All You Need To Know About Vegan Leather
For those keen on fashion, what’s more exciting than that first cool breeze signalling fall is arriving? Few things are more exciting than fall accessories, making the season a true joy for fashion kings and queens. Fall is all about finesse, angles, layering, and most importantly accessorizing. You might start with the wools, the scarves, the turtle necks, the thigh-high boots, the three tiered outerwear - but what really gives shape to fall outerwear silhouettes? That’s right - the leather belts and the tote bags. Fall and winter outfits crave the belts to hold it all together and the tote bags for statement-making but ease of accessibility.
We’re at that unique point in trends where minis and micros are still a favorite, but also a favorite is a leather tote bag. Leather tote bags make a sizable impact just as much as micros and mini’s. But wow does it add a layer of flair when paired with thigh-high boots, an oversized coat and a beautiful leather belt. Tiger Marrón caters to your fall trend needs with premium handmade leather belts and beautiful but functional leather tote bags.
At Tiger Marrón, our ladies leather tote bags are handcrafted in Top Grain Biodegradable Genuine Leather. With ease-of-use becoming paramount in today’s world, and with a strong focus on functionality and style - we are seeing the continued rise of tote bags. More and more people are seeing a huge rise in being on-the-go, faster mobility, a focus on transporting larger materials such as laptop bags, but also smaller materials for everyday use such as lipsticks. In fall - with mittens on, with the cold approaching, the swifter you can reach in and out of your bag, the better it is - and our functional leather tote bag not only offers you that ease of mobility but also has enough structure to retain its shape and rest easily against you. Everyone needs the space to be able to accommodate for just about anything when we’re on the go, everyone needs that staple that allows for ease of reaching, while also being a style statement.
A new leather tote bag from Tiger Marrón USA allows you to go to college, or the office with ease, a rush to put in your items, a rush to grab your laptop, an ease to extract the wallet, all while looking extensively stylish. Why have only functionality when you can also have stylish and on-trend for fall?
Fall is one of the best times of the year. The change of seasons is not only invigorating, but it’s beaming with the promise of the holidays and time with family and friends, an opportunity to change the narrative of the previous season, a chance to layer the outfits and snuggle up.
Whether you’re out for drinks with friends or taking a walk, through the perfect but slightly chilly air, Tiger Marrón leather accessories, leather tote bag, and leather belt, will give your outfit that extra bit of flair you deserve.
All You Need To Know About Vegan Leather
1. Vegan Leather Handbags
2. Vegan handbags brands
The most commonly used materials for synthetic leathers are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PU (polyurethane), which are plastic based materials. Vegan leather is essentially not using animal hides, therefore it is synthetic leather - simply put, any leather that is not animal-based is vegan. The industrial process is vastly different therefore to real leather. Bonding a plastic coating is generically needed to make synthetic leather. And there are also plant-based vegan leathers, made out of plants such as cactus.
Vegan leather is often a lot thinner than real leather and therefore more light weight and this makes it easier to work with when styling silhouettes for each seasonal trend.
Additionally - as vegan leather is made with a plastic coating, it is essentially already waterproof. This makes it easier to clean by using a mild detergent or just by wiping it with a mildly damp cloth.
Aside from being rigorously tested across a spectrum of technical qualities (abrasion, strength, stretch etc) they are beautifully finished, as only the Italians know how!
Traditionally produced vegan leather, made from plastic polymers, are no friend to the environment as they don’t biodegrade and also release microplastics into the waterways. Good news is that plant-based leathers are much kinder to the planet! Vegan materials require fewer chemicals than plastic and are less polluting of waterways and soil (some are also biodegradable!).
If we’re talking about PVC or polyurethane leather, then the very issue about them is that they do not biodegrade. Although those made from biopolyoils (plant-based sources) do biodegrade which is great news.
Vegan leather is available in a variety of options, and different things may be true for different materials. Vegan leather can contain PVC as a coating or mixed with the material to create waterproof features, even so, vegan leather is kind to the planet. One thing is certain, as far as innovation goes, vegan leather will carry on improving to become an environmentally friendly product that everyone must-have.
Even if you are not vegan, give it a try!- The basic process of making vegan leather goes like this:
- Choose a base material—this is usually cotton or polyester fabric.
- Decide what plastic to use as a binder. Typically either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU).
- Bind the material to the plastic. The plastic is melted and overlaid on the fabric.
Cut the fabric to be used in consumer goods.
PVC leather. This one’s pretty easy to dismiss. The manufacturing process of PVC leather releases harmful chemicals like phthalates and other endocrine disruptors that continue to off-gas after the product is released for sale. Also, PVC is 100% not recyclable or biodegradable. Over time, it just breaks down into millions of little pieces, called microplastics, which make their way into the world’s food supply.
PU leather. Better, but still not great. Polyurethane leather typically requires fewer toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process. But it’s still not recyclable or biodegradable. Some companies are now using alter nappa, a polyurethane-based leather that uses 50% vegetable oil in the coating.
Plant-based vegan leather. The best option for conscious consumers! This category includes all vegan leathers made from plant-based materials (like pineapple, cork, and leaf leather). To begin with, the base materials are natural and therefore 100% biodegradable. There are different coatings used in these vegan leathers, but two types are BOPP film and polylactic acid. Both of these coatings, while not perfect, are much less harmful to you and to the environment. They don’t release toxic chemicals and some are even biodegradable.
By now it should be clear that the future of vegan leather is a fully sustainable, earth-friendly, quality product designed to last for years! The exciting thing is that plant-based vegan leather is already a good sustainable option that is constantly being improved.
While no vegan leather is perfect, we hope that you’re now armed with the knowledge to make the best decision possible when you’re shopping for new products.
The general category of ‘vegan leather’ can be broken down into two: The old-fashion synthetic vegan leather, also known as faux-leather The more recently developed vegan leather, made from organic and natural ingredients
1. Synthetic leather is made from petroleum-based materials.
- It was one of the first attempts at making cheaper alternatives to animal leather.
- The most popular synthetic vegan leather is made either from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU).
- Synthetic types of ‘leather’ are also called Faux leather (faux=fake) or Pleather (plastic leather).
- Given its construct, synthetic leather is detrimental to the environment.
2. Natural vegan leather made ONLY from organic matter, such as fruits byproducts or mushrooms.
- As a material, natural vegan leather is a product of the last ten years of research.
- Also part of the general ‘vegan leather’ consensus, these materials are made ONLY from organic materials such as:
- Mushrooms, cactus, algae (kelp), orange and apple peels, pineapple leaves (pinatex), cork, barkcloth, and even paper.
- Moreover, when compared to synthetic leather, natural vegan leather is sustainable and has better quality.
Also Read: The Best Duffle Bags for Travel