What Is Vegan Leather?

For people who love the look and functionality of leather but are committed to a lifestyle prohibiting the use of animal products, vegan leather is an appropriate choice. Clothing, shoes, and fashion accessories made of artificial leather are produced and marketed as animal-friendly options. Upholstery, travel bags, laptop cases and other products can also be made using leather alternatives. This material is produced from synthetics without using any animal products and is also referred to as faux or artificial leather. There is no difference between most artificial and vegan leathers except for terminology.

               

               

Cruelty-free vegan clothing requires an artificial leather that is pliable and breathable. Early artificial products designed primarily for upholstery usually did not have these qualities. Additionally, some of the early formulations used animal leather powder with binders and were therefore not vegan. The most common modern forms are produced using synthetic materials sourced from petroleum. A variety of plastics and synthetic microfibers are used in the production of the various types of artificial leather.