Vegan faux leather is all the rage at the moment! It has rapidly gained popularity in the fashion world & has now made it into the contract furniture world.
But what is it made of?
Vegan leather is an artificial, synthetic leather, made from agricultural waste products and sustainable biomaterials. It can also be made from polymers like polyurethane and other recyclable materials. As well as these synthetic materials, vegan leather can also be made from more natural resources, including pineapple leaves, cork, apple peels, and recycled plastic. Vegan leather is an eco-friendly alternative to animal leather and is made without using any animal products & is animal cruelty free.
Vegan Leather vs. Leather: What Is The Difference?
Conventional leather is a warm, durable, and flexible material made from animal skin. But leather production comes with several environmental and ethical concerns. Harvesting leather from animal skin requires farming & some farms may cut corners with respect to the well-being of their livestock.
The leather industry also has a huge carbon footprint and is not environmentally sustainable. It requires a lot of resources, including energy and water, which can lead to waste. It uses chemicals which can pollute land and water alike.
Vegan leather is easier to make and requires fewer resources than animal leather. Its production is energy and water-efficient. Manufacturers make vegan leather in many ways and process it to resemble leather in strength, texture, and appearance. Vegan leather requires low-cost natural fibers, agricultural waste products, and recyclable materials, making it both environmentally friendly and animal friendly.
So, is vegan leather the same as faux leather?
Not quite! They are similar, but the symbolise totally different things. Vegan leather is more than just a cheaper alternative to real leather, it’s a movement. It takes a stand against the leather industry for its wasteful practices and total disregard for animal life.
In this blog we will be showcasing a couple of our favourites…
Nature Collection by Panaz
The first and only plant-based contract performance vinyl, Nature is a result of many years of research and development by the Panaz team, bringing a unique plant-based performance faux leather to the contract fabric market.
Nature is plant-based & made from 100% renewable raw materials, that are derived from the wood and wastepaper pulping process, eliminating waste & pollution & is fully recyclable.
Cordoba & Canyon by Sunbury Design
Cordoba-The go to plain, faux leather offering outstanding value and performance, Cordoba is a high quality coated fabric with an authentic light grain and soft touch.Available in plain and metallic colours and suitable for severe contract, hospitality and healthcare upholstery.
This fabric is extremely hard wearing, fire retardant, waterproof, anti microbial and approved for deep, infection control cleaning.
Canyon is the classic ‘leather look’ coated fabric with an elegant and refined aspect which replicates the feel and patina of a classic aniline, wax finished, distressed leather.
This fabric is extremely hard wearing, fire retardant, waterproof, anti microbial and approved for deep, infection control cleaning making it ideally suited for severe contract/hospitality and healthcare upholstery.
Cordoba & Canyon collections are manufactured meeting Oeko-Tex Standard 100 guaranteeing a ‘safe’ product with no harmful substances. Both Cordoba & Canyon are vegan accredited REACH compliant, phthalate free, halogen free and PFC free.