Vegan Leather Getting Into The Game
Is Vegan Leather the new 'black'? With the increasing interest of Millennials and Gen Z towards the rising conscious consumerism, we can say that vegan leather has started to take an influential position for high fashion brands. Now, vegan leather alternatives are produced using almost all kinds of substances like mushrooms, moss, apple waste, pineapple fibres, grapes, and even cactus leaves, in pursuit of sustainability ideals. Thus, in addition to being an alternative to fur or leather, fashion designs preserve their luxurious look while not harming any animals.
Different branches like Gucci, Chloe, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Hermes, and more are transforming their understanding of style and luxury with eco-conscious plant-based, natural leather alternatives. While the concepts of luxury and aesthetics are re-created with sustainable ideals by adhering to modern values, the leading names of high fashion do not compromise on their exclusive and stylish ideals.
Stella McCartney, who advocates that fashion, which can defy the norms in the modern world, should stay true to sustainability values and transparency, is the first name to launch a vegan collection on the high fashion scene. Nanushka, one of the leading designers of vegan clothing, takes care to use 100% animal-free materials in her stylish designs that can adapt from day to night. In addition, a Paris-based LaSeine& Moi continues to follow ethical and sustainable values in France's fashion capital as the first French luxury brand to use fake fur in its collection.
Might be not that 'innocent'.
Considering that not all vegan leathers are produced from the same raw materials and in the same way, there are some points we should pay attention to in our vegan leather preferences. In addition to vegan leathers obtained from vegetable and natural sources, some vegan leathers are produced from synthetic materials. The use of polyurethane-based vegan leather, which is a plastic material, may conflict with the ideals of sustainability. Of course, even if they have less environmental impact compared to animal leather, the environmental damage caused by vegan leathers, especially made of plastic, will be much more. On the other hand, vegan leathers obtained from compostable vegetable/fruit wastes are much more suitable for sustainability ideals.
Moreover, both products are labelled as “vegan”, whether they are made of plastic or vegetable/natural sources. However, even vegan leather produced from vegetable/natural sources may need to be mixed with synthetic polymers to have the necessary strength, durability, and colour fastness.
It is still controversial whether "vegan" leather, which has become a rising trend and adopted by high fashion brands, is just a new marketing tactic under the name of sustainability or not. The question of conscious consumers, then, might be the question of what leather is made of and how it is produced.
