I'm 62, and I still use the same grey leather wallet I got for my 17th birthday. That's almost three-quarters of my life. My wallet was stolen in New York City in 1999 and then some kind soul found it and dropped it in a mailbox. It arrived (in a USPS envelope) at my home in Toronto the day after I got back. I couldn't possibly part with it now.
When my father was restoring a Model T, about 10 years ago, we learned that Leatherette, Pleather, and Leatherene were brand names for imitation leather. It's kind of like how "Kleenex" has become synonymous with tissues!
As a vegan and as an environmental science student, I personally prefer to purchase most everything secondhand, and don’t have a problem using leather products I get as hand-me-downs or at thrift stores. Vegan or not, I think this video should make us be more aware as consumers - do your research, vote with your dollar, quality>quantity, buy used instead of new. Thanks for covering the subject so fairly, gentlemen!
@@FranchiseSIX5Animals are not supposed to be over-populated. These animals are now invading residents home and eating more humans because folks like you and peta.
I prefer using leather products as if taken care of they last forever. There are still suitcases made of leather at the bottom of the ocean in the wreckage of the Titanic that survive. As the meat industry is not likely to go anywhere I try to follow the old believe of not wasting any part of it.
There are also many leather shoes down there. I can only imagine how long real leather shoes last, i mean, if they have lasted that long in salt water, they may las forever
@@CrystalRuizEnriquez It's a bit deceptive comparing materials from ship wrecks. Part of the problem there is that many organic materials will begin to quickly breakdown when taken out of the deep ocean environment and exposed to air. It is more the environmental conditions, in particular the cold which inhibits the microbes that break down organic materials, than the durability of the materials themselves. But again when it comes to leather, it's all about how well you take care of it that determines how long it lasts.
@@SageBlackthorn you're probably right, i just figured saltwater would decompose it a bit faster, but it's probably being conserved better lol. And yeah, it does last longer if it's properly taken care of but it last way longer than other materials like plastic
I think the bigger picture is important when considering "going green", buying one pair of high quality leather shoes that lasts decades is definitely better for the environment than buying a new pair of cheap shoes every few years, and there are definitely ways to do leather more sustainably. I think a lot of the vegan trending is mostly companies capitalizing on the idea that people will willingly buy a lower quality product that won't last as long as they think they're doing good. Like all of the "health oriented" products that are just as processed and high in sugar as soda or candy.
Very true, not sure about the rest of the world but here in the UK the phrase "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is used quite often, and they're ranked in order of imporance, if you can reduce your consumption of something then do that, like neglecting to use a plastic bag or a straw, if you can't do that then make efforts to reuse what you have, like reusing shopping bags and other items, if that's not possible then make efforts to recycle and campaign for your local government to support recycling collections. I try and live by that method, using reusable shopping bags, cycling when trips are short instead of using a car, and buying long lasting clothing instead of fast fashion. I especially don't like the modern trend of smart watches or very low quality Primark or Ali-express cheap fashion watches, too much waste and not enough longevity to them, prefer to collect vintage ones which still work perfectly.
@@G1NZOU I absolutely agree and strive to do the same. When it comes to leather products I think a very viable option is thrifting, since it's such a long lasting material when properly cared for!
my oldest pair of shoes were made in the 1920's (early 1920's most likely). If they fit me, the would be wearable with minimal attention from a cobbler. The oldest pair I have in regular rotation are from the early 60's. They've recently been recrafted and will easily outlast me. Will vegan leather ever achieve that level of durability?
@@lauraguglielmo I’m a big time thrifter! Once in a while I’ll find a pair of beautiful shoes that won’t come with the hefty price. My mentality is not to find good finds, rather they find me.
Vegan here. Great video, Raphael. You weren't singing vegan leather's praises, nor were you discounting it entirely. It was an honest assessment: you weighed up the pros and cons of vegan leather. I understand you prefer animal leathers (at least high-quality leathers; you get what you pay for, after all), but you acknowledged that vegan leathers have improved greatly over time and didn't discount their potential to improve even further. I'm still going to purchase vegan leathers, obviously, but this video was very fairly researched and presented. P.S. should Fort Belvedere find a suitable vegan leather for their gloves, I'll be first in line to buy some pairs :)
Something I want to know is why any vegan against the use of leather would still want to wear stuff that LOOKS like animal skin? To passerby and ignorant people it says you enjoy wearing animal skin, facsimile or not, and therefore support its use.
