Vegan leather, vegetable leather, animal leather, imitation leather: Understand all these names

The term "leather" is regulated by the French consumer code and refers to a material that comes from animal skin; Vegan leather, as such, does not exist. Indeed, "Vegan" refers to a lifestyle that excludes all products derived from animals or their exploitation. Therefore, "vegan leather" is an oxymoron and has no meaning in itself, but it can be used to describe all materials resembling leather. true without having any connection to any animal.

What are the "vegan" materials that make up what is called vegan leather?

• Synthetic materials

Synthetic materials are generally derivatives of plastic, that's the famous " faux leather "PVC- or PU-based. Faux leather is a material obtained by adding a plasticizer-based mixture." from petroleum and vinyl powder, applied to fabric. This treatment is done in several layers so that the material has the appearance of " TRUE "Leather. However, this type of production requires the use of several plastic derivatives which can release toxins dangerous to the environment and humans." in contact with This material. The majority of vegan leathers are still petroleum by-products, therefore having a high carbon footprint.

• Plant materials

In recent years, alongside the vegan trend, we have seen the emergence of new plant-based materials that imitate leather. Thus, it is possible to find faux leathers made from pineapple leaves, mushrooms, apples, tea leaves, or even sap.

We are therefore witnessing a genuine desire on the part of both consumers and businesses to act positively on the planet by changing our consumption habits. However, we feel it's important to mention that even today, in plant-based vegan leathers, more than half of the composition is a petrochemical-derived resin, which therefore has a significant environmental impact. This resin increases the durability of these materials. But we remain confident that in a few years, techniques will undoubtedly have evolved and will allow us to eliminate these plastic materials from vegan leathers.

How to distinguish between vegan leather and animal leather?

Most of "vegan leathers" are certified by labels to guarantee to consumers that products have no contact with animal exploitation. The best known, and one of the oldest vegan labels is The Vegan Society. Visually, vegan leathers can fool many! Indeed, they These leathers undergo a printing process before being sold, giving them a truly leather-like appearance. This is especially true for pineapple or grape leather. However, it should be noted that leather made from animal hides can develop a beautiful patina over time (especially if it is vegetable-tanned), unlike vegan leathers.

To check if the material in question is leather or vegan leather, simply smell it. This test (although unconventional) will quickly tell you what type of leather it is. A genuine leather item will have that familiar leather smell. Conversely, vegan leather will either be odorless or have a plastic or chemical odor, which is particularly true for synthetic leathers.

And is plant-based leather the same as vegan leather? ?

As you may have guessed, vegan leather is not to be confused with vegetable-tanned leather. Indeed, when we talk about this type of leather, we are referring to "vegan leather." true "Therefore, it comes from animal hide, which is tanned with organic tannins rather than the more polluting mineral tannins. There are therefore differences between chrome tanning and vegetable tanning. We use both types of processes for our..." Strapinterchangeable watch parts.