Vegan leather: the solution that protects the environment and the animals

The degradation of the environment and its impacts is one of the major concerns that currently happen. This situation worsens, even more, when there are cruelty and killing of animals for consumption. Vegan leather will change this gloomy outlook. Read on to learn more.

Vegan leather-made shoes are the best on the market!

Vegan leather is made from components of organic cotton, pineapple, sugarcane, pet, elastane, or natural rubber. Unlike traditional leather, it is not a pollutant and cruelty-free as well.

Nonetheless, products made of traditional leather, once discarded, clogs landfills or pollute other environments. Not to mention, like plastic, it takes years to degrade.

The leather goods industries generate around 700 million tons of CO2 per year according to the Global Study of Apparel and Footwear Industries.

The big picture is even creepy when an analogy is made. It is like a greenhouse gas emissions produced by nearly 149 million cars running over a year.

In other words, livestock and other herd farms from which leather is removed are equivalent to 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions on planet Earth. Cows, for example, are responsible for more emissions than any other animal species.

Traditional leather, needed to make shoes, handbags, wallets, carpets, sofas, etc., turns out to be a by-product of the meat industry. Therefore, it is part of a sinister process that annually kills more than 1 billion animals worldwide.

The process of killing begins after the animal's skin removal. It undergoes a special treatment in order not to rot. The skin then turns to different kinds, according to its preparations.

3 types of leather that can "deceive" consumers:

1 - Synthetic leather

It is a product that deceives well the distracted dude, as it is made based on oil and various chemicals with high toxicity. Some variations of synthetic leather are produced with polyvinyl chloride or PVC that also contains chemical additives linked to many health problems.

2 - Vegetable leather

If you only rely on the name, you may get into serious trouble. The mistake is due to the process that produces this leather. The tannin method is used, rather than chromium. In other words, what happens is that this "vegetable fake leather", is nothing more than an animal skin that goes through tanning with a vegetable called tannin, which is extracted from the bark of a tree called Acacia.

3 - Ecological leather

So-called eco-leather may fool you easily because it is also made of animal skin. It is, therefore, a "greenwashing" practice, an action practiced by malicious manufacturers that create a false appearance of sustainability in their products, inducing the consumer to an error by thinking that he or she is buying something good that helps nature.

Leather tanneries are ranked among the top 10 toxic pollution problems worldwide, according to The Smith Institute de Nova York, e o Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In short, leather and its other types tend to be over, since sustainable fashion no longer allows them. Leather imitations, if sustainable might take traditional leather's place.

For the greater good, researchers found a solution to replace this evil raw material.

And then the vegan leather is launched!

Vegan leather can be made from cork, algae or components originated from the blend of organic cotton, sugarcane, elastane, pet, and polyurethane.

Vegan leather has high mechanical strength and its laminates can also be used to make furniture, chairs, armchairs, sofas, headboards, as well as decoration items for various segments.

Does vegan sneaker last long?

As long as the quality is like Greenco’s and of course if you take good care of it, there is no doubt: your sneaker is going to last longer than you imagine!

Vegan sneakers components:

SOLE: it is made with sugarcane EVA (Satin Vinyl Foam). This type of foam is widely used in crafts, children's products, school supplies, and for the manufacture of treadmills in gyms. Another material used is natural or recycled natural rubber.
INSOLE: it is made with sugarcane EVA (Satin Vinyl Foam). Some companies also use leftover fabrics, applying the process known as "reverse logistics", adopted in the circular economy.
UPPER: Greenco's sneakers use 96% recycled Pet and 4% elastane or Spandex recycled cotton.

Thus, these components are all toxic-free and have no heavy metals such as the bead, as well as other common toxic chemicals mostly present in agricultural fertilizers. All of them are found in traditional leather laminates.