These truly eco friendly vegan leather alternatives should make the naysayers abolish animal leather forever!
I must confess: at the earlier days here at Eluxe, we were horrified to learn that some of the bags and shoes we thought were eco-friendly due to their ‘vegan’ credentials were actually guilty of the worst kind of greenwashing. They promoted themselves as ‘cruelty free’ ‘eco leather’, but neglected to mention they were also petroleum-based, heavily polluting and toxic.
Sadly, some vegan accessories promoted by the likes of allegedly ‘eco friendly’ brands like Vivienne Westwood were actually no better for the environment than a pair of plastic flip flops from Walmart. Depressing!
But then we discovered that there ARE some genuinely eco friendly vegan leathers out there! And now we simply can’t promote them enough.
And guess what? Some of the world’s most prestigious fashion brands are already using them, putting these materials in greater and greater demand.
Why is real leather bad?
It should be obvious to anyone with a soul that killing animals for fashion is cruel. Animals raised for leather are almost always badly abused and neglected. They spend the last part of their too-short lives in crowded trucks, before being slaughtered, bled, and skinned. These poor animals helplessly watch in horror their companions go to their deaths. Even in their desperate state, they cannot escape.
And while some believe leather is mainly a by-product of the meat and dairy industry, that’s not 100% true. In fact, most leather comes from animals that were raised and killed not for food, but exclusively for their skin.
To make matters worse, most ‘real’ leather comes from countries where animal welfare laws are either non-existent or not enforced, such as India and China.
Bad for the planet, too!
If you still think that all that pain and suffering is justified because leather is somehow ‘natural’, think again.
Most leather produced around the world is tanned using chrome, which is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Even in developed countries like the USA, dangerous chemicals, including mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and various oils, dyes, and finishes, some of them cyanide-based, are used. These chemicals make their way into our water table, harming wildlife and marine life, as well as human beings.
So no wonder that people who work with leather die younger and get more diseases than the average population. In fact, even in ultra-developed and regulated Sweden and Italy, studies of leather-tannery workers showed cancer risks “between 20% and 50% above [those] expected.”
And let’s not forget that raising animals for leather creates loads of waste and pollution. Or that many trees are cut down to create space for factory farms and food for cattle.
Why vegan leather alternatives are always a better option
No consumer product is perfect. And vegan leather is no exception.
Most plant-based vegan leathers still make some use of PU or other additives either as a stabiliser in the material itself or as a backing. However, compared to animal leather or 100% petroleum-based synthetics, we think plant-based vegan leathers are still by far the most eco-friendly options available.
In fact, when done right, vegan accessories are way more environmentally friendly than their leather counterparts.
And luckily, there are increasing numbers of evermore eco friendly vegan alternatives to leather available today.
Curious to see what they are? Keep reading!
17 Truly Sustainable Vegan Leather Alternatives
1. Paper
The first eco friendly vegan leather on our list may surprise you: paper. While it may be hard to believe that paper can be as strong as leather, don’t forget that we have featured an actual cathedral made from cardboard before. So if you can do architecture with it, it can certainly be strong enough for a handbag!
Botega Veneta realised this when it created their gorgeous paper Carta Giapponese bag, which you can see below.
This elegant clutch is made of tightly woven washi, a delicate paper derived from the bark of the fast-growing kozo tree (a Japanese relative of the common mulberry). Once made, the washi is cut, then its edges are carefully woven.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Obviously, Botega Veneta, mentioned above. But also But other designers, such as Doshi, Paper Handbags by Ilvy Jacobs, and Engage Green have also made incredible use of paper in their designs.
Images: Bottega Veneta
2. Cork
Long used as a water-resistant, organic material in floor tiling, cork is widely regarded as being one of the most ecologically friendly materials around.
It’s easily recycled, completely natural, and sourcing from cork oak forests for various industries helps prevent desertification and deforestation.
Mainly harvested from Southern Europe, there is a particular cork forest in the Iberian Peninsula that is essential to the protection of endangered species in the region. And shopping cork bags can really help with that!
