I had no idea vegan leather was so popular! It seems like a bit of a misnomer. How could leather ever be vegan? Well, it is definitely a thing and quite a popular thing at that. But how does it compare to real leather? Today we’re asking “Is vegan leather waterproof?” as it’s a very common question we see online. Let’s dive in …
Is Vegan Leather Waterproof?
Yes, more often than not vegan leather is waterproof and this applies not only to the plastic versions, but also the more environmentally friendly plant-based leathers which are now all over the trendy stores in fashionville! But don’t call it leather, whatever you do …
Watch: The extensive benefits of leather made from pineapple leaves!
(This short 1:30 promotional vid from Piñatex® is what the future looks like)
You may also like: “Why Veganism Is Bad For Animals”
Vegan Leather Is Becoming Big Business
Us vegans have a habit of appropriating non-vegan products. It annoys the hell out of many people. Just look at plant-based milks and how the dairy industry riles against the terminology.
The European Union has even banned use of the word ‘milk’ for non-dairy options and they want to go further!
But I’m going off point (already).
How long will it be, I wonder, before they ban companies from using the term ‘vegan leather’? Not long, it seems … Portugal has already done it and other countries are close behind!
Vegan leather products have seen a huge rise in popularity over the last decade with the market expected to reach close to $75 billion USD by 2030.
No wonder the traditional leather producers are sitting up and taking notice. As with all these things, profit is the driving force and when their bottom line is threatened, the daggers come out.
What On Earth Is Vegan Leather Anyway?
Vegan leather, or faux leather is a synthetic material produced to mimic the look and feel of animal skin based leather products.
Traditionally, this synthetic leather has been made from polyurethane and PVC because these materials are easily manipulated to produce the wrinkly texture which is characteristic of real leather.
More recently, in the quest to find environmentally friendly alternatives, vegan leather is produced from raw materials as varied as bamboo, cactus, apples, bananas, pineapple … the list goes on!
Cactus leather shoes? Sounds painful 🙂
The human race is nothing if not ingenious and we seem to be able to make almost anything out of anything else these days.
… and that’s perfectly fine and dandy. As long as our motivating factor is the preservation of our fragile environment over the pursuit of profit then bring it on.
Not to mention the desperate plight of the billions of cattle, pigs, buffalo and goats killed specifically for the leather trade.
Less commonly, skins from animals such as sheep, snakes, seals, sharks, alligators, deer, zebra as well as even cats and dogs are used in the production of leather.
Let’s just say we humans get through a lot of shoes and handbags!
Plant-Based Leather Is Often More Waterproof
Due to ever more urgent climate and environmental concerns, the days of polyurethane / PVC leather are numbered. More and more plant-based leathers are now being developed.
But one thing you can say for the plastic version … it is waterproof by its very nature.
The onward rise of the plant based revolution is driving amazing innovation in so many areas and believe it or not, coconut based leather is not only extremely durable but also entirely waterproof.
Where traditional leather usually requires an ongoing maintenance of conditioning and waterproofing treatment, these new vegan leathers made from plants actually need very little attention to keep the material in tip top shape.
You could go so far to say that vegan leather is usually more waterproof than real leather.
… and … added bonus, the cow gets to keep her skin in order to protect her from the rain and wind (if she’s lucky enough to live in a field).
Reject Cruelty – Love Your World
Vegan alternatives to leather exist solely because more and more people are waking up to the fact that we simply can’t continue to treat our biosphere in this way.
This wondrous blue-green planet we have the privilege to inhabit is all we’ve got (until Elon discovers a suitable astral home for us all).
We need to look after our world.
Veganism is one way we can do this and vegan leather is just a part of a giant jigsaw.
This vegan lifestyle is a truly compassionate one. The compassion extends to all life we see.
I honestly believe it’s high time we move on and evolve to a place where all animals are treated with the respect they deserve.
When you stop eating them you start loving them.
The irony being, most of us already consider ourselves animal lovers but many have still not made the connection between food choices and the desperate lives of farmed animals.
Choose love and compassion … Be Vegan.
I hope my ramblings have helped to answer your question today. Always want to know what you think so please leave your comments below – I’ll be sure to respond. Please also share this article across the web using the social buttons.
Lastly, if you’d like to know when we publish here at Vegan Slate, please sign up to our post notifications and we’ll ping you an email … but we never spam; it’s not vegan.
Thanks so much for reading and have a peaceful day.
Rohan.
Boots splashing photo by Jack Redgate
Leather wallet photo by Lukas