We truly do live in the age of vegan leather. These days, there's no guarantee that a stylish handbag was made from a cow's skin – it is just as likely to be crafted from apples, mushrooms, cactus, or corn. The difference in look and texture is imperceptible, and innovative research guarantees that the new vegan leathers are just as likely to last a lifetime as their animal-based counterparts.
By Sascha Camilli
Since plant leathers entered the market, they have gone from a niche and obscure "what's that?" novelty to the likes of Hermès and Karl Lagerfeld dipping their toe in. Naturally, this level of interest leads to more innovation, and this year, choices are becoming even more ample. Like their predecessors, this new crop of plant-based vegan leathers is primarily made from waste products, putting other industries' surplus to good use to create a material that is less intensive on the environment than animal agriculture, and is not the product of factory farming, with all its ethical implications.
Olive Leather
A by-product from the prolific olive oil industry, this material is made from olive pits, which are ground into a powder – accessory label Estimon works with the Italian olive-oil trade to obtain this material. Sneaker label Zeta Shoes also uses leather made from olives in their fully vegan range. Olive leather can also be made from olive pomace, a waste product from the olive mill extraction process. The primary supplier of leather made from olive pomace is Turkish company Oleatex, which harnesses leftovers from the country's rich and thriving olive oil trade. Olive pomace doesn't have many other uses, aside from being used as fertiliser or fuel – both can come with unnecessary greenhouse-gas emissions.
Turkish vegan shoe and accessory brand PREV uses olive leather in shoes and leather jackets – founder Osman Koçak says, "We are following the material innovation in plant-based leather industry and attending fairs regularly. When we discovered Oleatex olive leather and learned that it is produced locally and sustainably in Turkey, we wanted to include this material in our R&D processes, which would also benefit the producers. After a lot of back and forth in the process, we arrived at the desired quality and durability for our own production. We now use this material in our outerwear line."
Bamboo Leather
Another addition to the world of plant leathers, bamboo leather is crafted from the pulp of bamboo plants. The cellulose in the pulp is combined with a natural resin to obtain a resistant and durable vegan leather. When farmed sustainably, bamboo
can be an eco-conscious material, requiring less water, fewer pesticides and fertilisers than many other crops. Brands using bamboo leather include
Votch, whose founder Laura Way is enthusiastic about pioneering the material: "
Bamboo leather is, without a doubt, my favourite vegan leather yet. The moment I came across it for our new range, I knew it was something special, having sampled lots of other materials — it has an incredibly luxurious feel, with a buttery soft texture that’s so refined yet incredibly durable and long-lasting. Unlike some other alternatives, it holds its structure beautifully, making it perfect for our bags and accessories that are designed to stand the test of time."
Primarily a watch label, Votch has expanded into bags and accessories, where bamboo leather appears to be the perfect component. Way continues, "For me, choosing bamboo leather was about finding a truly sustainable, high-performance alternative to animal leather. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing and most renewable resources, requiring minimal water and no pesticides, which aligns perfectly with Votch’s ethos. It also gives such a premium finish that I genuinely think it will become one of the most exciting materials in the vegan fashion industry."
Orange Leather
Oranges sure are amazing for many things, and we're not only talking about the juice for your Bellinis. This fashion-forward fruit can be crafted into
silk, but now it can also be transformed into leather. The supplier
Ohoskin has created a new-generation vegan leather made with orange peel from Sicily's abundant orange industry. The waste peels are combined with recycled plastic to create the material. The resulting vegan leather represents a 74% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional materials. Forward-thinking Italian brand
Miomojo, which is often on the forefront of material innovation, experiments with this material in their Alma M tote bag – a spacious daytime bag that's resistant enough for everyday life. The orange hue is an homage to the material.
Rice Leather
There truly is no limit to what vegan leather can be made from today – and the latest addition to the list is rice. Rice Skin, a revolutionary material made using waste from the rice industry, can contain more than 90% bio-based content. This eco-conscious textile is made by grinding rice husks into a powder and combining with a bio-based binder then applying onto a backing which can be made from recycled materials or organic cotton. It can also be biodegradable. Italian vegan handbag specialists
Miomojo have created several travel-inspired accessories made from rice leather.
Plant-derived leathers offer more variety and higher quality than ever - and as mainstream brands add their names to the long list of companies choosing them over animal skins and traditionally made petroleum-derived faux leathers, the future of fashion is looking just a little bit kinder.
By Sascha Camilli
About Sascha
Sascha Camilli is a vegan writer, speaker and activist. Her book Vegan Style is out now on Murdoch Books. For more about Sascha, you can read our interview with her or sign up to her newsletter Kind of Wild.
Cover image by Zeta Shoes
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