Evolution in Vegan Leather materials: Sustainability with Style

        Are you looking for a wallet that suits your personality, ethics and a touch of luxury?

 Photo: Ikon Sweden wallets

Evolution is inevitable and with time everything evolves, be it humans or materials.

Here we'll introduce you to a next-generation material that's not leather, it's called vegan leather, alternative leather, or vegetable leather, among other names. A material that is sustainable, planet friendly, cruelty free as well as biodegradable. 

Leather

Leather or animal leather has always been a dominant material when it comes to bags, wallets, purse and accessories for men and women. Leather always gives a feel of richness, longevity as well as luxury. But at the same time leather industry has its own share of controversies when it comes to environmental hazards or health hazards for the workers or effect on planet and animals.

Vegan Leather

Fashion industry has seen a recent trend of using alternate leather or Vegan leather materials, which are all environmentally friendly and even cruelty-free. Though the Vegan leather industry has been making strides in sustainability over the years, but there was still more work to be done.

PVC and PU based Vegan Leather

Usually the material used as an alternative to leather or what we call vegan leather is made from PVC and has dominated the market for vegan leather products such as wallets, bags, purses, card cases, but it also has its own environmental disadvantages since it It is plastic based and not biodegradable at all.Then with material innovation came another type of material known as polyurethane or what we usually refer to as PU leather. It is known to be more environmentally friendly than PVC, and is considered as a better choice as compare to PVC.

Plant based Vegan Leather

As mentioned earlier, ‘Evolution is Inevitable’. Vegan leathers have also evolved with time and today instead of hazardous plastic based alternative leather like PVC, we have planet friendly, Eco-friendly, recycled and biodegradable Vegan leathers made from plants.

These materials could be a result of agricultural waste, fruit waste or come from plants without harming them. Now, your favorite wallet can have the same luxurious and high-end leather feel as your favorite credit card holder, coin pocket wallet, zip wallet, purse, or tote bag and at the same time is 100% Vegan, cruelty free, plastic free, sustainable as well as Eco-friendly.

 

Apple Leather

This bio-based material is made from the peel of apples that have been left over from the fruit juice industry. Who could have guessed that an leather-like material could be created from apples? This is a versatile fabric that can be used to make small accessories for men and women, as well as shoes, bags, belts, clothes, and furniture.

Pinatex

If apple wasn't enough to surprise you, we have another fruit - pineapple. Yes, that's right. Pinatex is a material made from the waste created from agricultural industry. Pineapple leaves that would otherwise be burned are being used now to create vegan leather. The leaves which could otherwise have emitted CO2 and added to air pollution are now being used to create vegan leather.

Malai

One of the most amazing fact of Malai is that the color dyes used in material are also created from plants. Coconut Leather or Malai is made from the waste from the coconut industry, which is normally discarded. It is a plant-based leather material that is 100% plastic free and 100% biodegradable. So, now after the life of your vegan wallet or bag is over, you can proudly and safely return it back to mother nature.

 

 Desserto

If you're still not bored from apples, pineapples, and coconuts, let's move on to Cactus. Yes, that's right. An innovative material which is made from plants and has the feel and appearance of animal leather. Desserto is a popular vegan leather product made in Mexico. It has been included in the fashion industry, as well as the automotive industry, by some of the world's most prestigious brands like Mercedes and BMW.

We hope by gaining a better understanding of these sustainable, Eco-friendly, biodegradable plant-based materials, you can now make informed choices about your next luxury handbag, cross-body or wallet.

You can explore products such as vegan leather accessories for men and women on our website www.ikonsweden.com

Vegan card holders, vegan credit card wallets, vegan bi-fold wallets, vegan slim and zip wallets, made from cactus leather, cork leather and coconut Leather.

We would love to hear your thoughts on vegan leather materials and which one is your favorite. Please tell us which plant-based leather material you prefer in the comments below and subscribe to our journal for upcoming articles and blogs about vegan materials and amazing Vegan brands who are making sustainability a top priority.