HOW TO SWITCH FROM ANIMAL LEATHER TO VEGETABLE LEATHER ?

It is on our feet, hands and heads: leather is a reliable material that has proven its durability over time. Indeed, its robustness gives its products a lifespan of at least ten years. It is therefore not surprising that leather has become an essential for us that we can no longer do without! However, to access this product, there is a heavy environmental cost to pay that few people are aware of. In addition to the ethical issue, the leather production process has many consequences on our planet. Fortunately, for several years, many companies have been able to innovate and offer consumers good quality and ecological products.

Animal leather

It would be wrong to claim that leather is just a simple by-product of the food industry. Indeed, if it may have been in the past, leather is today an industry. Indeed, some farm animals are now used for their skin. This requires significant quantities of water, food and land, not to mention the waste produced by this process. To produce 1 kilogram of raw hide, you need:

• 17,100 liters of water
• 7.4 kg of cereals
• 41 kg of green fodder…

This means that a lot of agricultural land is used to meet the food needs of livestock. For example, it is estimated that meat and leather production corresponds to nearly 65% ​​of deforestation in the Amazon. Forests, which play an essential role in the fight against climate change, are thus transformed into pastures. But that's not all!

Animal leather not really ecological?

While bovine leather, very widely used in industry, is generally a recycled product from the food sector, and therefore more ecological than certain raw materials produced specifically for the fashion sector, for example, the fact remains that before being transformed into your favorite pairs of shoes, raw leather must be transformed. This process, called leather tanning, has negative impacts on its environment. It is important to know that for each tonne of raw leather, 200 to 250 kg of chrome-tanned leather is obtained. This requires the addition of 15 to 20 tonnes of water, 500 kg of chemicals and a considerable amount of energy. Thus, for one tonne of treated leather, between 60 and 250 tonnes of polluted water are produced (containing, among other things, around 20-30 kg of chrome and 50 kg of sulphide), between 1,800 and 3,650 kg of solid residue, 2,500 kg of sludge and between 4 and 50 kg of solvents that are released into the air. In other words, this dangerous and extremely polluting waste can end up in the environment, for example in the surrounding waterways. In addition, the metal used, chrome, is also very dangerous for people who are exposed to it in factories, for example.

Natural Alternatives - Pineapple Leather

Now that we have established the many harmful impacts of the animal leather industry, what are the options available to us to replace this material that is nevertheless essential for clothing? Several options, more respectful and in harmony with the environment, are available!

Pineapple leather is probably the best-known alternative to regular leather to date. The latter, made from pineapple leaf fibers, can be dyed and is as strong and waterproof as animal leather. In addition, its costs are lower since it comes directly from recycled materials. Thus, major companies such as Puma use this advantageous textile called Pinatex. Since it is actually a by-product of pineapple cultivation, it does not require additional environmental resources and therefore does not use any toxic chemicals. The Spanish company behind this material, Ananas Anam, bases its model on the principle of the circular economy. Their vision is to work fairly with pineapple farmers in the Philippines. They also make sure to only sell their products to environmentally and socially responsible companies.

Natural Alternatives – Mushroom Leather

Mushroom leather, another plant-based option, has some characteristics that differ from traditional leather. Be warned! It’s no less interesting! With its extremely soft texture and flexibility, it far surpasses synthetic leather substitutes, which are also very polluting. In 2021, Adidas is releasing a limited edition of its famous Stan Smiths made from, you guessed it, mushroom leather! This textile, called Mylo, was developed by the German company from mushroom roots. As for the cultivation process, it uses vertical farming, which allows the underground roots of the mushroom – also called renewable mycelium – to be cultivated in a space-saving system, while increasing the yield.

Natural alternatives - Cork leather

Another advantageous and eco-friendly option: cork leather. This is obtained by peeling the trunk of the cork oak, a process that does not cause any damage to the trees since they are not cut down and their bark regenerates naturally. First, the cork is stripped every 9 years on a mature tree that is at least 25 years old. A cork oak can live up to 300 years and therefore be stripped up to 16 times during its life. Then, the cork is dried, then boiled and steamed to give it more elasticity. Finally, the cork is pressed into blocks with heat and pressure to transform it into cork leather. The latter can be dyed and printed just like classic leather.

In short, eco-leather is a young but very promising industry that offers a multitude of choices to its customers and presents an interesting alternative to the use of animal leather in the fashion sector.

Natural Alternatives - Cactus Leather

Cactus leather is an innovative and eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather, made from prickly pear cactus. The production process involves harvesting mature leaves, drying them in the sun and transforming them into a sustainable biomaterial mixed with non-toxic additives. Used in fashion, furniture and car interiors, cactus leather mimics the look and feel of real leather.

Discover our cactus leather collection

Its environmental benefits include minimal water consumption, low carbon emissions and the absence of toxic chemicals like chromium. One hectare of cactus can absorb up to 8,100 tons of CO2 per year. Although scalability and minor synthetic additives pose challenges, cactus leather is a sustainable textile breakthrough.