A discourse on genuine leather versus artificial leather.
Obviously as a leather craftsperson, I am biased toward genuine leather. That said, I can appreciate that pleather (vegan leather) is much less expensive and more easily affordable to those who like to keep up with the changing styles of the fashion industry.
There are pros and cons to both products. Leather requires the death of an animal. Given our propensity to eat meat (which by the way is increasing!), there is a ready supply of animal skin. However, the impact of pleather on the fashion industry has significantly decreased the demand for leather and vast quantities of animal skins are simply discarded, buried or burned each year. At Lineapelle, the largest leather industry show in Europe, there are six pavilions dedicated to tanneries. When I began going to this show in Milan, one pavilion one was allocated for pleather, now there are three.
Artificial leather, simply put, is a product of the petrochemical industry. In its production dioxins are released which are harmful to the environment and health. While I will write more about natural leather in a future blog, for the moment know that in the tanning of genuine leather, there are two main categories—chrome based tanning and vegetable based tanning. Chrome and other chemicals are dangerous pollutants and can pose a threat to water supplies. Recently, biodegradable alternatives have been introduced which the industry is slowly embracing. Vegetable tanned leather depends on the tannins in natural material, such as tree bark and are far less injurious to the environment.
The life expectancy of pleather is only a few years and if not well made, stress points will easily tear and are not worth repairing.The surface is also more fragile and scratching can be very evident. On the other hand, genuine leather, if reasonably cared for, will last 10-20 years or more.
My work is about a product that serves your needs on a long-term basis and is not formulated on the whims of the fashion industry. My passion is addressing the unique needs of my customers. Therefore, I use only the best leather I can find to suit the particular product I am making.