-By Mansi Suryavanshi.
Take into an account you. What is the composition?
The most common response is probably leather. If not, chances are you have a wallet, backpack, a pair of shoes, or maybe Fanny pack. Unfortunately, leather does not exactly have the best reputation when it comes to the environment, according to and.
It therefore comes as no surprise that vegan leather, which serves as the polar opposite of its conventional animal-based equivalent, springs into the market. We assumed that the term “vegan” was accurate since it implied that we could wear stylish handbags and jackets without feeling guilty about the environment. But it was not entirely accurate.
Even vegan leather can be problematic. But are they sufficient to dismiss it entirely?
Are there any alternatives we could use in their place?
Brightly’s CEO and founder, Laura Wittig, talks with Inder Bedi, the man behind the company’s vegan leather goods, in an episode of Since then, Bedi has established a slow fashion brand that produces purses, apparel, and more from a variety of unusual materials (hint: seatbelts may be used).
Learn more about vegan leather, Bedi’s experience with sustainable fashion, and what might be your next handbag by reading the paragraphs below.
What Is Vegan Leather?
Although it resembles real leather, vegan leather is made from synthetic or plant-based materials. PVC and polyurethane are frequently used to manufacture vegan leather, especially in the fast fashion industry. These materials are not exactly the most environmentally friendly option because they are made of plastic and petroleum.
However, other materials, like cork, paper, and even bananas, can also be used to make vegan leather. Yes, you read that right. You can make your handbag using the same elements that go into your morning smoothie.
IS VEGAN LEATHER SUSTAINABLE?
Depending on how it was produced, vegan leather may or may not be able to truly be referred to as “sustainable”. For instance, while not directly harming animals during manufacture, alternatives to leather made of plastic might still take years to decompose, which is bad for the environment.
But is that plastic pollution more harmful than the effects of conventional leather on the environment? Animals are not only killed every year for their skins and hides, but even the tanning procedure (which turns hides into leather) has a bad reputation.
Heavy metals are used in tanning and dyeing, and they can leak into streams and kill marine life. It might also
What sustainability considerations are important to you ultimately determines how you should proceed. No green product can ever be flawless. While plastic-based leather doesn’t directly harm animals but may not biodegrade and can release dangerous toxins, real leather directly harms animals and is processed using chemicals. It somewhat creates a “lesser of two evils” situation.
Remember those apples and bananas we mentioned earlier, though? Many plant-based alternatives are becoming more popular. For instance, mushroom caps are used to create vegan leather. It is tanned using non-toxic substances, and some claim that it is even softer and more water-resistant than conventional leather.
At the end of the day, it’s crucial that we, as customers, undertake research into the manufacturing processes used to create our vegan leather items.
