The facts.
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The leather alternatives market is still small and was valued at ~$40B in 2022, only about 10% of the animal leather market.
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This is a growing industry (~9.5% annually), being fueled by increasing consumer awareness around animal cruelty, climate change, and sustainability especially among younger consumers.
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Manufacturers are evolving to meet this demand. Major brands such as Hermes, Chanel, and H&M all carry various faux leather clothing products.
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The fashion industry has been leading the growth of this sector but the trend is expanding quickly into automotive and home furnishings.
Alternative leather… the big picture.
In part 1 of our exploration of leather, we looked at traditional, animal based leather, raising the topic of leather alternatives. There are more and more options for alternative leathers on the market, it can be challenging to understand which ones to choose and know if these alternatives are really kinder options than animal leather.
There are two main kinds of alternative leather: Synthetic Leather (pleather, vegan leather etc) and Bioleather (from plants or fungi), let’s dig in with our Kindhub lens and start with an overview of what encompasses these two options.
What is Synthetic Leather?
This category comprises polymers which are manufactured to mimic leather. Common polymers are PolyVinylChloride (PVC), Polyurethane (PU), and Silicone.
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PVC comprises strong polyester fibers which are coated with PVC (vinyl) and plasticized materials. This creates a firm, waterproof, durable material which can be used for shoes, upholstery and other functions.
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PU is similar in that it comprises a fabric backing, such as cotton or polyester, and then is coated with PU. This material creates a softer, more flexible leather which can be used for clothing and accessories.
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Silicone is an organic material, made similarly, by coating an inner fabric layer with silicone. This material is durable, safe and is often used on things like car seats.
How kind is synthetic alternative leather?
Kind to Earth
Since these materials do not depend on animal agriculture, they do not carry the heavy carbon footprint and deforestation effects associated with animal leather.
However, PVC and PU are both petroleum based products and PU leather releases microplastics into the environment when it degrades.
Silicone leather is very stable and is not associated with these effects.
Kind to Others
PVC leather releases dioxins into the environment during the manufacturing process. In high doses, this has been associated with reproductive issues and cancer, putting the manufacturing workers at risk.
PU and Silicone are not associated with this. Silicone is a very safe, stable material and is the same material used in baby pacifiers and cooking utensils.
Labor practices in manufacturing are variable, depending on geography. The fashion industry in general is well known for offshore manufacturing, which relies on low wage workers to produce cheap products for the American market.
KInd to Self
The fashion industry, especially fast fashion, relies on us to buy more and more clothes.
Synthetic leather has become a tool for the industry to sell fashionable leather items more affordably than premium leather prices, often with clever marketing.
This is a pro and a con, since like anything else it depends on how much you wear and re-wear an item. A cute outfit can make us feel good but too many clothes laying around at home, can have the opposite effect.
What is BioLeather?
Bioleathers are named this way since they originate from biobased materials. This category falls into two broad categories – plant based (from plant byproducts) or thru processes such as biofermentation.
Here are some common ones.
These bioleathers have received a lot of attention as they are biodegradable and are made with a significantly lower carbon footprint. The advantages are clear, these materials are environmentally friendly and eliminate the need for the animal. They are also biodegradable. However, this is a nascent industry that needs time and support to innovate. Support can come in the form of purchasing items made with these materials, as well as positively speaking about the idea.
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Many of these are new technologies and have been catching on and several have been featured in magazines such as Vogue. Stella MaCartney launched an entire outfit from Mylo while the high end handbag manufacturer, Senreve launched the Terra Collection using Bio-Tex.
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These materials are expensive to manufacture and produce.These innovative companies have been learning how to manufacture it in large scale quantities. Until they do, the viability of BioLeather as an alternative to animal leather or synthetic leather has yet to be proven.
How do all types of alternative leather compare?
The choices.
Life-focused
If your focus is on being kind to living things, avoid Animal leather.
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Consider synthetic leather especially Silicone and PU
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Use PVC leather sparingly and try and reuse or get as much use as possible from the products (ie) shoes
Earth-focused
If your focus is on being kind to the environment, avoid buying animal leather and PVC leather.
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Avoid the fast fashion replacement cycles of clothes
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Consider thrifting as a way of buying your clothes
Holistic
If you are ready for an integrated approach, limit purchase of leather and leather like products. Ask yourself, what products are essential to contain this material and only buy those.
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Support the bioleather industry, if you have the budget to do so.
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Do not support the fast fashion replacement cycles
Additional resources.
Since there are so many marketing terms, here is a breakdown of common terms and their constituents:
Alternative leather resources:
Fashion is obsessed with Bioleather: Will it work at home?
Faux Leather vs Real Leather: Which One is More Eco Friendly?
Other posts in this series…
Products:
We’ve compiled a list of brands who offer leather alternative products.
GO SHOPPING >
Check out these companies who are innovating in the Bioleather space.
LEARN MORE >