Why Choose Vegan Leather Gifts?

Vegan leather (or “leatherette”) is a cruelty-free option for anyone who loves the look and feel of leather gifts but doesn’t want to use or gift animal products. Here is why we recommend faux leather for your next accessory purchase. 

Types of Vegan Leather

There are dozens of vegan leathers available to try, depending on what your priorities are. If your main priority is keeping your gifts cruelty-free, any leatherette will work. If you’re looking to buy fewer plastics, look for plant-based leather: it’s made from plant fibers rather than plastics. Some plastic leather (or “pleather”) meets in the middle when it comes to sustainability. You can find faux leathers that include recycled or post-recycled plastic. Shop according to what’s most important to you, and you’re sure to find a beautiful gift with all the elegance of real leather. 

Why Should I Choose Faux Leather? Exploring the Benefits

The most obvious benefit to choosing gifts made from vegan leather instead of real leather is reducing harm to animals. Vegan leather uses no animal products, so you can use (or gift) it with a clear conscience. Buying faux leather has other benefits, too.

Lower Cost

Faux leather tends to be more affordable than genuine leather, and modern techniques make many leather alternatives indistinguishable from the original. So it’s a great option if you want something that looks beautiful and will last for years but need to stick to a budget. 

Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Even though it’s often made from plastics, faux leather makers are still working to reduce their carbon footprint. Leather alternatives don’t rely on animal farming, so faux leather production doesn’t include animals’ carbon emissions, or the impact of their feeding and care, in its production cycle.

Removing lime from and tanning genuine leather requires several toxic chemicals. Those chemicals pose health risks and have a negative impact on the environment at every stage of their life cycle. Faux leather production doesn’t incorporate these chemicals into any stage of the production process. Vegan leather production uses far less water compared to the thousands of liters needed to convert animal skins into usable leather each time leather is made. 

All in all, the leatherette industry is seeing greater and greater efforts toward eco-friendliness. Plant-based leather makers are leading the charge. They’re working to reduce their carbon footprint even further by eliminating plastics and utilizing sustainably-grown plants instead.

Durability 

Unless explicitly designed otherwise, most faux leathers are highly water and air-resistant, preventing the premature wear and damage that’s so common on genuine leather goods. Leather alternatives, including plant-based leather, can last for years with proper care and maintenance, which usually just involves wiping the leatherette clean with a damp cloth. 

Some consider its durability another mark in favor of vegan leather’s sustainability: if you’re buying any product less often, you’re reducing the frequency of discarded products ending up in landfills, and doing your part to slow manufacturing processes.

Versatility

Traditional leather is limited in its color to the color of the animal hides it’s produced from, and the degree to which tanning can affect the finish. Vegan leather, on the other hand, can be dyed any color and is available in uniform or distressed finishes. Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes to keep it classic or someone who likes to make a splash, there are faux leather gifts out there for any taste and style. 

Put simply, there are myriad benefits that come with choosing faux leather instead of traditional leather products. You don’t have to sacrifice the look of genuine leather, and you can get something more durable, and more affordable. What’s not to love?

Make Your Faux Leather Gifts Truly Special

Finding vegan leather gifts for your friends, family, or partner is simple. There are more options available than ever. But with so many choices, how do you make your gift stand out as truly unique? Laser-engraving leatherette is a great way to personalize gifts. Adding a name, a date, or a special inscription to your gift is the perfect way to put the finishing touch on a lovely, high-quality memento. 

If you’re having trouble deciding on a gift, think about your loved one and what they’re most interested in. Do they love to travel? A passport holder or some luggage tags would make a great gift before their next trip. A personalized wallet is always a great gift for that friend who loves to accessorize. If you have any questions about how to customize and care for leatherette gifts, we’re happy to help.