Vegan Leather You Can Use For Your Brand!

For too long, animal leather has reigned supreme in the fashion world.

Not anymore—vegan leather is on the rise, and it’s here to stay. While leather requires the skin of animals, faux and vegan leather offer alternatives that keep us looking good and doing good. Vegan leather is almost always cheaper than the real thing, and can be versatile and adapted to whatever our needs are.

Here we have gathered some different types of vegan leather that you can use on your next leather product. And, the leading luxury brands which use vegan leather to build a sustainable fashion statement.

Sustainable Vegan Leather For Your Luxury Products

Mushroom Leather

It is slightly disconcerting to imagine that the chopped up vegetable that tops your pizza is also the material that made your chic, new handbag. Fortunately, mushroom-based leather, called MusKin, is made from a completely different, inedible species of mushrooms called Phellinus ellipsoideus.

Developed by the company Zero Grado Espace, MusKin is made using all-natural techniques, including something called an ‘eco-wax’, which gives the leather some different unique characteristics. The finished product is non-toxic, water repellant, super soft, and above all, the perfect sustainable leather alternative for the fashion industry.

Pineapple Leather

Piñatex, which is arguably one of the most well-known vegan leathers in the industry, is an entirely natural textile made from waste pineapple leaf fibre. Invented by Ananas Anam Ltd., this vegetable leather is really what ‘green’ fashion is all about.

In the words of the founder of the company, Dr Carmen Hijosa, “It is created from a byproduct of agriculture, meaning it’s a total waste product. This really means that in order to have Piñatex, a textile, we don’t have to use any land, water, pesticides, fertilizers … we are actually taking a waste material and ‘upscaling’ it.”

The material is gorgeous, completely eco-friendly and it also provides an extra source of income for the farming communities, many of which are in the Philippines – the homeland of Piñatex.

Qmilch

A few years ago, a biochemist turned fashion designer created the concept of producing fabric from the milk protein casein. This may be an unlikely source of sustainable material, but it holds a lot of promise for textile fibre production. Waste raw milk products which are deemed unfit for human consumption are used in an environmentally-friendly process to create hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial fabric. People who are sensitive to chemicals have no worries as the production of QMilch involves no chemicals. It is biodegradable and scores high on the sustainability scorecard.

Agroloop Biofibre

Agroloop BioFibre is a sustainable fabric created by Circular Systems. This BioFibre is made from crop residue commonly obtained from the farming of sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, flax, and hemp. With this system, all the waste is turned into a new product instead of being left to rot. This decreases the amount of methane that pollutes the atmosphere, making this textile-grade qualify as a new and innovative sustainable fabric for 2020.

Biofabricated Leather

One of the most intriguing leather alternatives is bio fabrication leather and the company behind this innovation, Modern Meadow, successfully produced the company’s first brand of bio fabrication leather called Zoa. ‘Built with Biology, Designed for Impact’ – this imitation leather is made using collagen and is a 100% animal product free.

The material is beyond unique and though it isn’t yet accessible for mainstream use, holds massive potential for fashion in the future.

Our Picks On Vegan Brands We Love And Why

Vol Holzhausen

After working in automotive design for Mercedes-Benz and Audi, Vicki Von Holzhausen started a new career path by launching her own handbag line. Holzhausen integrated her knowledge of creating the durable, long-lasting leather product. She pursed her handbag design to incorporate environmentally friendly fashion to change the world in style. Soon after the launch, she invented ‘Technik-Leather’- a sustainable, high quality and utterly animal-free alternative to genuine leather.

In 2015, Von Holzhausen launched a collection of accessories that focussed on sustainability and quality of life. And in 2018, the brand revolutionized fashion by making a complete switch from genuine leather to technik-leather further adding value to the brand’s ethical mission.

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney, the vegan Queen herself, was one of the first few designers to build a luxury brand, cruelty-free thus paving the way for eco-friendly fashion. From the iconic Falabella bag to a chic pair of shoes, the products, made using recycled polyester are almost indistinguishable from real leather and utterly compatible with the environment.

Nanushka

This Budapest-based brand, Nanushkha, offers their trademark butter-soft vegan leather. Both elegant and full of life, their vegan leather cannot be compared with any other regular brands. Focusing mostly on social influencers, this brand delivers a lustrous fabric of the highest quality with the finest cut. From puffer jacket to jumpsuit to trousers, Nanuskha is not stopping in crafting innovative designs that are good for the environment.

V By Townsle

V by Townsley’s Italian made designs, crafted with PVC-free Japanese vegan leather, is up there with some of the best sustainable fashion brands. The material is buttery soft and the designs to die for. From the oversized Eden tote bag to Isabella clutch, V By Townsley brings together extraordinary designs and environmental responsibility in perfect harmony, creating some incredible products along the way.

Moshi

Founded in 2005, Moshi soon became a statement for sustainable office carries. Minimal and chic designs make Moshi a trend option for everyone who wishes to elevate their sustainable style. Creating accessories and electronics, Moshi’s designer collection is best for office use, or any professionals.

Jill Milan

Jill Milan is an extremely high-end handbag brand that takes its responsibility to the planet just as seriously as its commitment to fashion. From red carpet appearances with Anne Hathaway to TV cameos in shows like Gossip Girl, a Jill Milan handbag is the height of glamour which goes to show that fashion can be eco-friendly.

JW PEI

A more recent entry in the field of sustainable high fashion, JW PEI is known for its modern designs that combine functionality and style. Despite its status as a luxury brand, JW PEI is too environmentally conscious, working only in those factories that are certified by the Global Recycling Standards.

The sleek Fiona bag, available in eye-catching mustard, is crafted from ultra-micro fibre vegan leather and has a durable lining created entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Additionally, 10% of every purchase is donated to animal sanctuaries in different parts of the world.

These vegan brands have exceeded all expectations in bringing together the two worlds of fierce fashion and fighting for the environment, and we love them for making the world a better place one handbag at a time.

Vegan leather is a delight to work with, crafting innovative designs with environmentally friendly material is a luxury in today’s world. CreateLab helps leather business produce luxurious designs and leather products for their business. Our years of experience in the leather industry help us find the balance between functionality and style.

If you are a leather business or thinking about starting one, contact us here to get more information or consultation on the leather industry and how you can create a difference in the world.