With its naturally waterproof qualities and organic texture, no wonder it has been used by large brands like Chanel and Louboutin, as well as smaller, more eco-friendly ones, too.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Mat and Nat, Bobobark (pictured below) amongst many others.
3. Recycled Rubber
Some rubber, such as that used in inner tubes, can actually have quite a leathery texture and density. This makes it the perfect eco friendly vegan leather for fashion accessories.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Paguro, for example, is one brand that makes stylish unisex bags and sassy cuffs from the easy-to-care for material. The recycled rubber they use (pictured below) imitates the look of fine grain, matte leather, which translates beautifully into their various accessory designs.
Laura Zabo is another designer using the stuff. She’s replaced leather for upcycled inner tubes in everything from belts and shoes to guitar straps.
4. Waxed Cotton
Waxed cotton, preferably organic, is a perfect substitute for leather.
The material is also pliable, waterproof, and unlike leather, it’s easily washable, cutting down on specialist textile cleaning bills, and also saving the environment from more dry cleaning chemicals.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Big brands, such as 7 for all Mankind and Marc Jacobs have long used this for jeans and bags, respectively.
Image below: celticandco.com
5. Apple Leather
When the apple falls from the tree, I bet you didn’t expect it to be turned into a leather bag? By now we’re used to some fruit based materials such as orange peels and banana skins being fashioned into clothing textiles. But apples?
This is a new form of eco friendly vegan leather, and we’re super thrilled that that apple waste can make a textile that is so incredibly chic, whilst being cruelty free.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Wondering where you can buy luxurious vegan accessories made from apple leather? It’s easier than you’d think! Happy Genie makes chic handbags (below), as do Svlala and Veggani (below), which is a super-sustainable brand because they also use recycled plastic bottles for the lining of their backpacks and handbags.
6. Piñatex
This material is made from wasted parts of the pineapple bush, and is 100% vegan friendly and is also ethical in the sense that it gives pineapple farmers yet another source of income from their crops.
The fabric feels like thick cowhide leather, is watertight and very durable. No wonder more and more shoe and bag brands are using it! In fact, H&M recently created a bunch of cowboy boots from the stuff.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Svala, Dan & Mez, Jord and many others.
7. MuSkin Mushroom Leather
One of the coolest forms of eco friendly vegan leather comes from mushrooms.
You can actually grow this mushroom leather to the size and shape you need for any given design. How cool is that? It needs to be waterproofed, but this can be done in a simple, non-chemical way, making MuSkin completely biodegradable and eco-friendly. Who wouldn’t love to have a bag made from this vegan alternative to leather?
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: The brands Muskin and Mycoworks are making a leather from mushroom mycelium. And rather amazingly, Hermès partnered with MycoWorks to develop an eco-friendly version of its classic Victoria bag. However, sadly, this bag is FAR from vegan. It contains calf skin!
Dead baby cow on our arms? Um, hard pass.
8. The Hana Plant (Agave Plant)
Artisans of Sri Lanka are using the thick leaves that grow from the sustainable hana plant and using these to yield yet another form of eco friendly vegan leather.
The hana plant produces a fine fibre that’s then woven into accessories that are normally made of leather, like wallets, handbags and computer cases.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Kantala products is one brand that uses the material gorgeously – and not only that, but all their products are coloured using all natural dyes, too!
9. Large Leaves
This eco friendly vegan leather is incredibly lightweight and can even withstand tropical storms, so you can take these gorgeous bags, wallets and other vegan friendly accessories along with you anywhere you go, from shopping sprees to impromptu trips to the beach.
Leaves are soaked in water, dyed, arranged flat together to dry. Drying the leaves bond them and provide a large sheet of the leaf material. After that, the leaf layers mended with cotton to provide a soft interior and structure.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Bark and Leaf is a brand that transforms natural, raw materials into urban everyday items made from from banana, rain tree and lotus leaves. Tree Tribe and Elpis Studio also use leaf leather to make their bags and accessories.
10. Recycled Materials
I think it’s fair to say we’re all aware of the environmental impact single use plastic is having on our planet. So we were super grateful to hear about vegan leather alternatives made from recycled plastics.
