Vegan leather is a catch-all word for any leather that isn't derived from animals. The sole need for a leather product to be declared vegan is that it is made without animal products. Synthetic leather and pleather are two more names for vegan leather.
Vegan leather may appear to be an oxymoron because, well, it is. So, aside from being an ethical, ecological, and cruelty-free alternative to regular leather, what exactly is vegan leather? Well, as you might have guessed, it's not leather at all!
What Is Vegan Leather and How Does It Work?
When it comes to veganism, eco-conscious shoppers should make a few adjustments. To reduce their carbon footprint, these measures go beyond simply consuming more plant-based meals. Vegan bags and other products should also be used. Polyurethane, an easily accessible artificial substance, is used to make vegan leather. It's largely made of plant waste, recycled plastic and environmentally friendly materials like cork.
Vegan leather resembles genuine leather in appearance and feel, but it is far more ethical. Vegan leather products are widely available, ranging from leather coats to leather shoes and bags.
Vegan Leather Comes in a Variety of Styles
The leather industry isn't exactly eco-friendly. The chemicals used in tanning produce poisonous fumes and wastewater, making it a hazardous environment for employees. The contemporary tanning process necessitates a significant amount of electricity, water, and chemicals. The procedures damage the land to the point where previous tanneries land can no longer be used for farming.
Finding the greatest vegan fashion labels and offering vegan, eco-friendly, and sustainable clothes to our customers is a top goal at GUNAS. The vegan fashion sector is booming, and the market for vegan leather is expected to be worth $85 billion by 2025.
There are many various types of vegan leather available today, ranging from banana and grape leather to apples and coffee leather. Here are five of the most prevalent kinds used in vegan leather products by most businesses.
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Pleather
The most frequent type of vegan leather is Pleather or Pu Leather. Thermoplastic polymers are used to make it. However, not all types of pleather are suitable for vegans. Bicast leather, for example, is not vegan since it contains real leather beneath a layer of polyurethane.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) Leather is produced by polymerizing vinyl chloride. Pleather-like in appearance, yet glossier in texture and almost vinyl-like in appearance.
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Pinatex
Pineapple leaf fibres, polylactic acid, and petroleum-based resin are used to create this type of leather. It's a newer kind that's usually found in wallets and bags.
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Leather made of cork
Cork is one of the most environmentally friendly leather substitutes. It is water, scratch, and stain-resistant and is manufactured from the bark of cork oak trees. It becomes even more resilient as a result of this.
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Paper
Have you ever heard of paper leather? You're not the only one who thinks this way. Over the last few years, it's been covertly tried, tested, and experimented with in the fashion business. It's now making its way into the sphere as a viable alternative to animal leather. GUNAS is making paper leather bags, such as MulbTex, which is made from Mulberry tree leaves, and you can now get everything from backpacks to stylish clutches made without using animal leather.
Men's bags manufactured from our plant-based MulbTex vegan leather are stylish and functional. We swear it won't melt in the rain because it's soft to the touch and gently textured.
Let's speak about what makes vegan leather a wardrobe must for modern men now that you know everything there is to know about it.
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Non-Toxic Self-Tanning
Vegan leather does not include any animal skin, making it a cruelty-free material. It is, nonetheless, more environmentally friendly than other types of leather.
Before being manufactured, normal leather is subjected to intensive chemical treatments that harm the environment and impair the product's biodegradability. This contributes to the growing amount of rubbish in the environment.
Switching to vegan leather goods from GUNAS will benefit both the animals and the environment.
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Waterproofing
If you're a leather lover, you're well aware that water is poisonous to leather. Vegan leather, on the other hand, has no such drawbacks. It's generally water-resistant and can keep its quality for a long time with little wear and tear.
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Alternative That IsBothCost-Effective and Time-Effective
Leather products are not your wallet's best friend. Sure, they're long-lasting and fashionable, but they'll eat into your cash. Vegan leather offers the same benefits at a fraction of the cost. What more could we possibly want?
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More Colors and Varieties
Experimenting with different colors and textures becomes difficult due to the extensive tanning process of animal leather. This is never an issue with vegan leather. To meet your needs, you may quickly come up with varied textures and distinctive colors. It has a lot more customization options than other types of leather.
Final Thoughts: Should You Make The Switch?
There are ostensibly many wonderful vegan leather alternatives out there today: cork, MulbTex, recycled rubber, mushroom leather, grape leather, apple leather, and pineapple leather, as well as a product called Fruit leather that combines all of the fruits, as well as lab-grown leather. Many of my readers wonder why ethical and ecological fashion manufacturers still use genuine leather, given the embarrassment of plant-based leather.
Why not try a cleaner and more environmentally friendly alternative to leather? Vegan leather is a topic you should be well-versed on if you start on your vegan path.
Vegan leather is less expensive, cruelty-free, environmentally friendly, and fashionable. With so many Indian businesses and designers integrating it in their designs, it's also becoming more affordable.
GUNAS is an excellent, vegan brand worth checking out if you're searching for something unique. We offer a one-stop-shop for anyone looking for excellent, long-lasting, and timeless vegan leather designs.
It is now more important than ever to speak out against the heinous crimes committed on innocent animals in the name of leather. Everyone has a responsibility to teach others about animal cruelty and to prevent the use of leather products. Raising awareness of synthetic leather will aid in the resolution of environmental issues and the protection of animals from cruelty. To leave a safe and sustainable environment for future generations, eco-friendly and cruelty-free leather must be used.
It's past time for us to embrace guilt-free clothing and a more mindful way of life. Alternatively, vegan leather is created from plants. This is, without question, the greatest option. These don't usually entail a terrible chemical process that pollutes the environment and causes harm.