@@Thouhand. I understand the confusion. However, I believe it's based on aesthetics and morality/philosophy (primarily focused on the latter). I assume people who wear animal leathers don't wear leather because they enjoy wearing the hides of animals (or the killing of animals that's required to acquire it [apologies for being so morbid]); they wear it because it looks nice. In this circumstance, since veganism is a moral philosophy, the goal is to create goods that can replicate (well or otherwise) products that utilise animal by-products with plant-based materials (hence reducing animal suffering [again, apologies]). Obviously, as Raphael explained, we're not there yet to replicate the more high-end leathers. However, improvements can be (and have been) made. I hope I've explained this well. Should you have any follow-up questions, I'm happy to answer :)
Of course they don’t look like animal skin because animal skin is usually covered in hair which has to be removed in order to convert the hide into leather
Well I would have to disagree with you, and it is something that most people tend to forgett. The goal of veganism is not to replace animal products. The reason why veganism was created to a) avoid animal suffering b) to reduce environmental impact. The "avoiding animal products"-part is the action that is in most cases required to achieve that goal, but it does not equal the reson why veganism exists. And in this very rare case, it would be more vegan to actually use real leather. If you consider the average lifespan of vegan and real leather, and include the often times heavy environmental impacts that faux leather production has (not saying that real leather is completely environmentally friendly), it would be the more ecofriendly option to use real leather.
I'm vegan but I use leather. Some of these comments are really dumb. They can't make a video about current ideas because you won't even try a different option out if an outdated principle? You don't have to. Someone said they didn't want "green" content, well you knew what the video was about, by the title, you could've skipped it. Vegan leather isn't better than genuine leather as of right now, and nobody is making you use it, he was simply explaining what it was and its capabilities, uses, description, etc do that you could be informed about it. As a gentlemen's fashion channel, this is important. This is the same as him explaining about silk and silk alternatives. Or any other fabric or material. He wasn't asking you to become vegan, it even vegetarian, not even to reduce your meat intake, he was explaining a material bring used in modern times, to substitute a different one. For men, keeping up with actual fashion, some of y'all seem do closed minded and ignorant. This video was quite informative and very well done.
@@fwstrust2844 you are correct. I do follow a vegan diet, but not a vegan lifestyle. I do try to do what is most sustainable though. At the end of the day it's about trying, it may be for health, ethics or even environmental reasons. Personally, to me, it's a little about all three, i, personally use leather because it will last way beyond anything plastic and even some fabrics, just for that reason. I wouldn't wear a fur, for ethical reasons but i west leather for environmental reasons. But not all leathers either lol. It's really cool about your shoes, it's great that they still look and feel like they originally did.
A lot of these commenters are the biggest hypocrites; saying that vegans get easily triggered, that it's all just a fad, but when problems regarding the environment, ethics, etc. get brought up then they lose their minds. Is it that hard to see both sides of the coin? To respectfully engage in a conversation? I'm a vegetarian, but I don't go around yelling at people for eating meat, nor for wearing leather. I just think that people shouldn't be blissfully ignorant of their lifestyle. I didn't care much about eating meat because I thought it was a necessary evil, but I tried out the vegetarian diet/lifestyle and I couldn't be happier. Also, I can't wait for vegan leathers to actually get good and affordable. In the meantime, I'll be wearing leather shoes because currently it looks like the best quantitative solution for the environment.
@@tomsd.pinkis3118 very true. They're acting like he said, stop using leather and use faux leather because we say so. I also don't understand why they can see both sides, at the very least just to be able to discuss it. I also wear leather because l, as of right now, it's more sustainable than plastic. Not only is it not waste, it lasts for a long time and even though it's more expensive, in the long run it's worth the money.
Good video and wonderful to see someone approaching the subject in a gentlemanly manner! Before being vegan I used to like suede shoes. I purchased a pair of Italian "vegan suede" shoes in 2008 and so far they have lasted admirably well in terms of durability. The stuff they are made of is called "vegetan" as far as I know, and as of now they are still going strong.
I think it interesting that the anglophone world uses the term „vegan leather“ while here in Germany we still call it „Kunstleder“ or in English „artificial leather“, because it was artificially made. I personally also prefer the term artificial leather, because it is more strait to the point. However in comparison with real leather, artificial leather is like a mini van compared to a Mercedes Benz 300 SL.
I have been a vegetarian for almost five years, and I always thought of leather as a by-product of a meat industry that won't disappear any time soon, so I still use it but hope to see a decrease in meat consumption non the less. The real innovation in vegan leather is currently occuring in form of plant and fungi derived materials that are even tougher and longer-lasting than an animal hide but are not yet mass-produced. There is also a method of printing meat that could eliminate the need for live animals in meat production completely, but the research is currently more focused on printing organs for transplant surgeries, so we won't see that any time soon. I guess it has to become clear which method is most cost-efficient and suitable for mass production in order to see big clothing brands using it as a part of their lineup. It would be interesting to revisit this subject in a few years, but as of right now, I completely agree with the cost per wear argument or using the natural fibre alternative instead.
