What is Eco leather? It is evident that we all admire leather because it is durable, elegant, fashionable, and remarkably soft. Therefore, humans have been using leather to create classy wearables to adore their lives for thousands of years. Nowadays, the demand for leather-made products is at its peak, but the cost to the environment is unimaginable as it is crafted from the skin of animals.
Animal extinction is hazardous to nature, and its impact is visible in the form of floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and much more. Now, society is moving to an environmentally friendly substitute for leather which is eco-leather. Maybe you have heard it for the first time and have a question in mind: what is eco-leather? In simple words, eco-leather is a sort of leather that does not come from animal skin.
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Generally, eco-leather is created from vinyl and other raw materials which come from plants. In some cases, there could be the use of animal skin leather in the processing of eco-leather as long as it is dyed with plant-based materials rather than toxic chemicals. There comes the question: is leather environmentally friendly? The answer is a big no because only a single pair of leather shoes releases 10Kg carbon dioxide.
What is eco friendly leather made of?
The purest form of eco-leather is made up of plant-based substances but looks like genuine leather but does less harm to the environment. Notably, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PU (polyurethane) are the favored material for eco-leather. Interestingly, the PVC is formulated in three layers of fabric, foam, and then comes a slight covering of leather.
In contrast, the PU is created from other non-toxic substances such as bio-poly oil to create a comfortable and reliable alternative to leather. PU also wrinkles like leather and gives the mimics of real leather as it does not develop detoxing. Apart from the environmentally safe nature of PU, no other form of eco later can compete with it in softness, durability, and appearance.
Impressively, PU is a ditto copy of natural leather. Even a profound user of leather items can not distinguish between animal leather and PU by touching both. However, the matchless durability of PVC makes it tough for the buyer to choose between PVC and PU. Typically, PVC is ultimate for other parts for leather and upholstery due to its incredible strength. If you are in hunting for soft and delicate stuff, then go for PU without any second thought.
After PVC and PU, the Pinatex is the popular form of eco-leather concocted from the waste of pineapple, especially its skin. It was produced in the Philippines but is now famous all over the world due to its strength, shiny look, and eco-friendly attributes.
How Long does eco Leather Last?
Whenever buying eco-leather stuff, you have to trust the label and read it carefully. No matter which type of leather item you are buying, it does not mean that it has 0 percent eco-friendly leather unless you read the product information tag. Mostly, buyers hesitate to buy eco-friendly leather stuff as they consider them junk without giving it a try.
The reality is eco-leather lasts longer than cow leather because it is less likely to peel, crack, and fade from the ultraviolet rays. Eco-leather does not contain any plastic in its composition, which contributes to more life of the product in which it is manipulated. Moreover, the maintenance of these items is much easier than the natural leather-made ones. Impressively, you can clean the eco-friendly leather stuff with a rag and warm water, which can not be a good idea in the case of natural leather.
Why is eco leather a better option for both consumers and businesses?
Being famous for being less toxic and highly durable, it is my primary choice for enterprise and consumer-end use instead of genuine leather. Moreover, it cost remarkably less than animal leather and offers more strength which helps the small business owners yield more profit. Water resistive nature makes it ideal for making swim jackets, rain boots, and waterproof watches.
As eco leather is made of purely organic stuff, so it looks the same as original leather. Those how are allergic to animal leather can use eco leather products because they are not irritating to the skin. Besides that, consumers who want their stuff to last long and look new for long should move from natural leather products to eco-friendly leather products.
FAQ:
1 . Is eco friendly leather real leather?
Eco-leather is made up of veggie-based materials, which are not toxins and chemicals. In contrast, the natural/real leather is crafted from the skin of animals which is hazardous to the environment in many ways. Shockingly, the leather-made products add on a huge amount of carbon dioxide, which intensifies the greenhouse effect. On the other hand, eco-friendly leather is similar in look and quality but has no negative impact on the world.
2. Is eco leather durable?
The durability of organic leather is the prime reason behind its mass scale popularity, but you will be shocked to know that eco leather is much reliable than natural one. Amazingly, it is less prone to cracking, peeling, fading, and discoloring because it does not retain any plastic content. Simply put, eco leather comes from plant skin, whereas natural leather is produced from animal skin. As you know that plants have more life than animals, same the case of eco and genuine leather.
3. Is eco leather same as faux leather?
Yes, eco leather is the subcategory of faux leather, which we all know as artificial leather. Both these leather are alternatives to animal leather due to various reasons. Generally, faux leather is any leather that has zero percent animal skin in its composition. At the same time, eco-leather comes from plant-based materials and does not harm the environment because it does not contain any chemicals.
4. Does eco leather peel?
Yes, like genuine leather, it also peels but at a much lower rate thanks to its plant-based and no toxic materials. With proper care and maintenance, an eco-leather product looks new even after years. Besides that, it can endure those minor scratches effortlessly, which a cow leather can, making it an ideal option to create everlasting items.
Conclusion
Eco-leather is more in demand than real leather there is a solid reason for it. It has outclassed the animal leather in beauty, solace, durability, and especially sustainability for sure. We do not mean you should through away any animal leather stuff you have. To contribute to the cleaner, greener, and better, you should shift from natural leather to eco-friendly leather.