Is vegan leather sustainable? We answer: BioVeg!

The world of fashion is finally waking up to sustainability but when we talk about alternatives to real leather it can be quite challenging to understand how to move among all the possibilities now offered. It is frequently asserted that these cruelty-free alternatives have a significantly less impact on the environment compared to real leather but some of them are more sustainable than others. When it comes to choosing the most sustainable alternative it is important to distinguish between synthetic and vegan leather, understanding in-depth how these fabrics are made and produced. With this article, we are going to clear up any misconceptions and find answers to the key question: is vegan leather sustainable?

Vegan leather vs pleather

In order to completely understand what the vegan leather vs pleather debate encompasses, it is fundamental to give a clear definition to each fabric.

Starting with the oldest of the two, the term “pleather” comes from “plastic leather” as it is actually a fabric made from plastic-based materials. The most commonly used materials for these synthetic leathers are polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU). As they both derive from fossil fuels, when burnt, they release ash, nitrogen and carbon into the atmosphere. Moreover, both of these materials take hundreds of years to biodegrade. Therefore it would appear that pleather has a negative impact on the environment even if it doesn’t come directly from animals.

Fortunately, scientists have now found more innovative solutions to create plastic-free synthetic leather: vegan leather is made from natural raw materials such as wood, cereals, corn, fruits, and vegetables. Unlike fossil-derived synthetic leather, vegan leather doesn’t involve any plastic components for its production which means that the correct answer to the commonly asked question “is vegan leather plastic?” is a clear and simple “no”. The world of vegan leather is truly fascinating for the numerous options available: we are now able to create fabrics from corn, mushrooms, apples, … and studies are not over yet!

Our answer: BioVeg

When it comes to sustainability and the environment, BioVeg is our flagship product. Our BioVeg line is made of vegan leather derived from non-food corn and is GMO-free.
The corn is collected and then treated and processed into bio-based polyols, microparticles essential for the production of bio-based polyurethane, an ecological and performing material. The BioVeg family is made of products that are both performing and sustainable: the perfect alternative to real leather.

The sustainability of a company is built day by day and we at Coronet know it well. We prefer actions and data to words:

• We recover 99% of the solvents used during the production
• We have invested in a 1,177.00 kWp photovoltaic system
• We produce about 1,388,781 kWh of green energy every year
• We consciously manage waste and prevent 1023990 kg of CO2 from ending up in the atmosphere
• We transform 2.400.000 plastic bottles into about 200.000 linear meters of eco-sustainable and cruelty-free fabric per year

Thanks to the competence of our researchers and the vision of our management team, Coronet is an increasingly green company that aims at promoting sustainable fashion.

In conclusion, the answer to our starting question “is vegan leather sustainable?” is a “yes, it is” and BioVeg is the perfect embodiment of this concept.