why sustainable designers choose vegan leather

today we’re going to explore the leather industry + the alternative leather textiles available. we’ll start with polyurethane and in the coming weeks we’ll explore plant based leathers including pineapple leather, apple leather, cactus leather, mushroom leather, corn leather and more. from our friends at sans beast, a luxe, vegan handbag company:

the rise of vegan leather

“did you know there are 70 billion animals slaughtered yearly for our food and/or fashion consumption? there is a commonly held view that leather is a by-product of the food industry. in fact, it is considered a profitable co-product. in addition, many animals are raised purely for their hides.

animal based leather is an incredibly profitable yet destructive industry. 90% of the worlds fashion leather is chrome tanned + will not biodegrade {chrome tanning is the only way to achieve the majority of desired fashion tones in a consistent + cost effective manner}.

“Synthetic alternatives to leather are less environmentally damaging than animal hide procurement, tanning + production - and hands down, more ethically sound.”

— Cathryn Wills

we come full circle back to the question of ethics + what rates as important to consumers. i believe there is a great deal of misinformation in the market - the main one being that leather is the natural bi-product of the meat industry + therefore we are being responsible by using it for product manufacture. but just like any industry, supply is based on demand, and demand is often based on marketing. leather is a co-product of the meat industry - and as per aplf reporting in november 2018, the global leather goods market is worth usd 95.4 billion in 2018 and will reach usd 128.61 billion by 2022 at a growth rate of 4.36% during the forecasted period. these numbers are not a lucky coincidence that there just happens to be enough animals slaughtered to cater to this market - it's by design + it's driven.

we’ve chosen to focus on the inordinate damage that factory farming does to the environment as well as the exploitation of animals that exists in this industry, and combat these issues, with making non leather bags instead – and we work tirelessly to create bags that are well designed + manufactured to instill a loyalty to the product from our customer, thus inhibiting any desire to send it to landfill.

there is an excellent 2017 report by the global fashion agenda that rates several raw materials, cradle to gate, in terms of environmental impact - and it highlights that leather rates substantially worse than synthetic leather on three out of the four measured traits - global warming, water scarcity, eutrophication. indeed, cow leather is in the top three raw materials in terms of negative impact - sitting amongst cotton, wool + silk. synthetic leather fares worse in abiotic resource depletion (the fourth pillar on which the materials have been rated) which is related to fossil fuels. so, is synthetic leather really an inferior option on the environmental front?

Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Material Sustainability Index tool. — *Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s* *Higg Material Sustainability Index tool*.

an alternative to leather

we're not going to greenwash this situation. our bags are not made of soil + sunshine. they are constructed from a good quality polyurethane {pu} which is a base fabric coated with a painted surface + then embossed with various textures. this is no single use catastrophe we're carrying around. polyurethane {pu} is a highly resilient, flexible and durable material. it is a polymer joined by urethane links - used as a coating to give textiles a wide variety of properties including the ability to be water-resistant and anti-bacterial.

invented in the late 1930s as a potential replacement for rubber {which was in short supply post wwi}, pu has become a prolific material, used in everyday life (fridges, washing machines, car interiors, the list is long). the pu we utilize, does not use toxic levels of chemicals in production, with the fabrics adhering to the chemical standards of reach + prop65 {the californian toxic enforcement act of 1986}. synthetic alternatives to leather are less environmentally damaging than animal hide procurement, tanning + production - and hands down, more ethically sound.

we continue to source + sample alternatives - with our next step being, to use more {primarily} plant based + recycled materials. when we say 'primarily' in relation to plant based, we refer to the fact that for a plant based fabric for fashion handbag construction to have longevity + remain 'good looking' it does generally need to have a coating of some description, and this is typically a polymer of some sort.

acrylic + cellulosic acetate

we use both acrylic and cellulosic acetate in trims + charms in our collections. acrylic is a plastic, and was developed  in the 1920s, as a shatterproof alternative to glass. other names for acrylic  - plexiglas, acrylite, perspex + lucite – are all trademarked names. acrylic is thermoplastic + becomes malleable under high heat, as a result, we are able to mold it into shapes such as our distinctive luggage handle. cellulosic acetate was created in the late 1800s + refined further in the early 20th century. cellulosic acetate has a long winded construction, but in simple terms – it’s a combination of wood pulp (the cellulosic part) + a mixed bag of chemical compounds. It offers transparency, a beautiful color spectrum, flexibility + is hypoallergenic. it’s been utilized for film, fabric, lacquer + eyewear over the years.”

