Fashion's L Word

Amid evolving consciousness about consumption in fashion, sustainable vegan leather is being rooted for. But are these alternatives actually helping the environment? We dig in

- Sanika Achrekar

The L-word, aka leather, has had a controversial history in the fashion industry. Sure, we love to flaunt our timeless leather jacket, but the debate over the ethics of its iconic material will always be ongoing. With ethical fashion being the utmost important objective at present, consumers are reading their labels carefully, and opting for more sustainable choices.

"A recent report suggests that the vegan leather industry would be worth $89.6 billion by 2025. With the onset of pandemic and people consciously trying to switch to healthier alternatives across our habits and consumption behaviours, the growth of cruelty-free vegan fashion and leather products is very promising," explains Mr. Pradeep Krishnakumar, co-founder and COO, Zouk, a homegrown PETA-certified vegan lifestyle brand.

According to global fashion search engine Lyst, consumers have increased their appetite for more sustainable brands with searches up 75 per cent year on year. Brands have been introducing leather alternatives with vegan leather and faux leather in the hope of delivering on this demand. But, are vegan-leather alternatives actually helping the environment? Let's see how designers and brands debate this choice.

Paio footwear, which is famous for its sustainable and vegan footwear options, was built on the idea of cruelty-free and conscious fashion. Founder Shweta Nimkar explains, "As avid animal lovers and supporters of multiple animal rehabilitation NGOs, it was an easy decision to make when we launched the brand. Fashion cannot come at the cost of a life is a strong fundamental on which the brand was founded, and continues to grow. We work with a variety of materials from artificial leather to fabrics like hemp and jute. We are currently exploring eco leathers like pineapple and cactus for their functionality and durability in footwear."