Vegan leather or vegan leather, leatherette or synthetic leather are different terms that refer to the same type of material. Although it should be noted that they are not all the same, because their components and production processes can vary considerably from one to another. However, they all refer to a type of material that simulates fur, or conventional genuine leather from animals. It is important to note that not all vegan leathers on the market are 100% vegan, and the same goes for sustainability. Read on as we explain below.
Gone are the days when wearing faux fur garments seemed like a poor person's thing. So much so, that today, fortunately, more and more brands like Bullfeet, bet on 100% sustainable products and free of animal abuse. This is because, with the advances in technology and the scarcity of raw materials, we basically have no other choice. In fact, it hasn't been that long, and yet... let's see who now dares to show up at the coolest fashion party in kangaroo fur moccasins or the chinchilla fur coat typical of your mother or grandmother, so typical of the 90's. Would you do it?
The truth is that little is said about vegan fur, especially considering that we find it practically everywhere. In this blog, whether you've heard of it before or for the first time, we're going to tell you all about it; what exactly it is, what it's made of and the main advantages of opting for vegan leather as an alternative to traditional leather.
WHAT IS VEGAN LEATHER MADE OF?
There is no single vegan leather as such, in fact there are lots of them. While the vast majority of low-cost products in the market are made from materials like polyvinyl chloride (more commonly known as PVC or eco-pleather). Others, the most sophisticated ones, like the ones we use to produce our vegan sneakers are made from; recycled cork, pineapple, PET fabrics made from plastic caps from the ocean or recycled clothing destined to end up in landfills. Today's vegan leather is so fine that it's often mistaken for genuine animal-based leather. Like our Veganoa fabric which is sustainable, anti-scratch, liquid repellent and super easy to clean. Check our 3D shoe creator to create your own sneakers right from scratch.
IS VEGAN LEATHER SUSTAINABLE?
Although the term vegan conveys sustainability in all its variants, it's not always the case. Indeed, as we mentioned above, the term simply means that the leather is the result of a synthetic manufacturing process using products from non-animal sources (somewhat doubtful in some cases). For a product to be 100% sustainable, the materials, glues and manufacturing processes must also be sustainable. To name but one, vegan leathers obtained from PVC are made using highly polluting agents and chemicals... One gets the feeling that a great deal of ambiguity exists when it comes to anything vegan. Sadly, this is why greenwashing brands are on the rise which, if you didn't know (since green is a synonym for sales), these brands fool us with misleading marketing campaigns.
If you too wish to contribute towards ethical and sustainable consumption, put the following tips into practice to choose your sustainable products wisely.
- Read product labels carefully and contact the brand if you deem it necessary.
- Don't be fooled by greenwashing.
- Pay special attention to "low-cost" products.
- Not all environmental certifications are reliable, check them out by comparing different sources!
- Go for 100% sustainable products.
WHY CHOOSE VEGAN LEATHER?
It saves you a lot of money and you'll be contributing to a more sustainable planet, doesn't that sound like a lot? If you need more reasons, then take a look at our blog "There is No Planet B".
Avoiding animal abuse is as important as ensuring manufacturing processes are equally human-friendly. Everyone knows that major brands often produce their products in underdeveloped countries, subjecting workers to extreme exploitation, typical of mass production.
In Bullfeet we care about people, animals and our ecosystem. All our products are cruelty free, and we concentrate our production in our facilities in Almansa (a village in Albacete), thus reducing the Co2 emissions from road transport. We produce solely on demand, exclusively for each of our customers, true to our philosophy of zero stock, zero waste.
In short, we strive every day to minimize our environmental impact, as well as to please our customers caring for every detail of our sustainable sneakers. Do you want to know more?
Visit us on our website www.bullfeet.com.
See you soon!