You also have the plastic issue. I've been a vegetarian since I was a child but still use leather on the basis that it's long lasting, although I try to be sustainable with my purchases. That is not always easy.
Did anyone ever stop to think how many Nogas had to die in order to furnish a sufficient number of hides to upholster the interior of your Pontiac or the sofa in your living room?!
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china.
I don't know, I respect people that try to live sustainably and ethically towards animals but my internal cynic (or realist) tells me that many companies like to sell you worse material for more because sustainable and vegan and other buzz-words. I am from very rural upbringing, I grew up with animals and I see animal death as a part of life. If you do it quick and without pain, fine by me. Abusing animals is absolutely abhorrent but giving them good life and quick death afterwards, why is it bad?
While I generally agree with your sentiment and don't necessarily see animal death per se as something "evil" (even though I'm living mostly vegetarian/borderline vegan these days), the huge problem is that - on a global scale - over 90% of anything concerning the exploitation of lifestock (for meat, leather, milk, eggs - you name it) *is* abuse, if not downright torture. People are often very focussed on their own experience and circumstances, and you will often hear arguments like "I only buy local products from local farmers, I see these cows on the meadows each day" etc., but even if this is true, it does not account for the 90% of worldwide meat consumers that do not have that option.
It’s apart of life. We humans and carnivores/omnivores naturally use animals as a source for our needs, whether having a balanced diet or for material needs. The majority of cultures agree that torturing an animal is wrong. It’s possible to obtain our needs without making them suffer.
@@Untoldanimations There were cultures that did that. Not really European tradition, and thanks to the colonialism, not around anymore. I guess another reason why colonialism was bad?
excellent, well balanced, well researched video. i personally do not like the look of wearing skin, whether it is imitation or real animal skin but for those who enjoy the look of skin, i think your advice to buy vintage is extremely good. anyone even remotely concerned with human suffering and environmental pollution should certainly avoid buying cheap new leather because of the aggressively awful tanning processes in third world countries. although i do not buy or recommend buying animal products, anyone who is going to buy that stuff brand new and not vintage needs to probably increase their budget and buy high end first world products which most people cannot afford. i will share this video
The whole green movement is likely doing more harm than good right now. While it's caused many people to be more considerate, the movement itself also causes an incredible amount of oil & gas to be burned on top of our usual consumption. You can calculate the dollars-worth that it burns just by taking all the money spent on and, _on behalf of_ "green initiatives" (i.e. it has to include the increases to end-cost it causes in consumer goods, like cars, etc.) So you take that amount (a couple trillion dollars per year), and multiply it by 0.8 Take half that number and multiply it by the avg. cost per gallon of crude oil, and that's how much crude oil per year the green movement is burning. Do that again with avg. cost of natural gas, and that's how much gas it burns each year. The numbers you get are incredibly high, and the reality of all this doesn't give you much hope....
Kangaroo gets eaten regularly in Australia so I bet that's where the hides come from so I would tend to put it more closely into the range of cow leather
Only tourists eat kangaroo. 70% is exported to Europe and other markets, the rest is made into petfood and a tiny amount goes into supermarkets or restaurants where they try to convince tourists we all eat it. The industry would love that to be the case but it just isn't.
As an Australian myself I can confirm that this is quite a common food to eat. Bit difficult to cook though because it’s easy to make it too dry. There are currently some debates (more so within environmentalist movements) as to whether kangaroo meat is harvested sustainably or not (even for food). There are varying statistics regarding the population of certain species of kangaroo (some are protected, others are considered pests). Some argue that 'pest' kangaroos are being over-culled and are becoming at risk of being endangered if the same level of culling continues.
I think a point that was missed about how ethical or not leather is (from cattle stock at least), is how many skins from cows and sheep are just straight up burned on piles instead of going to use as leather. At least that’s a way for me as a leather maker hobbyist to make it ethical for me to do this hobby. I won’t use exotics because of that, but cow and sheep seems more than fair until we stop eating meat en masse (something I’d support tbh).
Vegetarian, trying to go vegan here. This is a very fair and we'll researched assessment of vegan leathers. Another point that is important to note is that although leather is a by-product of the meat industry, buying new leather goods means that meat farms make more profit from each animal. This makes animal farming more lucrative which I want to avoid. I bought a pair of vegan leather shoes earlier this year, unfortunately I couldn't find a Goodyear welted pair so I had to go for glued rubber sole. I find them very comfortable and I hope they last me a long time, I will be taking good care of them. I like your focus on buying vintage rather than new, thanks for the great video. Keep up the good work!
I prefer real leather more, especially if you're an adult and your growth phase is done. For instance, If you invest in pair of good quality, full-grain, dark-colored boots with a good year welt construction, you won't need to invest in another pair for decades to come.
