Views: 3 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-07-15 Origin: Site
Real leather is obtained from animal skin, which is unobtainable without killing the animal, so there is a need for an alternative means. An alternative to real leather is vegan leather, a fake leather just like faux leather. Creating fake leather requires employing different means, such as using both natural and synthetic materials. Cork is one of the naturally used materials, whereas plastic is one of the synthetic materials. Polyurethane (PU) and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are the popularly used synthetic materials, and both are plastics.
Plastic leathers or pleather are also referred to as fake leathers. Most vegan leathers are made from plastic which is a cause for concern as regards its safety, health, and environmental impact. Although with some natural materials, making vegan leather is possible. In this article, you will get to know everything you need to know about vegan leather and be able to make an informed decision when purchasing leather materials.
Vegan leather differs from real leather as it requires industrial processes and chemicals. A plastic coating is bonded to a fabric backing to form vegan leather. The economic friendliness of vegan leather will depend on the kind of plastic used in producing the leather since they are of different varieties. Unlike in 1960 and 70, the use of polyvinyl chloride has reduced, although it is still being incorporated into many products made with vegan leather.
The burning of PVC is dangerous due to the release of toxic and harmful dioxins. Also, to ensure flexibility, phthalates used together with them are toxic too. However, the toxicity of the phthalates depends on the type used. The most toxic plastics to the environment are PVC, according to Greenpeace. However, polyurethane is used instead of modern plastic to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of PVC. PU plastics are less toxic than PVC, and they have lesser effects on the environment.
Whether it is polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane used in making vegan leather, the strange smell does not change. Vegan leather smells fishy, and the scent is not easy to remove unless you want to ruin the materials. Likewise, the smell is also produced from the toxin outgas by PVC. Nowadays, vegan leather is used in a lot of women's bags.
There are different forms of vegan leather, and they also differ from one another in terms of quality. There are huge similarities between real leather and vegan leather in general. After aging, there is no formation of the patina since it is synthetic. It is less breathable and recommended for men's bags due to its durability.
Although some vegan leather has many similarities with real leather, there are still a few differences between vegan and real leather. Below are the differences between vegan and real leather.
· Quality and Durability
Quality and durability are two important things to consider when considering the differences between vegan and real leather. Vegan leather is more fashionable because it is thinner than real leather, thus, making it easier to carry around and work with. However, the durability is less than real leather, which is heavier than vegan leather.
The longevity of products made with top-quality leather is more than that of vegan leather. When properly maintained, real leather of top quality will last for many years compared to faux leather of top quality that can only last for a few years. Using vegan leather means you will need to keep purchasing new ones once it gets spoiled, thus, causing more damage to the environment. After aging, there is the formation of patina by real leather, unlike fake leather that wears out.
· Breathability
Natural leather is more breathable than vegan leather due to the presence of large pores to allow air passage. Thus, when you wear clothes like jackets that are made with vegan leather for a long time, you tend to feel uncomfortable.
· Price
Products made with real leather are more expensive than those made with fake leather. The production of synthetic leather is cheaper compared to that of real leather. Many products like jackets, sofas, and luggage made with leather are usually expensive because crafting these products requires high skill. Also, real leather's top quality and durability make it more expensive than faux leather.
As explained earlier, real leather is obtained from animals, and to do so, it will require killing the animal. Therefore, people tend to opt for vegan leather instead of real leather to prevent harming animals. However, based on its composition, vegan leather can also be detrimental to the environment.
Animal rights activists will prefer vegan leather to real leather since it does not involve killing animals. However, vegan leather adversely affects the environment, especially when made with plastic. Polyvinyl chloride is the plastic used in creating faux leather, and when disposed of, it releases dioxins which have adverse health effects such as cancer. Also, plastics are not biodegradable, and humans and animals are susceptible to risks when releasing harmful chemicals.
When determining the best leather, certain factors are worth considering, and the two most important ones are durability and quality. Vegan leather is lighter and thinner than real leather, thus, making it less durable. If the real leather is of top quality, the product manufactured with the leather will last long.
You can use real leather for decades without wearing it out, unlike vegan leather, which will require changing after it wears out within a few years. The consistent change in the vegan leather product harms the environment. However, using vegan leather eliminates the risks animal faces, thereby preventing them from going into extinction.
Vegan leather is not the same as real leather, although constant improvement is being made to ensure it becomes more similar to real leather in terms of quality and durability. Although it is not as durable as real leather, its lighter weight makes it a suitable leather material for manufacturing bags. Also, faux leather is less expensive than real leather making it the best alternative.
However, the presence of synthetic plastics like PVC in the composition of vegan leather makes it environmentally dangerous. PVC contains dioxins which are toxic chemicals, and when released, they can cause cancer. Therefore, consumers must be careful when disposing of synthetic faux leather products. You can obtain the best vegan leather products from our store by visiting physically or placing an order online.
You can get the different belts at Dongguan Hong Ding Leather Co. LTD, which specializes in leather products like belts and bags. It is among the leading companies in leather processing technology and leather products.
