What is PU leather and does vegan leather help the environment ...

What is PU leather and does vegan leather help the environment?
Puleather, pleather, veganleatheror, polyurethaneleather, is anartificial form ofleatherthat is made from thermoplastic polymer and while it is often boasted as being 100% vegan and much better for the environment than normalleatherthis is often not the case. There are many downsides to polyurethaneleatherthat are often overlooked. So we wanted to share some advice with you so that when you are shopping for your next handbag you have a better understanding ofwhatyou are buying and can decide which is best, a polyurethane bag or aleatherbag?
At KeriKit we are always investigating and researching new materials which are being introduced to the world of accessories and offer a much better solution for the environment such as apple, cork, mushroom and cactusleatherto name a few.
While we eat meat, leather is actually one of the most sustainable materials we can use to make bags as not only is it a bi-product of the meat industry, it is durable, lasts longer than a plastic / PU bag and is biodegradable too. You can find out more about our leather bags here
Whilst we do focus a lot on leather, KeriKit is proud to offer new and innovative leather free options of our best selling styles such as recycled nylonleatherbagsfor example. In this article I will break it all down for you and hopefully make it easier for you to come to your own verdict on the sustainability of veganleather,leatherand other sustainableleatheroptions.
WhatisPULeather?
Since all of the materials that are used to make polyurethaneleatherare man-made and synthetic, it is technically regarded as being100% vegan. This is obviously a major selling point in today’s market where there is more of a concern for sustainability than ever before. The biggest advantage of veganleatheris that no animals are harmed during production and this makes it an attractive option to many modern consumers. Polyurethaneleatheris also much cheaper to produce than normalleatherand so it has become readily available in many products, including handbags.
So if veganleatheris ticking all the right boxes, why shouldn’t you buy it over a, ‘less sustainable’, traditionalleatherbag? Well the first major disadvantage of polyurethaneleatheris the significant downgrade in quality. This supposedly sustainablevegan alternative toleatheris nowhere near as durable as a normalleatherbag. Additionally, unlike a realleatherbag, polyurethane products will become worn and cracked overtime, meaning that aPUleatherhandbag is unlikely to last as long as a traditionalleatherbag. Whereas traditionalleatherwill last for many years and actually tends to develop a nice lustre with use,PUtends to perish long before you want it to and then there is only one place left for it - Landfill!
VeganLeather: So much better for the environment, right? Maybe not.
The biggest and most importantdisadvantage of polyurethaneleatheris that despite requiring less resources to make, it does not decompose after use and therefore should not be regarded as sustainable!
When products made ofpolyurethaneleathergo to landfill, after a very long time, they will start to break down. When this happens the polyurethane releases phthalates into the air which are harmful to breathe in. Yes, veganleatherproducts do not require animals to be harmed in order to be produced, however it can cause irritation in the lungs of humans and other organisms including animals.
Environmentally-FriendlyLeatherOptions
If you’re looking for a sustainable alternative toPUleather, navigating the shops can be an absolute minefield. Not allveganleatheris made the same and this can make things very confusing. For example, some veganleatherproducts might be made out of natural plant based alternatives such as pineapple, apple or mushroomleather. Whereas others will be marketed as vegan but are not actually sustainable at all due to the plastic toxins they are releasing into the environment during and after their use. It is estimated that around 13 tonnes of artificial plastic fibres end up in the sea every year. Additionally, since polyurethaneleatherproducts take an extremely long time to break down, they can actually be even moreharmful to the environmentthan traditionalleathers, believe it or not. This is a prime example of greenwashing, it's real and you should be wary of it. Just because something is marketed as being vegan, it does NOT mean that it also benefits the environment.
Just as there are veganleatherslikePUleatherwhich do not help the environment, there are also traditionalleathersthat are better for the environment. For example, our Signature collection includesleather handbags made from anakedleathermeaning that there are fewer chemicals, chrome and water used in theleathertanning process. Plus, our traditionalleatheris also high quality and ourleatherbags are designed to last a lifetime, making this a greatsustainableleatherbagoption.
Recycled Nylon Vs VeganPULeather
The easiest solution to this whole sustainableleatherordeal is to just avoid polyurethaneleatherentirely, instead maybe opt for a recycled nylon made from plastic bottled for your veganleatheralternative. Although nylon is still a synthetic material, our nylon collection is made from recycled materials, to help create a more circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of ourleatherbags. Take ourSustainable Nylon Backpacksfor example, its designer quality, beautiful and practical, lightweight and perfect for work, parenting and travel. Other alternatives will be available soon on our website as we look at other options to offer our lovely customers.
So, if you really want a stylish veganleather-esque bag but you don’t want it at the cost of environmental damage, ourRecycled Nylon Collectionis justwhatyou’ve been waiting for.