@@carolchavez5213 Yep! That's the point. I always found dealing with the actualization of temporary styles which are requiring constant updates as tiresome and cost-ineffective. The same goes for lower-quality footwear. I decided to build myself a system, and it's been working out pretty well for me so far. I have 10 pairs of footwear (if we exclude converse high tops and canvas running shoes). I have three pairs of Chelsea boots (black, brown, and beige), one pair of wingtip boots (brown), two pairs of oxford shoes (black and brown), two pairs of penny loafers (black and brown), and a pair of white and black sneakers. Everything I have is of premium quality, everything is classic, and colors are complementing my wardrobe. Now, if you have a pair of premium quality, full-grain, dark-colored footwear with a good year of welt construction and you wear and tear it every day, it's still going to last you at least a decade. If you build yourself a rotation as I did, you're going to prevent a pair from wearing out too quickly, and if you choose dark colors (which aren't requiring scrubbing and washing in order for them to appear clean), you'll have a footwear collection which can last you more than a few decades. Also, If most of your footwear is black and brown, those will be complementary to any color in your wardrobe. I use black for the achromatic looks (also with burgundy), while I use brown for anything else. If everything is classic, it won't go out of style in few years, and it means you can combine most of your shoes with most of your bottoms. At the end of the day, it means that when you build yourself a collection of good quality, classic and versatile footwear, shoe troubles are over for a long time; possibly forever. It means way more money in your pocket, no more requirement for another pair because the last one got broke or went out of style, and it eventually means less pollution, because once the rotation is over, there isn't a demand for another pair, and less demand means less production. So, what's better than saving money and causing less pollution while looking your best? P.S. From my experience, the only anomaly in my system lies in white sneakers. I'm not as concerned about the quality of those, and I buy them at affordable prices. The reason for that lies down in their color. Every time you wear those, you'll get visible dirt on them, so you'll need to clean those very often, and unlike dark-colored footwear which you can smoothly rub and polish, white-colored footwear requires scrubbing and water. That form of external influence will ruin your shoes, whether if those are low or high quality, so in a relation to white sneakers, I just accepted that I'll need to change those every few years, while everything else is 👌🏻. Also, having something that can last throughout generations is pretty cool. It just proves the point. What was classic in the 50s, 60s and 70s will be classic today and it'll probably remain classic in the future. The best style is the one that never gets out of style.
Vegan here. First of all, thank you for great, fair and in depth comparison. I, as a person who wants to have as low negative impact on the environment as possible, I still use my leather wallet, shoes and belts, that I bought before going vegan. Am I super happy, that I wear products made of animals? - of course not. Would it make me a better person if I threw it away with contempt? - absolutely not. I most probably won't buy another leather shoes or belt in near future, but it doesn't change the fact that those products can last for ages, if you take care of them. The meat/leather industry is terrible. The animals are treated as objects, live in awful conditions and are killed just for humans needs. BUT - the fast fashion, super cheap clothes made somewhere in Bangladesh are way more harmful to the planet, therefore to animals too. Hopefully the companies will keep improving these vegan leathers, so we can enjoy nice and durable fashion without any animals suffering.
Yeah i accidentally bought another pair of doc martens years ago and it would just be a shame to throw them out. It impossible how to forger to stop eating meat tho in my humble oppinion..
Thank you for making a well rounded unbiased video on this! So often I see videos comparing the two and people usually just say that leather is a bi product so its ethical to use, and why should you care if it's just going to get thrown away? Hopefully vegan leather will become even better (especially with durability) Also you technically can repair vegan leather, usually I create a patch to go over the wound (I usually make embroidered denim patches, cause I like visible mends) and then you glue then stitch it on Also it is far easier to work with real leather when creating shapes, but vegan leather can be manipulated relatively easily with a heat gun, still not the same, but we can create new techniques to use the material instead of just using old leather techniques 💖
Next thing you know there is vegan meat?? Like plant meat ... Also ppl getting mad over what you say, I stand with you. You have shared non biased view but also you're a expert on leather. These ppl here wanting to promote vegans when it's not even the topic slightest. Hope you don't bend and apologize on Twitter and such because you are in no way wrong.
tbh there is vegan meat and has been for a quite a while, nothing much wrong with it when done properly. I object to vegan diet plans aggressively promoting stuff like quinoa which drive up the price of staple crops out of reach of third world farmers who relied on them for their daily diet, and water intensive crops like almonds for vegan milk. But I've had pea protein plant based meat before and it's fine, cooks like meat does and tastes fine. I do prefer a more wide ranging approach to sustainable food than just saying "go vegan" though, pork has much much less environmental impact that beef does in terms of land use and energy consumption, and cheap battery farmed chicken is also bad from both an ethical standpoint as well as environmental, in medieval times eating a chicken was something only the nobility really did or sometimes a capon if you were mid tier wealth, it's only really after WWII that cheap chicken became common worldwide.
