Go Vegan: 10 Eco-friendly alternatives to leather accessories
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:02
With veganism on the rise, we’ve got you covered for the chicest cruelty-free substitutes to your favourite leather accessories.
Vastly different from being vegetarian, veganism is the lifestyle of eating only plant-based foods and abstaining from any animal-based products in everyday life. Vegan substitutes for food, fashion and lifestyle products are now aplenty from the rise of fitness awareness, celebrity endorsement (we heard Jared Leto and Glee star Lea Michele are vegans!) and overall environmental concern.
When shopping for shoes, handbags, wallets or belts, we almost always look for leather options, knowing that they would last well through the years, despite naturally ageing over time. But have you ever put any thought into buying your same favourite accessories in a different, more environmentally-friendly and sustainable material?
Not sure where to begin? Well, then keep reading for some pointers on how to choose some suitable leather alternatives.
We could make it easy for you and just say, “Don’t buy anything that looks like leather!” but who are we kidding? Everyone loves a good smooth, buttery-finished surface, textured crocodile skin or even a snakeskin finish.
‘Vegan leather’ on the other hand is often made out of a blend of cork, cotton, acrylic or polyamide felt and can be embossed and manipulated into looking just like real animal leather. However, try to stay away from non-recycled man made plastic materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as they are less bio-degradable. When looking at fibre or fabric content labels, look out for materials such as:
- Vegetan – a branded microfibre often used as a leather subsitute.
- Lorica – a common leather-like material manufactured by Italian tannery, Lorica Sud.
By understanding what fibres and materials go into the making of your fashion products, you’ll rest easy knowing that your handbag or leather pumps were made in the most sustainable, cruelty-free way.
Armed with those tips, look through our gallery for some chic vegan options to add to your wardrobe!
Nur Syazana H.
