The textile geek in me gets so giddy when writing these types of posts. I just LOVE the innovation which goes into creating new fabrics for sustainable goods. It’s amazing what some of these items listed have created in terms of fibers. Apples, pineapples.. who knew what you could create?! I know many of you reading this are vegan, and I want to show you products you prefer to support. I think since many of these are relatively new, price points can be a bit higher, but once things become more of a norm, we can hope for a better balance and more accessibility.

I’ve also only shown 4 vegan leathers with products because most vegan leathers you hear about are not quite on the market. The fabric has been developed, but you can’t go to your favorite sustainable brand and purchase something. I hope this changes for the future because there are so many amazing textiles being created, but I know this stuff takes time.

I also made a point to not include some of the plastic alternatives like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU), which are sometimes marketed as sustainable because they are vegan. While PU is better than PVC, it’s all still plastic and in my experience, doesn’t last you. Some of these leathers mentioned below do mix a bit with PU, however, I still believe it’s going in the best direction possible. I guess what I’m trying to say is, nothing is perfect, but these textiles are pretty exciting.

Apple Leather

The heels pictured are a pair (with a little taller heel) that I’ve had for years, and I received the backpack a month ago & it’s my new favorite!

Did you know 1.4 Million tons of apple peel waste is generated by the juice industry each year?!

Apple leather is a byproduct of the apple juice industry, and is made from 50% apple peels and 50% polyurethane.

It is amazing how well it mimics leather, and you would have know idea it was made from apple slices!

This is one of those vegan leathers that is not completely natural so you are able to have different backings and coatings to create different effects & thicknesses.

Apple leather is easily dyed, embossed or printed on.

It is also water resistant and breathable, which makes it a great material for shoes!

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Cactus Leather

Another interesting way to make a leather alternative is with cacti.

It’s a wonderful sustainable alternative because it absorbs CO2 on lands where no other plants could live without irrigation.

Instead of using the entire cactus & having to cut the plant down, this textile just trims the cactus leaves, all from sustainably operated farms.

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Cork Leather

This one is probably the most familiar and widely used of the vegan leathers I am mentioning. Not all cork is created equally, but many sustainable brands have sourced theirs from Portugal where some of the most well-known, high-quality cork is harvested. Did you know in a cork oak tree’s lifetime it can produce up to 18 harvests of bark? This makes it a renewable material, and the tree’s natural lifecycle is not impacted.

Cork leather is recyclable, lightweight, water resistant, and durable. It can easily be dyed, cut and sewn, so you are able to find a lot of different products on the market using this material.

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Leaf Leather

This type of leather may be one of the most accessible price wise. Leaf leather is super affordable, but it doesn’t give off the vibes of traditional leather. It has a more natural look to it, but I think that makes it very unique. It’s hard to replicate nature in fashion, and this is a perfect example of it being done well - because, hey, it is nature!! You can get beautiful colors with this type of leather - from green to red to beige to purple.

Leaf leather is made from sustainably harvested Teak leaves which are all fallen (no trees harmed, of course). After the leaves have been soaked, dyed and arranged flat, they are set out to dry and then mended with cotton fabric. This type of leather does use a thin BOPP film, which is non-toxic and helps strengthen the fabric to be sewn.

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Mango Leather

Did you know more than 30% of mangos are wasted during harvesting and transportation, and another 7% can be wasted in supermarkets? Through partnerships, Allégorie has collected discarded mangos from supermarkets. They then shred them down into a “smoothie” and turn them into sheets through an eco-friendly process. A water-based PU is used as a binding agent, which transforms the fruit into a leather-like material.

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Pineapple Leather

I’m sure by now you have heard of Piñatex®.

This vegan leather is made from pineapple leaf fibers gathered by partner farming cooperatives in the Philippines. 

The fibers are actually a by-product of the pineapple harvest, which enables farmers to bring in another stream of revenue.

Piñatex® is composed of 80% pineapple leaf fibers and 20% PLA fibers. Because of it being a byproduct, there is no extra land, water, fertilizer or pesticides required to produce the raw material. The fabric has a very unique look which makes it easy to spot. I have a few pineapple leather bags, and one tote I’ve used for a couple years regularly. It is a great material for handbags!

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Here are a few more vegan leathers which are very exciting, but unfortunately, they aren’t quite accessible, yet. I’ve searched several hours trying to find sustainably-made products with these materials. If you happen find a brand who is using one of them, let me know in the comments! I know things are constantly changing in the industry everyday, and new leathers are being produced, so please send me any info you have encountered.

• Biofabricated Leather: This leather is just absolutely fascinating, and created in a lab. Learn all about this incredible textile at Modern Meadow.

• Coconut Leather: Durable, Compostable, Water Resistant, Moldable & Flexible, Range of Thicknesses. Created by Malai

• Coffee Leather: Over 99% of coffee goes to waste, so why not do something useful with all the leftovers (besides body scrubs)? Created by Alice Genberg

• Mushroom Leather: I hear people talk about this one all of the time! It’s probably the one I am most interested in getting my hands on, but it’s impossible. Created by Bolt Threads

• Wine Leather: Soft, Leather Appearance, Recyclable, Range of Thickness, Can by Dyed. As a wine lover, I’m into this! Created by VEGEA

Works Citied: Supply Compass, Tree Tribe

This post contains affiliate links. As always, views are genuine and brands are truly loved. Thanks for supporting the brands who are working to make this industry a fairer and cleaner place!

 

#Content-Attribution#

Source: Thoughts - Sustainably Chic

Content Creator: Natalie Kay

Date: 2021-01-15T14:00:00+0000