Leather is a popular material, especially for shoes, bags and jackets as it is considered to be sturdy and of high quality. However, for the fashionable accessories, animals have to suffer from mass husbandry and the tanning usually takes place in low-wage-countries. The workers there are exposed to disastrous conditions and toxic chemicals. Therefore, more and more vegan alternatives are developed at the moment which are as resistant as animalistic leather:

Piñatex

Piñatex is a sturdy material which is gained from the fibres of pineapple leaves. It is so eco-friendly because it is fabricated from a material which otherwise would have been disposed. Moreover, the Filipino peasants get enriched with an additional source of income and therefore are supported by Piñatex. This extraordinary material is totally in vogue at present and meanwhile, there are not only shoes and bags, but also watch bands made of Piñatex.

Cork

Cork is talked about as the leather of the 21st century. It is as resilient and durable as leather but it is lighter, breathable and is equipped with a natural heat insulation at the same time. This material is also environment-sparing since cork oaks do not get logged, but peeled and their bark regrows again and again. Aside from that, the trees protect the soil from erosions and bind carbon dioxide. The online shop of Bleed offers products of cork, for example. 

SnapPap

SnapPap is also up and coming at the moment, as the paper in leather look can be washed, ironed and dried. Moreover, it can be printed and painted on and is optimally suited for stitching and tinkering. Furthermore, SnapPap is lighter and more tear-resistant than animalistic leather and therefore the perfect material for the creative workers out there. Hence, it is no wonder, that the vegan paper leather is very popular among its users! But it can get even more extravagant! The team from MycoWorks discovered mycelium for their work and now they manufacture leather of mushroom cells with it.

Beyond that, there are already efforts of creating leather from eucalyptus, hemp and chicory. So, there is much happening at the textile industry at the moment, which is good to hear. We are excited to see what will come next and we will keep you in the loop, of course!