Vegan Leather vs Real Leather Battle
What is a Real leather?
Real or genuine leather is made from the hide of an animal. There are several grades of leather:
The quality can vary significantly. Full-grain leather is of the highest quality, retaining the natural grain and imperfections, making it durable and attractive. Top-grain leather is slightly lower in quality as it has been sanded and treated to remove imperfections.
Higher-quality animal leather grades have a more natural and varied appearance, showcasing the unique grain and texture of the hide.
Manufacturing involves cleaning, tanning, splitting, grading, dyeing, and finishing the hide.
What is a vegan leather?
Vegan leather is a synthetic alternative to animal leather. It is designed to mimic the appearance and feel of real leather but is made without using any animal products.
Types of Vegan Leather:
- Polyurethane (PU) Leather: Made from a plastic polymer, polyurethane. It is one of the most common types of vegan leather.
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Leather: Another plastic-based option, made from polyvinyl chloride. It is less common now due to environmental concerns.
- Plant-Based Leather: Made from a variety of plant materials such as pineapple leaves (Piñatex), apple peels, mushrooms (mycelium leather), and cactus.
Ultimately, the sustainability of vegan leather vs real leather depends on various factors, including the type of vegan leather, the production methods, and the longevity of the final product.
Does Vegan Leather Last Longer than Real Leather?
Weighing up the pros and cons of vegan leather vs real leather? Indeed, vegan leather is often considered less durable. Nevertheless, as you already know, not all materials are manufactured under the same circumstances with the same ingredients or components. For example, low quality animal leather deteriorates quicker than high-grade PU or plant-based vegan leather. So, it ultimately comes down to the overall quality of each piece and whether the leather type suits its intended purpose.
The durability of a material largely hinges on its ultimate tensile strength and abrasion resistance. Tensile strength is a measure of a material’s resistance to breaking under tension (pulling apart), while abrasion resistance refers to its capacity to resist wear from rubbing or friction.
Full-grain leather (highest quality animal leather) is renowned for its natural abrasion resistance and superior tensile strength. And the way it reacts to these forces is quite unique. Genuine leather’s surface changes with time and gains a patina. Some people enjoy this change while others prefer their product to remain looking the same.
This is where plant-based leather comes in. Many of its variations have been engineered to exhibit high abrasion resistance and tensile performance comparable to top-quality animal leathers.
Additionally, while the surface fabrics used in accessories are essential, factors like the lining, stitching, glues, finishing, and craftsmanship play an important role in product durability.
So, does vegan leather last? Absolutely!
High-quality vegan leathers will outlast cheap animal and plastic-based leather alternatives.
The innovative minds behind plant-based vegan leathers continue improving their formulas and processes to further extend the lifespan of these materials to match the top-tier animal leathers.
How Long Does Vegan Leather Last?
On average, plastic-based vegan leather items last 2 to 5 years, depending on the manufacturing quality as well as your usage and care habits. Witnessing PU or PVC leather peel away is hardly a pleasant sight. But when it comes to vegan leather vs real leather, this is general knowledge.
However, there is no extensive long-term data available just yet regarding plant-based leather item lifespan compared to traditional animal leather goods. This is because many of the sustainable leather brands are relatively new. They simply haven’t been around for that long. Nonetheless, they’ve been developed to rival the durability of animal leather.
At Berlo, we have chosen to craft our small leather goods at one of the premier locations in the world for luxury leather production. By combining the top-level craftsmanship of an experienced Spanish manufacturer with cactus fabrics from Mexico, we ensure the best quality of leather goods. Berlo’s selection of fashion goods contributes to sustainability as the larger portion of the product is made of vegan cactus leather.
How is Cactus Leather Made?
- Harvesting: Mature leaves from the Nopal cactus are carefully harvested without harming the plant, allowing it to continue growing and producing more leaves.
- Drying: The harvested cactus leaves are cleaned and left to dry under the sun for about three days. This natural drying process reduces the need for energy-consuming drying methods.
- Processing: Once dried, the leaves are processed to create a fine powder. This powder forms the base material for leather production.
- Formulation: The cactus powder is mixed with non-toxic chemicals and other natural substances to create a resin-like material. This mixture ensures the final product is both durable and flexible.
- Shaping and Finishing: The resin is spread onto a backing material, usually organic cotton or recycled polyester, and then treated to achieve the desired texture and thickness. The surface can be embossed to mimic the look and feel of traditional leather.
- Dyeing: Finally, natural dyes are applied to give the cactus leather its color, making it ready for use in various products such as bags, shoes, and furniture.
This innovative process not only creates a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to animal leather but also supports the growth of desert plants, contributing to environmental conservation.
Reasons to Choose Sustainable Leather
Let’s be honest, if we talk about Vegan Leather vs Real Leather, both leather production have an environmental impact.
While livestock farming is done for food production and leather can be a subproduct, it still contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (breeding, land use, animal feed and water, waste disposal, etc.). Real leather necessitates significant resources, like water, land, and chemicals for tanning.
On the flip side, vegan leather can be made from recycled materials, reducing waste, and some variants have a lower environmental footprint. Nonetheless, the production of synthetic materials like polyurethane involves petrochemicals, which can be harmful to the environment.
Budget Friendly
First, while high-quality vegan leather products can be costly, they’re still more affordable than premium genuine leather items. For instance, products made from cactus leather are often more budget-friendly than similar products made from animal leather.
Wide Variety
Second, vegan leather offers a wider array of colors and textures, as it can be easily manipulated during the manufacturing process.
Sustainability
Third, sustainability entails using fewer resources and being more eco-friendly throughout production, care, and recycling. Take organic cactus plantations, for instance, where 14 acres absorb 8,100 tons of CO2 annually, while only generating 15.30 tons. This is because cactus acts as a natural carbon sink. Also, cactus leaves are harvested with care, allowing the plant to live on and produce more leaves.
Need we say more? On one hand, over 130 chemicals, many of them toxic to human health and the environment, are found in tanneries that produce animal leather products. But on the other hand, Desserto uses much less water throughout its lifecycle, no fertilizers or pesticides, and requires minimal after-care. Moreover, the Desserto luxury line used as the outer material on our products is 60% biodegradable. And the standard line used as the lining for the pouches is 40% biodegradable.
Conclusion on Vegan Leather vs Real Leather
When discussing Vegan Leather vs Real Leather topics you need to understand that, both types of leather have their pros and cons. You as a customer should have a choice on how sustainable your fashion accessories should be.
Berlo brand is evolving as a sustainable business. We strive to ensure the quality and durability of our goods that you’d expect from top-level accessories on the market. We believe that sustainability includes any item being fit for its purpose, a more eco-friendly lifecycle, and longevity.
Berlo products are made from unique and sustainable cactus leather that offers multiple benefits over real or PU leather. It is long-lasting, water-resistant, breathable, and resistant to mold and mildew. Therefore, if you’re after an eco-conscious and cruelty-free alternative to genuine leather, accessories crafted from this cactus material are an amazing option to consider.
#1 Sustainable fashion brand - Berlo
Interested in high-quality Cactus Leather products? Check out our wide range of stylish and sustainable cactus leather watch straps. With elegant & sleek watch straps, Berlo offers a variety of eco-friendly accessories that combine fashion and function.