@@surfingcipher1059 Well in the example I'm talking about it's not ever explicitly stated as "meat" so it's all good, it's called plant bals and plant mince, from Ikea, but serves as an alternative to their meatballs, while they still have the veggie ball option which looks more like the traditional veggie burger type stuff with visible bits of corn, pepper, chickpea etc in it, whereas the plant based new option is supposed to simulate the texture of meat, which it does relatively well.
@@G1NZOU my Goodness having the texture does not make it meat 'meat' means flesh why not call anything other than meat. You ppl and your relabeling words that were used for thousands of years.
Excellent, well-rounded video. I'm glad you mentioned buying vintage - that's often the most environmentally friendly option even for non-leather products.
To the pleather fans: Find me a pair or pleather shoes that you THINK will outlast real leather and I’ll find you a pair of leather shoes that I KNOW will outlast your pleather, I will always prefer real leather. Great video SRS!!!
if you will always prefer real leather, then why challenge others to find you a pair of pleather shoes that will outlast real leather.. it won't change your mind..
@@bazza5699 The point is vegans almost always take a moral highground while being factually incorrect almost all the time. Every ideology deserves to be challenged. I feel I can be as harsh as I wish since I was vegan for over a year of my life. I know the ins and outs of both sides of the argument. I find veganism the weaker stance.
there have been various tests on this already on youtube and modern vegan leather wins in most tests related to tearing and strength so modern leather technically lasts longer. the only benefit of animal leather is patina rather than skuffing, not longevity
In my experience vegan leather items bought from vegan companies often last for years when taken good care of (how many people actually take good care of their clothes anyway these days). It's the accidental vegan items from non vegan brands that use the horrible desintegrating stuff. Another plus is that the european vegan brands produce a lot of their items and materials in the EU and you know the work conditions in the factories are to European standards too. I must admit vegan biker jackets last significantly shorter as for now. Which is why I won't buy a new one in the near future. Vegan suede seems to do better in jackets.
As a vegetarian trying to go vegan i still use leather, but it's been years since the last time I bought something new made of leather, thrifted stuff made of leather is sure to last forever and since it's thrifted, I'm not contributing to the leather market and production. And I think it's far more ethical and coherent to my beliefs to buy thrifted leather-made objects that I know I won't have to change every years rather than buying new vegan stuff that won't have the same duration. I think people don't realise how many leather vintage/pre-loved stuff it's currently unused and available to buy. Anyways the video is really interesting and I'm so sorry for all the negative comments this is receiving because it's very clear you put a lot of effort into your work and try to make really informative content.
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism
@@bvegannow1936 i am vegan but u buy thrifted leather-made objects, as I said. Most of them are from the 80s so I know that they will last for another 30 years or so.
hey! i am currently writing at article on vegan leather for a magazine! please may i use this comment of yours in my piece? let me know if you have any questions!
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism
I buy all my leather goods either vintage or 2nd hand - that way I feel less guilty. Plus the quality of older vintage leather goods just seem to stand the test of time.
That's the way to do it. I am a vegan. So I go for second hand leather. There are no ethical issues as far as I am concerned. And it saves me money. Why buy one new pair of Allen Edmonds when I can get multiple pairs second hand on Ebay for the same price. Since I am vegan; when the soles wear out I plan on getting rubber soles.
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china.
I greatly appreciate this video. I've been contemplating the impact of vegan leathers on the environment. While I don't agree with the leather industry overall, you can't deny how long the product lasts when taken care of. Additionally, they biodegrade faster. As you stated, I do side with buying vintage clothes, because they have already been produced. One could take some timeless dress shoes, or boots, and refurbish their finish. I'm waiting for true plant-based leathers, like the one's made from pinatex, fungi, scoby from kombucha, etc. I am involved in the business world. I would mostly look toward vintage shoes, and suits which can be tailored. For a true bespoke suit, there isn't anything available in that already disappearing market, but hopefully there can be some compromise without lowering the quality.
I have long bemoaned that lack of attention to developing plant-based (not synthetic) wool and silk for the garment and home goods textiles markets. But we're in the infancy of veganism as an industrial movement, so take heart!
@@tamcon72 Same here. It's a bit frustrating for someone who's fashion forward. I would greatly appreciate being able to easily buy garments made from plants, and likewise with furniture.
