Vegan leather

[biglipslittlehips]

Am I just cynical or is vegan leather just a modern descriptor for what used to be considered cheap PU fake leather?

It seems like it's a marketing exercise to rebrand what was the cheap mass produced product into something cool and desirable.

Surely it's just plastic that doesn't decompose and is crap for the environment. The vast majority of people buying these items aren't vegan and happily wear leather and suede and eat animal products

Yes. The "vegan" tag is just marketing. Unless animal products are routinely used in making the normal plastic fabric?

Isn't it an oxymoron?

It's just greenwashing plastic isn't it?

If I was a vegan, I think I'd care about the whole environment, not just animals.

Yep exactly my thoughts!! It’s just PVC which 15 years ago no one would be seen dead in. Now it’s ‘vegan leather’!

Totally agree, someone’s come up with a clever way to rebrand plastic and everyone’s fallen for it, used to be called pvc and it’s no different just sounds like it is.

Yes. Trying to sanitize wearing swathes of plastic. No ta.

A lot of the time it is, yes, but you can also get plant leather now. I have a plant leather bag and boots, and obviously they're natural.

I'm trying to buy new winter boots and am finding that half the boots in shops now are plastic being sold as vegan leather. Surely they must be horribly sweaty to wear, terrible for the environment and they seem pretty expensive too, for what amounts to a fancy wellington boot.

It really annoys me, because it means when I search and type in leather, it still shows me all of these items. I want leather boots, not plastic ones. I don't believe it should be allowed.

Yep it's just plastic.....

Sounds interesting

This really irritates me as it makes it harder to search for real leather items. No im not fooled. It's just plastic.

This is the leaf leather bag I have, just as an example. I'm jot sure how good it is compared to animal leather, but I'm vegan and figured it's better than buying plastic, which won't do wildlife much good!

https://thamon.co/collections/womens-handbags/products/backpack-in-forest-green-leaf-leather

Just did a deep dive. Plant based leather still has a PU component. It's sort of a sandwich with a textile base, plant product then PU.

Not always, they often use things like cork instead of plastic, but it's a minefield and you have to really hunt for the good stuff. As I said, though, it probably still isn't as good as animal leather from an eco-perspective, but I refuse to buy that!

To be fair, it was always difficult before they labelled it vegan as searches bought up fake leather as well.

Yes and Amazon has always been one of the worst offenders in this.

I agree it's so wasteful and less durable than leather which is a bit product of meat. Pure green washing . As PP says, even a lot of plant leather is reinforced with plastic.

Im vegetarian, not vegan but wear leather goods (pig, cow and sheepskin, not fur or anything used specifically for leather). It seems a good use of the whole animal as the meat industry is going nowhere and is fit for purpose. I've got leather boots and bags I've had years.

100% recycled, ok, but how much of it is?

I understand but .... If the cow is already dead, and eaten by someone else, isn't it still better to do it the honour of using as much of it as possible.

Sheep wool us being burnt, at the same time as plastic wool is being produced. It breaks my heart that we waste so many natural ingredients only to promote synthetic ones.

Feet are too important, and life is too short for plastic shoes.

Well, I don't personally want to add to the demand for animal products. I have no problem with other vegans who buy used leather as they're not adding to the demand although they get berated by some of those vegans! I just persoanally don't want to be wearing anything dead skin on me! I try to just avoid anything synthetic and stick to natural plant fabrics for the most part.

I dont think you can really claim moral superiority because you use pieces of dead and tortured animals though....that is kind of a stretch for anybody!

Some people are animal lovers and cant abide the thought of animals suffering, others prefer to think of things without the animal component. I suppose you just choose where you draw your moral line.
I just think cows are cuter alive and will be doing my bit for the environment by not contributing to mass factory farming.

Meat consumption far exceeds leather demand though so the leather is from what would otherwise be a waste product. The demand on animal slaughter is driven by the meat consumption. The leather is a bi-product. In other words, even if no more leather was ever required, the impact to the animals would be the same. Using a product that will already be available and otherwise wasted is the definition of sustainability. Leather is also biodegradable and therefore has a finite effect on the planet. It is more durable and mendable. It is by far the eco choice.

we haven’t even scratched the surface of the damage being done by microplastic in the soil, plants and animals we are sharing this planet with.
Greenwashing is absolutely scandalous. Many people want to make better choices for the environment but so often when you do a deep dive you find the claims being made that a product is good for the environment just doesn’t add up.

Personally I think I will swerve the ‘vegan’ leather.

I buy vegan leather/plant leather. Nothing is perfect but I don't want to buy/wear animal products.