FROM CROPS TO COUTURE

WHY PLANT BASED LEATHER IS SUSTAINABLE?

In a world ravaged by climate change, traditional ways of doing business have to change and fashion must become more sustainable. The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry after oil and gas. The fashion industry is responsible for 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually and this is not the only issue. There are multiple other issues involving water usage, landfill pollution, excess use of chemicals etc etc.

Leather is a popular material used in the fashion industry. Leather boots, bags, belts and jackets are considered highly fashionable, and some people believe that it is sustainable because it is “natural” and “biodegradable”. There is an assumption that leather is sustainable because it’s a by-product of the meat and dairy industry, therefore, it is a zero-waste product. The problem with this kind of thinking is that it does not take into account that factory farming of animals is causing climate change, the meat and dairy industry are causing deforestation and biodiversity loss. The leather industry fuels this industry, this makes the leather industry responsible for deforestation. As much as 80% deforestation in the Amazon is linked to cattle ranching. Deforestation endangers local animal and plant species and also leads to biodiversity destruction.

Slaughterhouses don’t typically come to people’s minds when they look at a leather bag, the factories where animals are raised for slaughter dump biohazardous waste into waterways. The tanneries dump as many as 300-400 million tons of heavy metals, toxic sludge and other chemicals into water bodies which pollute the environment. The global south does not have strict environmental laws and a lot of leather manufacturing for wealthier countries is outsourced to countries in the global south like India and China. There are around 170 chemicals which are used in the tanning process including chromium, formaldehyde and arsenic.

A huge percentage (77%) of agricultural land around the world is used for animal slaughter. According to a report by good on you, 10,000 square meters of land in Brazil must be cleared to produce around nine leather jackets. It is very much likely that this land was cleared illegally in a biodiverse region of the amazon forest. By comparison, Pinatex’s pineapple leaf based leather needs just about 16 square meters of pineapple growing land for each meter of material.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS PLANT BASED LEATHER:

WHAT IS PLANT BASED LEATHER?

Plant based leather is a material made from plants, it is designed to replicate the look and feel of animal leather minus the slaughter and cruelty. As the name suggests, it is commonly made from plant waste such as banana crop waste, pineapple leaves, apple peels, cork etc. This innovative approach aims to reduce the environmental impact associated with animal leather production while offering consumers cruelty-free options in the fashion and manufacturing industries.

BENEFITS OF PLANT BASED LEATHER

CRUELTY-FREE: Plant leather does not require the killing of any animal which makes it a cruelty free and ethical choice. Plant leather does not require the killing of any animal which makes it a cruelty free and ethical choice.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: Plant based leather is not dependent on factory farmed animals which is associated with high levels of land use and water consumption. Most plant leather is made from waste, for example, Banofi is made from banana crop waste and this provides farmers with additional income. Plant leather does not cause issues like deforestation, biodiversity loss etc like leather, in some cases, it can actually help bring back waste into the economy.

INNOVATIVE MATERIALS: Plant leather utilizes a variety of innovative materials like mushrooms, banana crop waste, pineapple leaves and other agricultural waste. These creative and sustainable materials have immense potential to redefine the landscape of fashion. Plant leather utilizes a variety of innovative materials like mushrooms, banana crop waste, pineapple leaves and other agricultural waste. These creative and sustainable materials have immense potential to redefine the landscape of fashion.Plant leather utilizes a variety of innovative materials like mushrooms, banana crop waste, pineapple leaves and other agricultural waste. These creative and sustainable materials have immense potential to redefine the landscape of fashion.

CUSTOMIZATION: The manufacturing process of plant-based leather can be customized based on the requirement of color, texture and appearance.

HYPOALLERGENIC: Some plant-based leather alternatives are naturally hypoallergenic; therefore, it is the ideal choice for consumers who are sensitive to animal leather.

LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT: The production process of plant-based leather tends to generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional animal leather.

BIODEGRADABILITY: Most plant-based leather is biodegradable, and they can break down naturally over time. It is important to remember that all plant-based leather may not be biodegradable, some have recycled plastic in them.

WATER EFFICIENCY: Traditional leather manufacturing uses a lot of water during the tanning process. According to an article by collective fashion justice, Desserto’s water footprint is 1,647% smaller than some bovine leather, while Modern Meadow’s bio-leather claims to reduce water consumption impacts (compared to conventional leather) by over 95%, and MIRUM is produced with no water inputs besides what’s included within natural ingredients.

RENEWABLE RESOURCES: Plant-based leather is usually derived from renewable sources, and they do not use nonrenewable sources like crude oil which is used in synthetic vegan leather.

If and when you decide to purchase a plant-based leather product, it is important to check more details from the brand. The feel and texture of each plant-based leather is different. All plant-based leathers are not the same, some like Malai which is made from coconut waste is fully natural and biodegradable. Banofi which is made from banana crop waste uses 20% primarily recycled polymers. It is important to keep in mind that there are multiple factors which play a role in creating a sustainable plant leather product and biodegradability is only one of those factors.

I prefer evaluating a brand based on circularity rather than biodegradability and based on my understanding, the plant leather industry is being built on the circular economy model.

POPULAR PLANT LEATHER ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE TODAY:

CORK: This is a sustainable and renewable material; it can be harvested from the tree without damaging it.

BANOFI: This was discovered in India. Banofi is made from banana waste and this discovery has helped farmers earn an additional income by bringing waste back into the economy.

MALAI: This is another leather which was discovered in India. It is 100% biodegradable, and it is made by fermenting the waste coconut water.

PINATEX: This is made from leaves of the pineapple plant. Brands like Gucci have already made bags from Pinatex.

MYLO: This leather is made from mushroom stem.

VEJA: This leather is made by processing the fibers of corn stalks.

DESSERTO: This is made from cactus plants.

MIRUM: MIRUM is made with plants and minerals. Their materials are not coated in polyurethane or PVC.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aparna Sharma is a writer and columnist based in Bangkok. She writes on how we can tackle climate change through the clothes and accessories we choose to buy and the importance of building a sustainable wardrobe.

As a writer who writes on various topics related to climate change and slow fashion, I am extremely interested in the developments and innovations in the plant leather industry. As someone who is extremely concerned about the carbon footprint and the environmental destruction caused by animal leather, I would love to see more innovation and demand for plant based leather.