Many vegan bag brands use PET bottles and deadstock nylon and PU fabric to make their accessories. That’s great news! And the even better news? There’s a new brand called REMEANT that uses junk that usually ends up in your backyard. Think: plastic bags, plastic cutlery, and hotel shower caps. Available in a range of colours, shades and textures, REMEANT is a highly durable textile that is also water-resistant, making it the perfect fabric for hard-wearing handbags, home textiles, and clothing.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: REMEANT, Samara, Mat and Nat, and many others.
11. Coffee Leather
What feels a bit like cork and suede had a baby, and smells like a freshly made latte? It’s coffee leather, of course!
And no wonder: just look at that natural brown hue, and all the different textures coffee leather can achieve. I can’t wait until they start making handbags from this eco friendly vegan leather!
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Nat2 is one brand that is already using this material to create unisex sneakers that are in high demand.
12. Wine/Grape Leather
What’s the only thing that may smell better than coffee leather? Wine leather, of course! Vegea Company is already producing another kind of eco friendly vegan leather from winemaking by-products like grape peels and seeds.
If course, it comes in the natural hues of wine: blush, bordeaux, burgundy and so on. I love the fact that it can be printed to look like any kind of animal skin you like, from ostrich and cow to snake.
But the best part? This material will soon be available on a mass scale! In fact, H&M is making a bunch of gorgeous vegans handbags and shoes from the stuff, in partnership with Vegea. The eco-friendly collections will also feature a new dye made from coffee grounds.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Vegea, Ifarmaissance and even Tommy Hilfiger!
13. Cactus Leather
Also known as nopal leather or Desserto, this eco friendly vegan leather is made from the sun-dried fibres of cactus plants in Mexico. It’s durable, smooth and water-resistant. So much so, you can use it to make anything from belts and bags to coats and shoes.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Maison Maes makes luxurious handbags from it. And just check out these sneakers by Clae, below, too. What’s not to love?
14. Apple Leather
Juice takes up a lot of fruit. Which is fine. But what do you do with the leftover fibres? Make plant based alternatives to leather, of course!
Apple leather is really taking off as one of the top plant based vegan leathers. And with good reason! It’s durable, easy to dye, and brings the zero food waste factor to the table.
But that’s not all! It’s also biodegradable within 3 years, if composted correctly. Moreover, apple skin is OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certified.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Nuuwai, Samara, and many others.
15. Tomato Leather
Pineapple? Check. Apples? Check. Cactus? Check. And now, the company Bioleather has developed a biodegradable leather alternative made from tomato plant waste.
The fabric, called tomato composite, is made by extracting cellulose fibres from the waste and is said to be lightweight, easy to clean, and resistant to water and abrasions. This new vegan leather won Best Innovation in Textile at the PETA Vegan Fashion Awards in 2021 and is now being used to make shoes and bags.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Still experimental.
16. Banana Leaves
Meet a vegan leather alternative that’s purely from naturally grown Abacá banana plants! It’s called Bananatex, and the company that makes it says it has created a ‘truly circular alternative to the synthetic fabrics that dominate the market today’. We believe it!
Bananatex is cultivated in the Philippine highlands within a natural ecosystem of sustainable mixed agriculture and forestry. The plant is self-sufficient, requires no pesticides, fertiliser or extra water.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Stella McCartney made this gorgeous vegan bag, below. Want!
17. Coconut Leather
This eco friendly vegan leather alternative is made from organic and sustainable bacterial cellulose. It is grown on agricultural waste sourced from the coconut industry. This bio-composite material feels very much like ‘real’ leather. It’s flexible, breathable, durable, and water-resistant, which means no plastic coating is necessary. It’s perfect for everything from shoes to bags and even umbrellas.
Brands using this sustainable vegan leather: Malai is the only one that we know of. But they do great stuff! (Pictured below).
Do you know of any other eco friendly vegan leather products? Let us know in the comments, below!
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The next questions your article would do well to explore, are:
What glues/binders are used to turn these plant based materials into a leather-like product and does it have harmful offgassing?
What chemicals are used to waterproof/seal them and what impact does it have on the environment?
What preservatives or stabilizers are used to stop the natural material from decomposing as it would when removed from the plant? What are the health/environmental implications of using these?
