Veganism was once a fringe movement, a lifestyle that needed willpower, commitment, and imagination to maneuvers through the absence of vegan resources in the world. Things couldn’t be more different in 2021. Veganism, taking much of the western world by storm and showing no sign of slowing down, is clearly relentless. In reality, in line with the increase in accessible vegan goods, veganism is only projected to expand.

The environmental advantages are one of the key selling points of a vegan lifestyle. Much of the world’s farmland is taken up by the livestock needed to grow meat, milk and leather, generating alarming levels of greenhouse gas emissions and eventually leading to climate change.
But what is vegan leather exactly?
Vegan leather has several different names, all of which describe more or less what it is: an alternative to leather that looks like traditional leather, but does not use any animal products. You may have heard of “artificial leather” or “synthetic leather”.

What is vegan leather made of?
Most vegan leather is made from polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane, both of which are plastic-based materials, and while we are well aware of the plastic problem of our planet, “Pleather” is still the most sustainable and ethical option when it comes to handbags, belts, wallets, shoes, and anything else you would normally find in leather.

Now, you may ask, Why Vegan Leather?
Vegan leather is the smartest idea, and there are so many explanations for that. But let’s start with the fact that it’s not about murdering animals to get their skin to make leather. It’s completely cruelty-free, which makes it a perfect choice.There are many reasons why vegan leather should be purchased by people. The main thing is that you should play your part in putting an end to the brutality of animals. Everybody knows the risks of these species becoming extinct with the massive spread of knowledge. For the sake of fashion, you should also realise what it means to indulge in animal killing. It’s pointless because, by synthetic methods, we can get the same leather.

Where to buy Vegan leather from?

  • Stella McCartney: Stella McCartney is a revolutionary force when it comes to the use of vegetarian leather by luxury fashion brands. Not only does the Stella McCartney leather version look painfully good (and almost impossible to decipher from the real thing), it’s safer for the environment as well.
  • Moshi: Established in 2005, Moshi has quickly become the cornerstone of sustainable office living. For those who refuse to trade beauty for functionality, their designs are simple and elegant.
  • Malai: Zuzana Gombosova and Susmith C Suseelan launched this vegan leather brand based in Kerala in 2017. It will come as no surprise, coming from Kerala, that the label uses waste coconut to formulate a versatile, robust bio composite material that feels like leather.
  • Moon Rabbit: Moon Rabbit is a brand of vegan leather that is completely free from cruelty. Through all its methods, it produces its goods with sustainable practices. Moon Rabbit provides quality, practical items that are skillfully handcrafted, from laptop sleeves and luggage tags to travel pouches and all kinds of bags.
  • Broke Mate: Cruelty-free, female-founded, made-in-India. Three very tempting reasons to go for the collection of vegan bags from Broke Mate that fuse fashion with practicality. It’s a vegan accredited organization approved by PETA that is passionately committed to using cruelty-free products aimed at conscientious consumers.

Kritika is a freelance content writer with Femsay.com