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Is Eco-Leather A Sustainable Alternative To The Real One?
More and more world brands are touting vegan leather as an ethical, socially conscious alternative to genuine leather. However, is Vegan leather the best type to use to solve all the environmental problems? We have our own opinion on this.
Vegan leather is a term that refers to materials that are made to look like natural leather, though does not come from animal hides. As commonly known, Eco-leather is one of the types of Vegan leather. Vegan leather also known as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyurethane (PU) which are plastic-based materials and are not biodegradable [1].
Yet the alternative faux leathers come at a significant environmental cost. Both polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride must undergo chemical processes to make them flexible enough to mimic leather [2]. Even though scientists are developing some plastic-free options from pineapples, mushrooms, etc., some chemicals may still be used to make these fabrics durable. Moreover, only a very small part of all vegan leather is plastic-free.
Time Resistance brand is known as a producer of long-lasting, quality bags and leather goods. As long as we are in the leather industry, we aim to follow Italian footsteps, because as far as leather goes, Italians are masters of the craft. Over the years, we finally realized (despite all great marketing ideas and tools that have been used to advertise Eco-friendly leather options) Genuine Full-grain Vegetable-tanned leather is the most sustainable option that exits now. Genuine Vegetable-tanned leather is very durable and can last several lifetimes if cared well. It is long-lasting, develops a beautiful patina and softens over time. But most importantly, the vegetable tanning process utilizes organic materials only, such as tree bark.
We strongly believe, these are the features that make Genuine Vegetable-tanned leather sustainable and it seems to be the least harmful option. Nevertheless, the fact remains that we all need to buy less, and buy better. It is important to make sure it’s of high quality, that you look after it, and only buy what you need from brands that genuinely care!
Read more: What’s the Difference: Vegetable Tanned Leather vs. Chrome & Vegan Leather