@@Normal_Garage At least Tencel and Modal weaves are becoming more refined for clothing. I see "vegan"-friendly suits and dresses at certain websites and most of them are awful, made of improperly cut cotton or synthetics that don't drape well or breathe, but they cost a pretty penny because the market is limited. There are better quality items available sometimes, but they must be purchased from vegan clothier websites, and said vegan clothiers come and go without warning; it's a tough business to break into and stay in. Home decor is the vegan bee in my fair- trade cotton bonnet: I just moved into an early 20th century apartment, which has beautiful hardwood floors but, as I'm in a northern climate, could use some floor coverings in the fall and winter. When I sold my parents' house to move here, I left behind the large, hand woven wool Oriental rug that my mother had purchased years ago for the living room floor, glad that I wasn't bringing animal hair with me, but _resentful_ that there was no plant-based alternative for my new home. And there isn't. Jute, which looks fine on a sunroom floor but not on a bedroom floor, shag cotton, which looks too casual to be versatile, recycled pop bottle/other plastic fiber that off-gasses and doesn't insulate. I have to remind _myself_ to be patient as it's early days!
Can you imagine the extra flatulence there would be if 8 billion humans went vegan, all that fruit and vegetables creates a lot if gas, just like cattle eating grass
There are a couple of products you didn't mention but might want to do a bit of research on. One is Sileather, which is a vinyl alternative that is supposed to be very long lasting, sustainable and much better for the environment. You also didn't mention Cork fabric, which is made from peeling bark from trees.
@@SewFunbut silicone itself isn't good for the environment either. It's great for medical stuff but ultimately probably even worse for the environment than plastics.
Obviously, our standards and production quality has improved, and we have already done a few old ones, and we will continue to sprinkle them in, but we cannot just do old videos over.
@@gentlemansgazette As someone who has been watching for years. It is nice to get a reminder of the basics every now and then. I often thick of those who just began watching, and don't go searching the archives. It is just a thought. I still watch content.
He basically has enough employees/friends where he could have an interactive panel and answer questions. They could even do a critical yet gentlemanly analysis of various celebrity looks and advise people who ask about thier wardrobe, etc... sometimes addressing the basics on modern trends is just as applicable as it was when giving advice from the beginning. I have some ideas,... let me know. He could do this on a weekly basis and gain revenue.
I agree with the statement that, if you are vegan, you may be better off just going with high end fabric options instead. Rather than look bad in artificial leather, why not look good in legitimate fabrics?
Cactus leather. It is only new to the market a couple of years ago. It is partially biodegradable, and reportedly as soft as leather and quite durable. But as a vegan myself, I still wear animal leather until the consumption of meat is reduced. This is primarily for shoes, and I am careful to source from companies who have good environmental practices.
@@bvegannow1936 Yes I am. Other people don't get to define what I am. This is what's called the "No true Scotsman" fallacy. You could google that for some understanding.
Honestly, guys for excatly same topic I was waiting for so long to come from you. I am so suprised and so happy that you brought this! Sadly I am still feeling that there’s lack in fashion industry. I mean there’s so many very talented leathercrafters who makes for example wallets, cases for iPads, etc that are still choose to use animal products. I really do hope to see more of vegan leather choices. Anyway Thank You so much for bringing up this topic! 🙏🏻
Very good point on cost per use & total cost of ownership concept as it applies to high-quality leather goods vs cheap imitation options. Most people don’t consider secondary and tertiary consequences of their buying decisions, and combined with our society that constantly bombards us with marketing messages, many of us go astray in pursuit of latest and greatest. I’ve been a long time proponent of quality over quantity approach to ownership of items in my life.
I have been told that most manufacturers that the leather does not usually come from animals that we eat. If we use the skins from the slaughter house wouldn't that make a big difference?
Veganism isn't a diet. Your diet is plant based. Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism.
It really is problematic. I’ve been a vegetarian since 1999 and have been vegan several times. It’s very hard to find good hiking boots for example. So sometimes I just buy leather used on Poshmark or the real real.
Like meat, I am looking forward to the options of lab grown leather, could be made of the carbon based molecules and structured as living tissue but no animals involved. We'll. Get there someday
@@SatsumaTengu14 no.. either your comment is saying you can't wait for the 'trend' of veganism to end - and become mainstream? in which case I am wrong and misread the comment. OR you are saying you can't wait to see the end of veganism? since veganism is about not harming animals, by virtue of not eating, wearing or exploiting them.. you are in effect saying you want to see an end to vegans caring about animals.
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism
I am a vegan who loves leather. I don't see any real ethical issues with second hand leather. Since leather is a byproduct of the meat industry; just avoiding animal foods makes a difference. My Allen Edmonds from Ebay will last me a long time. When the sole wears out I plan on getting a rubber sole. Second hand also has the benefit of being cheaper. I get a quality product at a lower price and I am ensuring that it doesn't end up in a landfill before its time. Thanks for making this video. I am glad that you made an effort to keep it unbiased.
