Sustainable Leather

Designers have slowly been making their way to reinventing themselves by adding vegan products to their catalogues. This conscious move is being adopted as a way to protect the environment and all sentient beings, not just to cater to vegans. 

Being environmentally conscious is not just a trend anymore - it is a lifestyle! As a result, we are becoming more aware of how our daily activities affect the planet and how we can do better each day to change the world.

What is Vegan Leather Made of?

Innovators, designers, and vegan companies are drastically driving this trend into a more environmentally friendly vegan future with unique new ingredients to go into vegan leather. In the past, the majority of vegan leathers were made from polyurethane but designers worldwide have discovered creative natural ways to make vegan leather, including the use of apple peels, pineapple leaves, cork, recycled plastics, and cactus. These innovative leather alternatives are great for the environment as well as for animals!

Pineapple: The long fibres of pineapple leaves get extracted to be used as vegan leather. Through decortication, you are left with cruelty-free and sustainably sourced material.

Cork: An exceptional and versatile material sourced from cork oak trees. The bark gets chipped off, boiled and shaved into paper-like sheets which are then laminated into a flexible and soft vegan leather.

Cactus: Highly sustainable, breathable and flexible. Cactus leather is so buttery & smooth, it's hard to tell the difference from animal leather. 

How to Care for Vegan Leather:

Simply using a soft cloth and mild soap to wipe your vegan leather clean, it is more delicate than animal leather which is why you'll want to steer clear of strong cleaning chemicals. Keep vegan leather products out of the sun as much as possible, the heat can create cracking as it dries out. 

The Crux of It All

Vegan leather is an excellent alternative. Give one of the above plant based options a try, you won't be disappointed in the quality. 

Disclaimer: No animals were harmed in the making of this article.