Vegan vs vegetable tanned leather: Which is more Eco friendly?
In the leather world, there are many amazing types of leather, some of them are real animal leathers but some other materials that resemble leather can confuse people to tell which is what. One of the most common people ask is vegetable tanned leather vegan. Well, the straight answer to that question is “No vegan leather and veg tanned leather are not the same”. In this article, we will discuss this in detail and after reading this article you will get a clear insight into the difference between the two and which is more eco friendly.
Table of Contents
Vegan vs vegetable leather
Vegetable tanned leather or veg tanned leather is often abbreviated as “veg tan” and most people often confuse it with vegan leather which is a totally different thing.
So which is what? Well vegan leather is not even real leather as it is an umbrella term that is used to market the leather like material derived from plastic such as Polyurethane or PVC. On the other hand veg tanned leather is authentic leather which is created by using only Eco-friendly materials.
Vegetable tanned leather unlike other harmful tanning processes id tanned by using tannins sourced from plants. In addition, the color dyes used to dye the leather are also natural. Hence, veg tanned leather is 100% environmentally friendly
Veg tanning is the traditional way of tanning leather and in recent decades, some modern tanneries have perfected the way to produce veg tanned leather which is almost the same as chrome tanned leather in terms of softness while keeping all other qualities of veg tanned leather intact.
Vegan leather as I have mentioned earlier is just an umbrella term that is also deceiving in nature as it is made out of plastic polymers and is not as nearly as environmentally friendly as veg tanned leather. It is considered vegan as it doesn’t contain any animal product but it does contain plastic which is even worst.
Products like vegan leather which are actually considered animal friendly are even more harmful to animals and environment than the real leather as they take hundreds of years to break down, leaching into the soil and then being ingested by animals in the form of microplastics. On the other hand, real leather can completely biodegrade in 25 to 50 years irrespective of the type of tannin method used.
What about other leather alternatives like pineapple/cork/leaf/cactus leather?
Well, these so-called plant-based alternatives are no different than vegan leather when it comes to harming the environment as many of these plant-based options use plastic in their production and they are nonbiodegradable in nature. For instance, cork imitation leather is held together with a silicon-based binding agent which is nonbiodegradable and it is true in the case of other so-called leather alternatives they are somehow causing more harm to earth than the real leather material.
In addition, these imitation leather materials are not as strong and durable as real leather which needs more frequent replacements and cannot be used as widely as real leather. For instance, they cannot be used to make dresses and straps and are confined to narrow use.
What about “upcycled” leather or rubber/plastics?
The upcycled leathers are mainly two types and unfortunately, both of them are unsuitable for the environment as they do more harm than good.
These two types of upcycled materials are distinguished by the raw materials used, in one of them real leather pieces which are otherwise waste for the real leather industry are used by mixing them with a bonding agent which is plastic based, and then sticking it with a cloth backing. The second method uses recycled plastic and rubber which is transformed into a polymer paste and then pasted on the cloth backing.
The first method is quite similar to the other plant-based leather alternatives but the second one, isn’t use recycled material which is good for environment. Well, the answer is no. It uses the materials rubber and plastic which can easily be recycled multiple times but after mixing them with other materials to make leather-like things, they cannot be recycled again and will end up in the landfill. For instance, a plastic pipe can be recycled many times but not when it is shredded and mixed with binders to make sheets for clothing purposes as no recycling plant is going to segregate the plastic from it due to the costs and long time it takes to do so
As you can clearly understand, both methods of making upcycled leather employ some kind of plastic and they are both equally bad for the earth.
Is vegan leather real leather?
The straightforward answer is no, vegan leather is not real leather. It is neither natural nor eco-friendly as compared to vegetable tanned leather which is 100% real leather which is sourced from animals. Leather is usually a byproduct of the meat industry and no animal is generally killed only for its hide. Veg tanned leather is not natural material but it is also fully biodegradable as the method used to create it only uses Eco friendly and nontoxic substances.
If you are looking for a sustainable and environmentally friendly leather material then you should only consider vegetable tanned leather. There are other types of leathers such as brain tanned and smoke tanned that are even more environment friendly but they are very rare and difficult to find.
How to spot authentic veg tanned leather?
If you want to know how to recognize real vegetable tanned leather then here are some tips to keep in mind-
1.| Price
The price is the first thing that can help you recognize the real veg tanned leather as it is higher than the other leather types due to the slow production process which is laborious.
2.| Stiffness
The veg tanned leather is not easily pliable as it possesses some stiffness but it gets softer with usage and time
3.| Age well
Veg tanned leather tends to develop a beautiful surface patina over time and usage which is more significant as compared to other leather types such as chrome tanned leather
4.| Natural smell
Veg tanned leather has a natural earthy and slightly woody smell unlike the chrome tanned leather which smells more like factory chemicals
5.| Natural texture
veg tanned leather is usually created by full grain hide which is also dyed with water-based natural dyes due to which its natural grained surface remains intact.
Conclusion
In conclusion, If you ask me if real leather has any alternative, I would say that real leather holds a special charm that cannot be replicated by any artificial material. Leather’s natural essence and the uniqueness of each skin give it an irreplaceable character. While some cheaper options like bonded leather and faux leather are available, can they replace real leather? In my view, nothing can replace the authenticity of natural leather.
If you have any doubts, feel free to ask in the comment section, and for more information on leather products, you can check our other articles or you can contact us. LeatherBlues is known as one of the best stores for real leather products. Explore our amazing collection of leather garments and services.
Related topics: PH of leather and why is it important?
Vegetable tanned leather: A hidden luxury
Crazy horse leather: what makes this leather different from the rest