Seriously man I completely expected you to be biased and sway completely to one side but you made fair assessments to both and i learned a slightly diff point of view on it and appreciate the work you put in to make the vid. Thanks
I find the vegan leather on my watch box is fine, but overall I'm not too keen on it. I've had more than one faux leather item start disintegrating on me, on one occasion not even a year after purchase, so I don't trust it much in terms of durability and ageing gracefully. I much prefer real leather sourced ethically and made with quality, feels more like I'm being more sustainable with my money if I can buy an item that'll last 20-30 years with good maintenance compared to something synthetic that'll be lucky to last 3 before needing replacement. Same with fabrics.
hey! i am currently writing at article on vegan leather for a magazine! please may i use this comment of yours in my piece? let me know if you have any questions please :)
Vegetarian sometimes vegan. I have both leather and vegan leather bags, and honestly, I'd rather invest in a quality leather product that will last over time. My vegan leather bags that are of plastic materials have never held up well past three to four years. I even compared my bag to my brother's leather work bag that he has used for 10+ years and still looks brand new.
I have a vegan leather pouch for my lockpicking kit and its honestly not that bad great feel and lightness dosent give away if I'm carrying it openly. Fashion wise im not sure...
Have been enjoying your channel but got a question. Warm climate proper dress. If I wear most of what you suggest I could not leave air conditioning where I live.
I appreciate GG taking on such objects, as - no matter our preferences - all of us here who are not likely to be pining for the fjords in the forseeable future will inevitably be faced with the consequences of the current, unsustainable consumerist way of living that we all are living now to some degree. Alternatives will in due time not just be actual "alternatives", but the only viable options available to most, be it leather, meat or really most other animal products that are now mass "produced" on a nausea inducing scale. However, I am somewhat disappointed that only PU and PVC leather alternatives had gotten a mention, as there's a lot happening right now in regards to plant- and fungus-based leathers that have very different characteristics from the pleathers mentioned here and are becoming something much closer to the "real thing". Maybe fodder for a part two somewhere down the road...?
This isn’t my first time on your channel. Being vegan and one whom thinks about this constantly. There’s no one else I’d rather hear speak on it. This is the best channel on RU-vid!
Well presented and interesting material. I'm not convinced on the obviousness of the durability argument. Is it your personal experience, do you have sources backing the claim? I think some durability aspects are easily surpassed by some of the synthetic materials, like shear strength (avoiding ripping).
Actually, more exploration into fungi farming would be the most ideal in my opinion as for now. It takes up less space and we can pick species with characteristics we want for each purpose. Also, if we get lucky we might even stumble upon the ones that consume our waste in the process. That would be a win on multiple fronts. 😉
I know my audience here, and you're not going to like what I have to say. Things lasting forever in 2022 no longer matters. While there are some who respect or hold value with tradition, the world has become disposable. Fashion changes quickly, and there are many who feel that leather is timeless. However, vegan leather provides a sustainable way to make something that isn't made to last forever, but be sold cheaper and more frequently. Leather looks good in brown, and black, because it shows off its character and patina better. It gets a lot of mileage out of brown for sure, with all the different shades available. People want these died leathers these days in wild colors like citrus, rose gold, teal, bright blue and red, indigo, and orange. It's not that you can't dye leather in those colors, it's that it wears significantly differently and not with the same character as brown. Vegan leather will always be that same poppy color shade. It doesn't really wear, it flakes off, and newer, slightly more expensive ones are getting much better at that. Amazon is really pushing into these cheaply made faux leather products, however, you quickly see that there is the largest variety of colors and styles available there. I recently got a faux leather belt that had simulated both reptile skin and wood grain to combine for a composite effect with a brass ratcheting buckle. Like things got better, but in a fashion sense, and practically. Leather is great to have that one piece in that's going to last forever, but buying leather everything is a personality that I would compare to a neo-luddite. It's like hating something because it's not the way we did it in the 1800s. Sure, but it's 2022, we make better stuff now, even if it does break down faster, it's cheaper, the value proposition is still there. I haven't really heard about some mass recall of Tesla's vegan leather interiors for flaking off. You can build a good vegan leather product that lasts a long time.
You know, most leather goods such as jackets stay pretty consistent over time. We are still wearing the Army and Navy A-2 and G-1 designs from WWII. More amazingly, some of those war jackets are still wearable (look on eBay). I am fundamentally opposed to the fast-fashion, throw-away culture that you are endorsing. My clothes and I will grow old together.
For products that must be leather like work boots, I intend on purchasing used. A good pair of used work boots like Red Wing can be resoled again and again.
I'm vegan, but I hate polyester. I'm thinking of a compromise: natural fabrics only, with a preference for plant fibers. Real leather for dress shoes, but canvas for a wallet. Fur felt for a wintertime hat, but no fur trim on coats. A cotton suit, not a wool one. A wooden shoehorn, not a horn one. Could you make a video about recommendable compromises like these?