Yes, excellent points!
Here’s a new one to check out, vegan leather made from carob: https://www.facebook.com/courodealfarrroba
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Stop ? use of old materials! It’s time to be cruelty free! It’s time to use new Vegan ? materials ?! It’s time of LifeMaterials: http://www.lifematerials.eu stop ? animal abuse! Stop ? cruelty!
Ok this is great, but where do I actually buy things made out of these materials? I seriously could only find like 2 actual product options out of all of these. You made me want them, now how do I get them? haha
Ha ha! Good point Alena! Maybe this helps? https://eluxemagazine.com/fashion/brands-using-pinatex/
Thank you Eluxe Magazine! Stop 🛑 betraying your future with the past! it’s time to change! 👊💚 Go Vegan 🌱 Materials! Go LifeMaterials! 👊💚🌱: http://www.lifematerials.eu
Hi,
I am the editor of a hungarian blog mostly about eco-fashion. I really liked your article and I would like to translate it and publish it on my own page (with citation of course). I would really appreciate if you would allow me to show people how amazing leather alternatives can be.
Love,
Anna
Hi Anna
Please email [email protected] detailing what you’d like to do 🙂
Faux leather is not the same as real leather in durability because they do crack. However, the faux leather you posted in your essay are astonishing! Actually we are a supplier of faux leather and we found this essay when we were searching for people’s ideas on faux leather. You ‘re welcomed to our site http://www.bridgesl.com/ if you’re interested in the fabric.
We hope that there could be something which can contribute your next essay.
Hi- I am interested in getting swatches of these materials for my design company. Does anyone have any resources who can help?
A Google…
You have got a lot of your facts wrong here. All of the alternatives that you listed can be just as harmful as a petroleum based materials if not sourced responsibly and in some cases actually more damaging their regional ecosystems. Not all petroleum based faux leathers are toxic and the amount of petroleum actually used to make faux leather is less that it takes to ship cotton around the planet.
Hi CeeCee
Not sure how locally sourced tree bark or cork could be anything but eco friendly, but happy to learn…?
Chere,
I like your discourse style.
Hi Chere
Cork fabric and slate stone leather are not eco friendly as the fabrics are mixed with non- eco materials like PU, cotton and polyester. Same goes for the treebark leather such as Flesswood which is glued onto animal leather or PU\PVC vegan leather. You should dig a bit deeper and check the facts before you start praising these materials.
Hi Norena,
Most of the plant-based vegan leathers available today make slight use of PU or other additives either as a stabilizer in the material itself or as a backing. However, what us promoters of plant-based leather are saying is that compared to animal leather (a toxic industry) or synthetics (which are 100% petroleum-based rather than just a small percentage), these are still by far the most eco-friendly options available. Of course as vegan leather chemists we still have some work to do to eliminate PU completely. However, cork itself is a natural material and very eco-friendly for numerous reasons as Chere describes above, although currently it is commonly backed with a thin layer of PU. Some producers of cork are already working to phase out PU with recycled polyester. We still have work to do, but we are getting there! 🙂 Thanks for opening up the discussion!
Hi Lindsay,
good attitude about “we still have work to do”… however the amount of PU in most leather alternative products is way too high and praise this materials so highly environmentaly friendly is just wrong. In some cases we are talking about 70% of PU and only 30% natural ingridients. Does it not sound quite disproportional to you, to be praised? What is the footprint on the planet and biodegradable behaviour of this materials?
Also I totally disagree about “toxic” industry related to leather as overall term. This term applies to mineral tanning process, specially with Chrom VI, however there is vegetable tanned leather, which is non toxic at all and very durable. None of plant-based leather is coming close to this durability, but it is not suitable for a vegan live style…
The trend is set, so I hope, new formulas going to be developped very soon to make the plant-based leather to environmentaly friendly product and not just vegan…
I think the whole concept of eco-friendly, should largely be based on the afterlife of these materials. As we now know, besides carbon emissions, plastic has been one of the worst inventions by human beings. So when I think about eco-friendly, besides toxicity, one of the big questions are, is it bio-degradable?