{don’t forget the tip} the workers tasked with leather preparation across the global community have consistent exposure to toxic chemicals and a shortened life span. videos can be hard to watch, when we are educating ourselves about the leather industry and its impact on the environment, the exposure to toxic chemicals for the workers who treat + process the animal hides, and the animals themselves. if you’re interested in learning more, and words are the best way to drink in new information, pop into a local bookstore or cruise your favorite online indie bookshop to purchase eating animals by jonathan safran foer.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

four distinctive boots come to life in sustainable textiles, from the fertile minds of designers conceiving versatile + sustainable footwear solutions, so you can kick the fast fashion habit {pun intended!}. from pineapple leaves + cork, to recycled plastic bottles + cardboard, take a look at these ethical options, each produced under fair labor standards, each a little piece of art to slip into and pair with your invisible cloak of courage; for girls +boys of action + days filled with movement, hustle + flow:

1/ the editor boot from bhava: bhava, based in new york, knows what's important to girls on the go: cool + comfortable designs, delightfully comfortable, but never too decorous. the editor boot is a 3-in-1 convertible boot that offers a perfectly designed bootie, a knee-high option and an over-the-knee option. this is the thinking girl's

transitional boot for spring, fall or winter months with a 2 inch heel for all day wear + an all natural cork insole. ethically manufactured in spain where shoes are still being handmade by generations of artisans. the design is in the details, from the choice of upper, and the soft eco-suede lining {all imported from italy} to the european hardware and custom crafted solid wood heels. bhava's italian vegan leather does not contain aromatic amines, PCP, formaldehyde, PVC, phthalates, azo-dyes, or chrome. for movers + shakers, this is the bootfor fearless gals balancing it all! {women's footwear only}

2/ the biker boot from beyond skin: if you're the kind of gal that loves the biker babe meets boho chic aesthetic, then this is the eco alternative for you. if you're a city slicker, then you're still in luck. beyond skin uses 100% recycled PU lining materials across their collections. their synthetic leathers are made from cotton-backed polyurethane + are sourced from italy.

beyond skin has recently introduced 'dinamica' faux suede which is made from 100% recycled PET plastics. an incredibly durable + flexible textile, it also does not water mark. currently, beyond skin is the only footwear label using this material - it's presently used by jaguar + mercedes-benz in their car interiors. all of their shoes have insoles made from approximately 70% post consumer cardboard. heels + uppers are made of 70% recycled resin. now there's something to stand on. {men's shoes + boots coming soon!}

3/ the matilda + the grace from bourgeois boheme: uk-based bourgeois boheme offers uncompromising craftsmanship, sleek designs + unadorned simplicity {and super customer service}. the matilda is a classic chelsea boot with all the style's signature elements including an elastic gusset for easy slip-on + off. the grace is a neat ankle-high boot, combining elements of the timeless chelsea boot and the modern classic pistol-style boot. this beautifully curt ankle boot is handcrafted in portugal. made with PVC free eco vegan leather {microfibre PU}, comfortable latex insoles, breathable linings + waterproof uppers. elasticated side panels up your comfort level. if you're the kind of gal that likes to be librated from unyielding high heels, then these multi-functional low heels are the magic you need for the cool weather months. bourgeois boheme's collection of coolly androgynous + functional boots can certainly keep up with supergirls working to change the world. {men's shoes + boots also available}

4/ the laia boot from nae: nae is a portuguese footwear brand with a vegan philosophy + a deep-rooted concern for environmental sustainability. nae works with alternative materials to leather such as cork, ecological microfibers, pineapple leave fibers and PET {recycled plastic bottle}. nae uses natural + breathable microfiber certified by oeko-tex, light + waterproof cork derived from cork trees, recycled tires + plastic water bottles, and pineapple waste plant fibers which are sourced from fair trade pineapple farmers in the philippines. a magical renaissance of natural fibers is filling the footwear market with winning options for consumers, workers + the little planet we know as earth. {men's shoes + boots also available}

*bonus: previously i highlighted nicora, an american-made, vegan footwear label founded by third generation shoemaker + one of my personal eco heroes stephanie nicora. offerings include enduring classics that carry you seamlessly from one season to the next with style. put a little pep + a little eco in your step. {men's + women's kicks available}

{for men only} right this way brave gentlemen, my fave brand for functional + fierce men's shoes + boots.

{don't forget the tip} although not an ideal alternative ecologically, PU has a lighter environmental footprint than PVC + leather. PU looks a lot like PVC leatherette, but unlike PVC it's kinder to the environment. PVC contains chlorine, a toxic chemical which produces dioxin during its manufacturing process and has been linked in numerous studies to estrogen-mimicking chemicals. although PU is made from petrochemicals, animal agriculture + turning animal hides into leather is a much more energy-intensive + polluting practice. raw hide tanning is a chemical-heavy process that uses chromium VI, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives + chlorine: harmful chemicals linked to asthma, blindness + cancer. these toxic chemicals have a detrimental effect on both the environment + workers' health. the animal agriculture or meat industry is a highly polluting + inhumane industry, of which leather is a product, not a byproduct + it is not produced in an effort to minimize waste; it is a highly profitable + lucrative business, and it is the most profitable part of a cow's body.*

learn more at change your shoes.