RE: the concept of leather needing to decrease with animal usage. People avoiding leather will reduce the value of leather, causing a surplus and causing cattle farming to become more unprofitable (*which is a good thing)
I believe that, as a Hindu, getting good quality leather made from animals other than cows or buffalo and using the product for a long time is better than getting a cheap alternative and having it last for less time. I have a camel leather belt bought in India at the same price a vegan leather belt would be bought in America and it has lasted longer than any vegan or other animal leather belts have lasted me.
My first set of boots were harness boots (made in China) and were made of Faux leather. I had them for a little over 3 years till the material began to crumble apart bit by bit to the point that there was no way of repairing them and nor they were pleasant looking wearing them out in public. I received a pair of cowboy boots and tossed my first pair away. Since then, my boots are holding up very good. Almost a year into them and they’re holding up great and looking forward to see them aging like wine
My biggest problem with vegan leathers is the human atrocities and environmental impact that the pursuit of oil and gases cause... I've yet to hear anything in the production of real leather than compares to those
I’m waiting for those vegan plant based leathers that are durable. Belts, shoes, watch straps, luxury bags and bags in general, everything that can replace animal leather.
I just polished my brand new vegan leather Adidas sneakers :D I went for them because of the style, but I'd rather have full grain of course. In due course.
Let's be honest, I love animals and I would have no problem of throwing myself in a fight to protect an abused animal. But I refuse to give up on real leather. Why should I eat meat and not use leather from said meat? If it was, let's say, snake leather, or elephant leather, fine, I would refuse to use it. But if it's simple rabbit/bovine/sheep skin why would I say no? I eat it, I wear it
But your paying for animal abuse so in reality no u wouldn't fight to save an abused animal in all cases. Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism
I've been vegetarian since 1968 and I don't buy leather except where I can't avoid it, like when I was in the Army and a cop. But I bought used equipment as much as possible. Recently I was at the city dump when a guy discarded a huge leather couch. The front was really worn down but the back looked perfect. With the employees not looking, I pulled my knife and collected that big piece of Hypodermis. Waste is bad too. The wallet in my pocket and the shoes on my feet at this moment are cloth.
The video should have at least mentioned that there are alternatives to leather that do not necessarily mimic the look-and-feel of animal leather. For example, there are many attractive cloth belts (including those worn in US Navy uniforms!) that are not leather. It's harder to find non-leather footwear, although there are good alternatives. For example, I own bamboo casual shoes that breath well and are generally very functional.
might be interesting to look at the newer vegan leather types, like the one made in berlin from apple skins instead of plastic. this way it doesnt create that plastic waste but still gives a vegan leather alternative. i have also heard of mango or pineapple leather.. anyway, great video as always
Comparing vegan leather to the highest quality leather sounds a bit biased to me - with the current "fast fashion", enthusiasts who will nurture a high quality real leather product through years of existence are rather an exception than a rule, hence for a mass consumer I am happy that vegan leather is getting better. The real stuff should not be wasted on something that will be thrown in the garbage within a few months.
I am not a vegan, but can I also point out that for a pair of shoes to be advertised as "vegan" no animal products should be involved. so this means that any glues or any other products involved in the manufacture should be none animal based, so it's not just the "leather" in the shoes. Lots of glues including in the manufacture of shoes, even if they are also stitched have a part glue bond generally animal-based glues are used.
Good point, stuff like animal hoofs and waste cartilage makes for good performing glues so the industry uses it a lot. I think dried fish intestine or bladder also works if I remember from a medieval arrow making video I watched.
Watch earthlings the documentary it's free on youtube. RU-vid peta dog leather. Be vegan. Some leather sold in first world countries is actually from stollen pet dogs in china. Vegan society website for more info on veganism
What has to be considered here is the what are you going to do with all the hides produced from meat demand if you don't process them into leather (millions of them) Vegan leather movement is a tail trying to wag a dog. Otherwise a very well researched video.
Currently a lot of leather is going to landfill instead of the auto industry due to production cutbacks from Covid and chip shortages What a waste, but that happens because the meat is still being eaten
I started buying quality leather goods around 10 years ago. A few new pieces but mostly gently used items from ebay. It's nice to now have a wallet, a few jackets, and some nice shoes that don't wear out once a year or more the way my old clothes did. Quality leather goods really elevate a wardrobe and are often very inexpensive at thrift stores if you have the eye for it--it usually just takes a little cleaning and coloring to make a worn full grain piece look great again. So I do appreciate the idea of sustainable leather alternatives but realistically I do think there's a ton of other environmental pollutants that are more pressing than quality leather production.
Alot of 2hand shoes of high quality are really cheap, i own many old shoes and i fix them, some of them i put on sale, i own some vintages shoes that has 30 and 50 years old
