsed vegetable tanning in leather production. Vegetable tanning uses tannins
found in trees
and other plants to give leather its resistance to rotting, flexibility, and
durability. An heirloom
process, vegetable tanning requires highly skilled workers to implement.>Hides soak
in vats of
concentrated tannins for months.
Vegetable-tanned leather has the advantage of being thick, durable, and
biodegradable. Because
of the process involved, however, the end product is going to be a lot more
expensive than if
made with chrome-tanned leather.

VEGAN LEATHER PROS: BACKED BY RESEARCH

A 2017 report, Pulse of the Fashion Industry, conducted by Global Fashion Agenda &
The
Boston Consulting Group, reported findings in support of the use of leather
alternatives.
The report found that synthetic leather ranked well below real leather in a list of
fabrics by
environmental impact per kilogram.The report also found that faux leather had only
one-third the
ecological implications of cow leather, which has the highest environmental
impact.The report
gave an opinion on questions about the environmental health impacts of faux leather
vs. leather.
"Different leathers can have an over tenfold difference in environmental impact
based on their
type and origin, how the animal was raised, and how the tanning process took place.
Switching
to alternative materials can directly improve a product's footprint."Faux leather
was sixth on the
list, below silk, cotton, bast fiber, and wool, but above other vegan fabrics like
nylon, modal,

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viscose, lyocell, polyester, and polypropylene, which had the lowest impact.The
study did note
that organic cotton has one-quarter of the environmental implications of
traditionally farmed
cotton.
The study based its findings on the following categories
chemistry(ecotoxicity and human toxicity)
abiotic resource depletion
global warming (emission of greenhouse gases)
water scarcity
eutrophication (defined as "excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body
of water,
frequently due to runoff from the land, causing dense growth of plant life and
death of animal
life form lack of oxygen. Prevalent in the raw materials phase."). So while this
report is good
news for vegans who want the look of leather without the guilt, it's important to
note that vegan
leather isn't blame-free when it comes to environmental impact. Vegan leather
ranked third in
abiotic resource depletion, behind only silk and bast fiber.

Another 2015 Sustainable Apparel Materials Report by the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology also examined the environmental impacts of different apparel
materials.The report is
no longer available online, but according to this site, the report found that the
annual emissions
produced by cow leather manufacturing are equal to the yearly impact on the
environment of 30
million cars.
Microplastics: These microplastics become ingested by unwitting animals, including
us. A
stomach full of plastic doesn't sound great, does it?PVC was more commonly used in
the past,
while PU is its new, trendy sibling.If you think pleather doesn't sound so great,
you're not the
only one. There is a host of new plant-based vegan leathers coming onto the scene
as an
alternative to pleather.

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BANANA
Yes, banana leather. Bananas do not grow on trees but the world's largest perennial
herb, known
as the banana plant. Unlike fruit trees, which continue fruiting every season, the
banana plant
provides only one crop of bananas.More plants can send out suckers from the
underground stem,
but the actual stem that produced bananas will never fruit again.
So what to do with these past-their-prime plants? Why, make banana leather, of
course! Banana
leather manages to be biodegradable, water-resistant, and durable all at once.
Coffee
A German company, nat-2, has developed a vegan leather made from recycled coffee,
beans, and
coffee plants.

The coffee product makes up about 50 percent of the materials in the finished shoe,
which also
uses recycled plastic, natural rubber, and cork.

The finished product does smell like coffee, but we think that's a good thing. The
first run of this
sneaker sold out, according to content on the product page, but it looks like nat-2
plans to make
more coffee shoes.
APPLE
Apple leather is not the kind of fruit leather you may have grown up snacking on,
though the
finished product does look a little like the fruit strips you'll find at the health
food store.

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The company turns apple pulp waste into 100 percent biodegradable, vegan leather.
GRAPE
Yes, there are still more varieties of vegan leather made of fruit. Also known as
wine leather,
Vegea, an Italian company, produces grape leather.

Vegea sources winemaking leftovers, specifically grape skins, stalks, and seeds to
make its
products.

The company does not allow the use of toxic chemicals or heavy metals in its
production.
Bentley used Vegea's vegan leather in the interior of its 2019 electric concept
car.
PINEAPPLE
Another alternative to traditional leather comes from discarded pineapple tops. A
company
called Ananas Amam uses this byproduct to create its sustainable vegan leather,
called Piñatex.

This byproduct gives the farmers an additional income stream that requires no extra
resources.
Ananas Amam extracts the fibers from the leaves using an automated machine created
for this
purpose.

