Vegan leather is a cruelty-free and ethical substitute for authentic leather. It is identified by different terms worldwide such as synthetic leather, artificial leather, and faux leather. But essentially, vegan leather is meant to feel and look like genuine leather without using hurting animals whatsoever.
Given the tanning and leather industry is among the most contaminating ones in the universe, the vegan form is comparatively a more sustainable option available there. The artificial alternatives of real leather are made using a wide variety of materials such as cork fabric, cannabis, and also waste flowers.
With the hike in demand for sustainable fashion, the vegan leather industry now offers a wide range of items using vegan leather. But the intimate concern is that vegan leather is better than real leather or is it equal to real leather or is it even worse. To find that out, keep on reading this article...
Vegan leather is a fabric that feels and looks almost like leather but instead of using animal hides or animal skin, these fabrics are made from plant-based or artificial materials.
According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), it’s most characteristically created from 2 different artificial polymers:
1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and
2. Polyurethane (PU).
These are the most commonly used materials due to their wrinkled texture. It helps to provide the almost exact look of genuine leather without using animal hides.
These 2 usually used synthetic materials, especially, have sparked concerns about the environmental impact and safety of vegan leather.
Although only a very few vegan leathers are manufactured using natural ingredients even though it’s possible to find further eco-friendly items made from ingredients like cork, apple peels, pineapple leaves, and kelp. Vegan leathers are used for the following item production…
Vegan leather handbags
Vegan leather jacket/
Vegan leather shoes
Vegan leather bags
Vegan boots, etc.
Good quality vegan leather is made using synthetic materials Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyurethane (PU). But the question is how vegan leathers are made. Well, here is the answer to your question.
vegan leather is formed using different chemicals as well as a completely different manufacturing procedure to genuine leather. Bonding a plastic coating together with a fabric backing is one of the utmost common ways to make vegan leather.
However, if it is an eco-friendly product or not that entirely depends on the types of plastic that manufacturers use in these coatings.
Even though Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is now in less use as compared to its use in the 1960s & 1970s. In the present day, the composition of PVC is found only in very few vegan leathers.
This is mainly because Polyvinyl chloride releases dioxins, which are possibly dangerous in narrowed spaces and particularly dangerous when you burn them.
Manufacturers also utilize plasticizers like phthalates to make vegan leather production more flexible. Based on the kind of phthalate utilized, they are tremendously toxic. Phthalate has been defined as the single utmost environmentally harmful type of plastic by Greenpeace.
However, the PU material is slightly less damaging and more modern plastic used for making vegan leather. PU is continually being strictly developed to decrease its flaws like the dangerous toxins it releases throughout the manufacturing process and also the oil-based polymers it is made with which make utilization of fossil fuels. The use of PU makes vegan leather durable than real leather.
Not all vegan leather is made from synthetic material; it can also be made using natural materials which are neither cruel nor dangerous for nature. But then again, vegan leather products will not be as cheap as it is now if they start using all-natural materials.
While comparing vegan leather vs real leather, the key factors to consider are the durability and quality of the products. So, let’s find out the basic differences between vegan leather vs genuine leather.
To make vegan leather, manufacturers usually use synthetic materials like PVC and PU. But to make traditional leather, manufacturers use animal skin or animal hides.
So, traditional leathers are a cruel way to make products than vegan leather. But indirectly vegan leather is way more dangerous to the environment than real leather as it releases harmful chemicals.
Vegan leathers are considerably lighter and thinner than traditional leather, which is pleasing for fashion as it makes things possibly easier to use, but it similarly means it’s less durable than real leather.
Artificial leathers similarly wear out rapidly, but traditional leather develops a patina while aging, which adds charm to the material.
When you properly take care and maintain high-quality, real leather it can last decades, on the other hand, a pair of vegan shoes made with high-quality vegan leather may hardly last 1-2 years.
Real leather harms animals but vegan leather indirectly harms the environment by releasing harmful pollutants.
While picking between real and fake leather, this’s an important aspect to consider because the ecological impact of substituting an artificial leather product constantly is possibly more damaging than buying a single traditional leather item.
Vegan leather, mainly PVC-based vegan leather, is not breathable at all. On the other hand, genuine leather has animal skin pores that help the material breathe more easily.
That is why you may feel uncomfortable after wearing vegan leather jackets but you will not feel uncomfortable after wearing apparel made using real leather.
Vegan leather is cheaper than genuine leather. This’s because synthetic plastic leather is cheaper to form than traditional leather material. So, when you are looking for a cheaper option then go for vegan leather.
Vegan leather often comes with a plasticky smell or strong chemical smell as the material used for making faux leather is plastic and chemicals.
NOTE:
Overall, vegan leather is the right option for you only when you are looking for a cheaper option.
The ecological effect of cruelty-free vegan leather making may appear to be lower than the production of real leather but it is not. It certainly does not come without ecological concerns. There is practical evidence available that shows that making faux leather has a greater environmental impact as compared to real leather production.
Even though vegan alternatives of real leather have a greater environmental impact, they also have evident advantages, particularly when made using natural ingredients instead of using plastic and chemicals.
This is because plastic materials pose a danger both during as well as after their lifespan. After all, it can wind up in landfills or water. This is unmanageable since plastic takes millions of years to decay and it also emits dangerous chemicals into the earth.
This makes vegan leather products a love-hate story. Since faux leather is made from plastics and harmful chemicals that take millions of years to biodegrade, it becomes worse for our environment than traditional leather.
Moreover, micro-plastic contamination is a stern problem as it needs a lot of energy, chemicals, and water to process & make the material, which brings a negative impact on the environment. Individuals think it is better because it does not hurt animals, but that is only because they are not aware of the making procedure. And they don’t know what they are exactly buying in the name of vegan leather!
In case you’re thinking of purchasing vegan leather over real leather, look into what materials the product is using. Also, be aware of the harmful impacts of plastic-based items if the product is made of plastic-based vegan material.
On the other hand, if you’re going to buy a real leather product, read up the tanning processes of the brand to find out how they manufacture their products and also be aware of their moral procedures.
It is simply not just about real vs vegan leathers. Whichever material you decide, just ensure to do a little research to make a well-informed decision.
Find out who you are giving your valuable money to as well as whether it is something you wish to support, irrespective of falling for the latest aesthetics or trends.
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