Curious About Vegan Leather? Here's What You Need to Know

Vegan leather is a material that mimics real leather, but that is created from either synthetic or plant-based materials instead of animal skins. Also called "faux" or "synthetic" leather, vegan leather is most commonly made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU), two plastic polymers that help give the crinkled effect of real leather.

Over the past few years, however, PVC and PU have been falling out of favor due to the environmental challenges they can present, and have started being replaced by more sustainable materials that can be made out of natural resources such as pineapple leaves, apple peels, other fruit waste, recycled plastic, and cork.

The principal difference between the two fabrics is that genuine leather is made from animal skins, while faux leather is made from synthetic or plant-based materials before being treated and dyed to create the color and texture.

Due to its nature, real leather is unique and often features inconsistent pores and marks, while faux leather, as a man-made fabric, tends to be uniform.

Durability is also something that needs to be taken into account when weighing up the pros and cons between the two fabrics: when cared for properly, real leather can last for years, if not decades, while faux leather is generally a bit more delicate.

Shopping for good quality, faux leather pieces has never been so easy. While several high-end brands such Stella McCartney and Nanushka are renowned for their sustainability practices and use of faux leather, a whole host of other labels have also started using the material. Brands like Zara, H&M, Dr. Martens, Topshop and ASOS are now all offering vegan leather options within their collections.

Frankie Shop Black Leather Cargo Pants ($210)

Dr Martens Vegan 1460 Lace Up Boots ($150)

Stella McCartney x Adidas Originals Stan Smith Vegan Leather Sneakers ($325)

Studio Amelia Croc-Effect Vegan Leather Sandals ($320)

Veja x Rick Owens Vegan Leather and Suede Sneakers ($290)

H&M Faux Leather Mules ($30)

Nanushka Cancun Vegan Leather Fitted Blazer ($585)

ASOS Design Curve Ultimate Faux Leather Biker Jacket ($56)

Zara Faux Leather Jacket ($70)

BB Dakota Just Ride Vegan Leather Jacket ($49, originally $98)

Mango Violeta Zipped Faux Leather Biker Jacket ($80, originally $120)

Stella McCartney Logo Bucket Bag ($715)

JW Pei Gabbi Bag ($88)

Bare Boheme Charlotte Tote ($78, originally $128)

Mashu Amaryllis Bag ($363)

Topshop Eve Faux Leather Shoulder Bag ($48)