The biomass that remains once the device removes the threads converts into
fertilizer or biofuel,
so no waste remains.

The extracted fibers process into a sort of mesh, which is then exported to Spain
to be finished
into the final vegan leather.

Ananas Amam distributes Piñatex directly to designers. Piñatex is used in interior

design and car
interiors as well as for clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Hugo Boss makes sneakers out of this vegan leather. Check out the#madefrompinatex
hashtag on
Instagram to see the other products made from pineapple leaves, and if you have a
Piñatex
accessory, share it!
MUSHROOM

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Moving away from fruits into vegetables, we arrive at vegan leather made from
mushrooms.
Amadou Leather is a brand of mushroom leather. The company grows its mushrooms on
sawdust
blocks.

The company claims that the leather absorbs moisture and is breathable. The end
product is fully
biodegradable and, the company claims, antimicrobial.
Slightly less appealing, MuSkin vegan leather comes from the Phellinus
ellipsoideus, a giant
alien-life-form-looking parasitic fungus that attaches to and feeds on subtropical
trees.
You're not very likely to encounter this vegan leather, as the production capacity
of MuSkin is
quite low at the moment.

And while it is biodegradable, this suede-like faux leather is also somewhat

fragile, requiring
lamination to a fabric layer to increase its durability.
RED PEPPER
Called the "Berlin Curry" sneaker, nat-2 has used red pepper applied to an eco-flax
layer to
create the vegan leather used to make up to 50 percent of this shoe.

The remaining materials are cork, glass (for the company's local), and recycled
plastic.
Back to top.
COCONUT WATER
OK, now I'm just pulling your leg. Am I, though? It turns out that, yes, you can
make vegan
leather from coconut water! Malai Design and Materials makes a vegan leather out of
bacterial
cellulose from coconut water. The water they use is a byproduct that they then
discard.
This vegan leather has a papery appearance, not unlike snakeskin.

STONE
Two German brands put their heads together and created a sneaker made from leather
derived
from rock. And it's not something that Wilma or Betty would wear.The companies
Rosslyn and
nat-2 (who you may remember from the coffee sneakers above) created a leather-like
material
out of slate stone. The company sources the rhinestones which do not make it to
sale from
Swarovski.

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CORK
It's not just for your wine bottle anymore. Cork is one of the more popular
sustainable vegan
leather options on this list.Cork is naturally water-resistant, which makes it a
great candidate for
fashioning into bags and shoes. Depending on the finish, cork products sometimes
really do
resemble a wine bottle stopper, and other times they look more like real leather.

RECYCLED RUBBER
Some rubber products, like inner tubes, are great candidates for vegan leather
shoes and
accessories. These biker boots use vegan leather derived from rubber.

ROSES
nat-2 is at it again with sneakers made from rose petals. The petals, which retain
their fragrance,
are layered onto a flax fabric before being applied to the shoe.The company says
the roses'
source varies depending upon sustainable practices and availability at the time of
manufacture.
nat-2 uses ash, birch, maple, tulip tree, walnut, cherry, elm, and beech from
ethically managed
forests.

WOOD
nat-2 also offers a wooden sneaker made of up to 90 percent sustainable wood.The
wood is
applied to organic cotton and vector engraved in a way that the material bends and
becomes soft
and flexible like a fine nappa leather. The feel is very smooth and fine, while you
can smell the
wood and see the tree's natural texture." nat-2 company spokesperson.

VEGAN LEATHERS OF THE FUTURE

Entrepreneurs see potential in the market and are developing more leathers made
from unusual
materials. To name just a few more:
• green tea,
• prickly pears,
• kombucha tea,
• soy,

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 • and fruit waste are all materials currently under development for
more varieties of
sustainable vegan leather.

DESIGNER VEGAN LEATHER

One of the most well-known animal-free designers is Stella McCartney.McCartney

designs
synthetic leather pieces and has tried to develop more environmentally friendly
options.Since
2013, the label has used alter-nappa, a material that incorporates polyester and
polyurethane on a
recycled polyester backing along with a coating made of 50 percent vegetable
oil.The recycled
support piece reduces the amount of petroleum used in the material's production.
However, it
does not eliminate it.
On her web site, McCartney says that she uses only water-borne and solvent-free PU,
which are
more environmentally friendly than traditional PU.McCartney acknowledges that the
synthetic
leather she uses still harms the environment, even though it is reduced, and
reveals that she is
exploring lab-grown leather.

