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Leather forms the foundation of footwear, bags and luggage, and parts of the apparel industry. While prized for its durability, the material has a far-reaching impact on the environment, from how cattle are raised to the chemicals used in tanning. As a result of this awareness, larger fashion houses have started moving away from both fur and leather. Yet, vegan leather in its most widely used form – polyurethane, derived from petroleum – isn’t without concern. While the animal factor is out of the equation, polyurethane-based products don’t have the longevity, thus increasing consumption, PVC-based formulas have been known to give off carcinogenic chemicals, and reliance on petroleum encourages sourcing and supply chain practices that increase emissions and contribute to climate change. In response, the vegan leather field has started to diversify – mainly, with landfill-biodegradable PU and plant-based materials like apple leather and Piñatex, made of pineapple waste. Still, there’s more terrain to be explored, and in line with the jewelry industry’s increasing use of lab-grown diamonds and other gemstones, lab-grown leather is gradually emerging.
