Nowadays, people are again increasingly choosing things made from natural materials. Artificial ones are treated with skepticism, and the word “leatherette” has become even more abusive. But not so long ago, eco-leather appeared on the market, which can be a worthy replacement for natural leather.
Pros and cons of genuine leather
Genuine leather is animal skins that have gone through a long series of different processes, such as soaking, liming, tanning and dyeing.
The manufacturing process is very harmful both to the environment and to the employees working in production. Clothing, accessories and furniture made from genuine leather are considered symbols of prestige, and they cost a decent amount.
However, the undoubted advantage of this material is its strength and durability. Of course, leather products require proper care, which includes cleaning them from dirt and treating them with impregnations.
Advantages and disadvantages of eco-leather
For a long time, analogues of natural leather were leatherette and leatherette made from synthetic fabrics, which quickly wore out, had an unpleasant odor and an unpresentable appearance.
Therefore, the population has developed a contemptuous attitude towards this kind of thing. But eco-leather can change the established opinion about artificial materials.
Reference! Eco-leather was invented in the United States of America in 1963.
The material is a finely porous layer of polyurethane attached to a cotton or polyester base. When embossing these two layers, technologists create a pattern similar to natural leather. Visually, a synthetic product is practically indistinguishable from a natural one; the secret can only be revealed by looking at the reverse side.
This type of leather is elastic and pleasant to the touch; it can only be surpassed by leather with aniline dressing, which is very expensive and rarely presented on the market. The quality of the material depends on the thickness of the top polyurethane coating - the thicker it is, the stronger the product. However, rigidity also depends on it, so the parameters are selected depending on the type of application.
Eco-leather stands out among other artificial options due to its numerous advantages.
- Breathability. Thanks to the micropores in the polyurethane layer, there is constant circulation of air and water vapor in the products, this is especially important for shoes.
- Waterproof. But at the same time, water cannot get inside, ensuring dryness.
- Thermal conductivity. The indicator is comparable to natural leather and perfectly maintains the optimal temperature in both summer and winter.
- Frost resistance. The material can withstand temperatures down to -35 °C. It can also withstand heat and does not fade in the sun.
- Wear resistance. Over time, during wear, it does not crack and does not lose its original appearance.
- Safety. Unlike other leather substitutes, eco-leather does not contain harmful substances such as polyvinyl chloride or plasticizers. And because of this, it does not have an unpleasant synthetic odor and does not cause allergic reactions.
- Ethicality. No living creature is harmed during production, so the products are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and other concerned citizens.
- Availability. The cost of things made from this type of material is much lower than from genuine leather. And the possibility of long-term use will also save the buyer’s money.
The range of applications of eco-leather is quite wide. It is used to make clothes (jackets and currently fashionable skirts), accessories (bags, gloves), shoes, upholstery for furniture and car interiors. This material is easy to work with, it cuts well, and many designers choose it for sewing their collections.
Despite the impressive list of advantages, eco-leather also has its disadvantages:
- Contaminants cannot be removed with water, as it will leave stains and streaks on the surface.
- You should be very careful with upholstery for furniture in light shades - the material, if it is not from a reputable manufacturer, can absorb paint from clothing fabrics.
- If damaged, the fabric base may come out.
The fabric is unpretentious and requires the same care as natural fabric. In order for products to last longer, they should be treated with water-repellent impregnation, and dirt should be removed either with special means or with a solution of alcohol and water (1:1 ratio), and then be sure to wipe dry.
Reference! Never use cleaning products containing chlorine.
The times when products made from artificial materials were of poor quality and short-lived are in the past. Thanks to modern technologies, a substitute has entered the market that is in no way inferior to natural leather, and in many ways even surpasses it. The choice, of course, is yours, but I hope that after reading this article you will choose eco-leather.
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Eco-leather is always a sign of poverty. It should be a shame now, having normal salaries, not to afford 1-3 products made from natural materials. It's not that expensive overall.
The question is not that it is shameful, but that animals are killed for their skin.
A pretentious creature who does not see the world beyond himself talks under this article about eco-leather and beggars
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What nonsense are you talking about, Lisa. A truly rich person values his money. Eco-leather is not inferior to natural leather in terms of durability, wearability, and costs less. And you talk like a superficial person who likes to show off and who starts drooling at the sight of some expensive thing...it doesn’t matter that the wearability is the same as the one that costs 10 times cheaper, it doesn’t matter that it’s even more uncomfortable, the main thing is that it’s more expensive! I remember the Soviet joke about the new Russians in crimson jackets.
For example, I buy everything cheap and nothing, and I’m rich, I just don’t want to throw money away.
I am also of the same opinion as Elizabeth. Why buy cheap things like a beggar. For example, I will eat bread and water all day long, but save up for expensive clothes. I am a metrosexual and love to take care of myself and dress beautifully and fashionably.
Eating bread and water and even saving up for expensive things is just a sign of poverty. Well, how much do you save on food???? If you get anemia or some kind of vitamin deficiency, no luxury will help. If you are rich and are treated in expensive medical institutions, then it’s not a fact that it will help)) I don’t understand such people, you can live only once and deny yourself for some things
A sign of a pauper is to think the same way as the poor creature in the first comment (let’s keep silent about the poor young man who is ready to live on bread and water in order to save on food and buy what he thinks is an expensive thing, everything is obvious here).
But the saddest thing is that the creature in the first comment has not only the thinking of a beggar, but the fact that her thinking is wretched.
It is not necessary to make a choice - only genuine leather to look prestigious, or only eco-leather, because you are against the killing of animals.You can have both – without any labels in a “rogue” persona. Shoes, of course, are preferable from genuine leather, but you can buy a handbag or belt from high-quality eco-leather.