CAR INTERIORS
Many car manufacturers are putting vegan leather on board their new vehicles.
In addition to the grape-leather Bentley concept car, Mercedez-Benz is planning a
recycled-
plastic leather for the interior of its EQS concept car. It is our job now to re-
define modern
luxury by Mercedes. What is for certain is that attractive, contemporary luxury
must be
sustainable—and sustainably fascinating," company head Ola Källenius told PETA.
Many other companies are already using synthetic leather in the vegan interiors of
some of their
cars, including:
1. Buick,
2. Chevrolet,
3. Ford,
4. GMC,
5. Honda,
6. Hyundai,
7. Kia,

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 8. Nissan,
9. Subaru,
10. Tesla,
11. Toyota
12. and Volkswagen.
You can view a comprehensive list of availability by car model on PETA's website.
If you're not
content with these options, PETA also has a list of companies that could improve
and encourages

you to contact them to request fully vegan leather car interiors.2

IT'S 2019 AND WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE

VEGAN LEATHER IS A FAR CRY FROM THE CHEAP, SHINY 'PLEATHER' YOU
ONCE KNEW.

Here at TouchDown Charging we are proud to be have made the move to being vegan,
100%
cruelty-free and created without any animal by-products. WITHOUT sacrificing the
quality or
premium look of our products.

Our vegan leather is of the highest quality. Just as smooth as animal leather, and
can be easily
crafted into different styles of chargers to fit any home or office. We like to sum
it up as - all the
aesthetical benefits of leather, without all the damaging effects on our
planet...Why wouldn't you

SO WHAT IS VEGAN LEATHER?

Our Business Edition range is made from pure polyurethane (PU) leather which a is
form of
synthetic leather. Our PU leather doesn't just look good, but does good. Unlike
PVC, it doesn't
involve toxic chemicals such as chlorine in the manufacturing process, and is far
more durable.

The main detrimental impact of animal leather on the environment is land use and
greenhouse
gas emissions - as well as the chemicals, energy use and water requirements of
tanning leather.

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Stella McCartney Who are "demonstrating how a luxury fashion brand can push the
boundaries
to make products that are beautiful, sustainable and cruelty-free. No compromises"

WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE

Our decision to move away from leather, along with small changes such as removing
plastics
from our packaging, has allowed us to reduce our environmental impact drastically.
We do
acknowledge that vegan leather is not completely without environmental impact, and
will
continue to have a progressive approach to the materials we use.

Is leatherette a good choice?

There is a dilemma here- Leatherette is kinder to animals, which makes it perfect
for vegans.
While on the other, it’s not biodegradable and isn’t the best product on the market
for the
planet…which isn’t perfect for vegans! Ethically it’s good, but environmentally
it’s poor. So, are
there any decent alternatives?

Environmentally friendly leather alternatives

Thankfully, there are some environmentally friendly alternatives to leather, and
the rise in
veganism over the last decade or so points towards an increase in vegan friendly
products on the
market; and more research and science will produce better environmently vegan
leathers.

Cotton canvas
Canvas is durable and can look great on a number of different products. Many
manufacturers are
using canvas to mimic leather, but be aware that this can often include a coating
that doesn’t
biodegrade, making it little better than leatherette.

Hemp
Hemp fabric is nothing new, but with the connection to marijuana it has received
somewhat of a
bum wrap over the years. Thankfully, this looks set to change. Extremely tough and
very
sustainable, hemp fabric should grow in popularity as ever greater numbers of
textile
manufacturers utilize this wonderful product.

Cork leather (aka cork skin)

You may not have heard of it yet, but cork leather could become big news over the
next few
years. This completely natural product is made from the bark of the cork oak tree,
which makes

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it both durable and eco-friendly. Start asking for cork leather when you’re out
shopping to help
spread the word.

Ocean leather
Made from kelp, ocean leather is another great sustainable alternative to leather,
but is probably
rarer still than cork leather.

Piñatex
It’s name is a slight giveaway as Piñatex is manufactured from pineapple leaves. A
fairly recent
alternative to leather, Piñatex was developed in the ’90s and is already being used
for a wide
range of products including seat coverings, shoes, and bags.

Barkcloth
Barkcloth is a far more ancient alternative to leather, but it’s one that is making
somewhat of a
comeback in many circles. Once ubiquitous in parts of Asia and Africa, barkcloth is
a textured
fabric that is perfect for home furnishings such as curtains and upholstery.

The Future? The significant progress made in the past decades in the field of
bioengineering
shows that this might be the case. Companies are mergingscience, biology and
innovative design
to challenge the way we think about leather.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/consumer-goods-packaging/global-
vegan-leather-
market
2. https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/vegan-leather-market-worth-us89-billion-by-
2025-asia-
dominate-sector/

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