5 Major Reasons to Prioritize Faux-Leather Vegan Handbags

The search for vegan, cruelty-free handbags and accessories is a little easier these days – especially with faux leather handbags being featured on an increasing number of catwalks around the globe.

But why exactly should we consider cruelty-free vegan handbags over classic leather ones? Let’s find out!

1. Vegan handbags are ethical!

A lot of us think that leather is a byproduct of the altogether massive meat production industry, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that around one billion animals will be slaughtered every year for their skin. And not just cows either. In excess of a billion pigs, goats, alligators, ostriches, kangaroos, dogs, cats, and sheep are put down just for their skin.

Most of the time the horns and tails of these poor animals are cut off without first administering painkillers to the animals, and some are even skinned and cut up while still fully conscious. Surely this shouldn’t be endorsed, right?

Vegan leather is usually made from synthetic materials such as polyurethane which is a polymer that can be made according to the design that is required. Vegan cruelty-free leather can also be made from sustainable and truly innovative materials such as cork, pineapple leaves, apple peelings, fruit waste, and even recycled plastics. It can be used to make products that should render the use of animal skins obsolete.

2. And sustainable!

Did you know that it takes around 20 x more power, water, resources, and land utilization to produce classic animal leather than it does to create synthetic cruelty-free, vegan alternatives?

Turning animal skin into leather requires the use of toxic chemicals which include coal-tar derivatives, oils, dyes, formaldehyde, mineral salts, finishes – some of which contain cyanide. The waste emitted from tanneries contains salt, sulfides, lime, acids, and other pollutants that then contaminate our water bodies. So our planet will also thank us if we switch to buying cruelty-free vegan handbags.

One of the first steps towards the creation of a more sustainable society and ecosystem on the planet is to support brands that do their utmost to provide cruelty-free vegan products across their entire range, a clear example being the well-known marketplace the vegan warehouse. Vegan leather is the perfect place to start when you’re looking for a handbag with a “leather look”. Faux leather bags have a look that is sophisticated and ultimately stylish – while being safe, eco-friendly, and, most importantly, cruelty-free.

3. They look great!

The manufacture of vegan, cruelty-free leather has come a long way over the years. There are now a myriad of amazing options in terms of color, feel, and textures. Not all items include the term “vegan”, but if you look for words like polyurethane, manmade, synthetic or faux leather, you really can’t go wrong.

Some of the vegan handbags out there even mimic the texture and feel of “animal” skin, with names such as “Faux Ostrich Leather Handbag” where it has the feel of a real ostrich skin bag, but feathers have not had to be plucked from the ostrich’s skin in order make the bumpy leather. You can even find handbags made synthetically to look like crocodile or deerskin, without animals ever having to come into the equation – no real leather, skin, feathers, or fur are used to create vegan handbags.

4. There’s a wide range of faux-leather products out there!

Some fashion designers are making the point of featuring only vegan leather in their collections. This isn’t surprising, as the faux-leather is just so versatile! It can be used to create jackets of every design and color or even beautiful dresses – not forgetting the more “closer to the skin” collections of underwear … yep there’s also a vegan leather version for that area of fashion!

You’ll also find vegan boots, shoes, seat covers, and the all-important handbags! There are vegan bags out there for the office, for the weekend, and all your leisure pursuits.

5: There are vegan handbags to suit any budget!

For a long time, we’ve lived in a world where leather handbags have pretty much dominated the fashion scene. Now, finally, vegan leather is really in and suits any budget, with handbags in all colors, styles, shapes, and sizes ranging from cheap through to the more high-end variants. At the end of the day, vegan leather is always cheaper to produce and can be very versatile.

You really can play a major role in promoting an ethical, sustainable, and beautiful world by opting to buy cruelty-free vegan handbags. By doing so, you’ll know that you’re carrying on your shoulder a bag made with a conscience and a message.