Vegan Leather Fabric: Understanding Different Variants Of It

Garments businesses, operating with a sustainable mindset, need to invest in high-quality fabrics for producing different consumer goods. One of those fabrics is faux/vegan leather.

Vegan leather fabric is a widely popular alternative to real animal-made leather. It is capable of mimicking different characteristics of real leather without severely impacting the environment. 

Vegan leather fabrics are made up of many unique plant fibers and artificial elements. This is the reason why faux leather is available in distinct variants. Each type of vegan leather serves different purposes for the garment business. So, it is necessary for these businesses to understand every faux leather type, for making the best investment. 

8 Unique Vegan Leather Variants To Invest In For Garments Businesses

There are many variants of vegan leather available in the market, such as:

• Pinatex

This is vegan leather made from the fibers of Pineapple leaf. Pinatex is derived from the sun-dried long fibers of pineapple leaves. These fibers are felted together in corn-based polylactic acid to develop Pinafelt. This base material is then polished and given special finishings to create pinatex, the final product. 

Pinatex is not only a plant-based leather fabric, but it has increased farming among local communities. They are getting income from something that was earlier treated as a waste material.

• Mirum

Mirum faux leather is made up of naturally sourced rubber, plant-based oils, organic pigments, and other minerals. It is a very flexible material that is easy to customize for its color and texture, finishings, and thickness. This flexibility is available due to the different plant fiber inputs. 

Mirum is a very popular bio-neutral leather fabric, available for producing many sustainable garments.

• Desserto

This is another very popular faux leather material. Desserto is made from the fibers of prickly pear cactus, which is largely found in Mexico and other parts of the world. 

The fabric is made without using any type of harsh chemicals or excessive water. It is largely used for producing different types of consumer goods such as trainers, watch belts, and wallets/purses. 

The fabric is widely popular in the fashion industry, with many popular brands such as Balenciaga and Hublot using it in their product designs. 

• Malai 

Malai is a well-known vegan leather fabric made from the agricultural wastes of coconut. It is widely demanded for its near-perfect resemblance to real animal leather.

For this, wastewater from coconut farming is used to feed certain bacteria in a fermentation procedure. After twelve to fourteen days of fermentation, a sheet of specific material is produced. This sheet is then refined with gums and natural fibers to develop the right Malai leather. 

With proper care and maintenance, Malai leather products can easily last for around four to eight years. 

• Apple Skin Leather

This is another byproduct made from the apple wastes, such as its damaged skin and cores. Apple skin also appears very similar to the original leather fabric but has a very unique paper-like texture. This is a big bonus for the garment businesses as it helps in adding different backings, coatings, and designs according to the specific needs. 

• Mylo, The Mushroom Leather

Mylo vegan leather is made from the root structure of the mushroom plants, known as the Mycelium. This vegan fabric is popularly used for making handbags and shoes due to its high quality and longevity. It has huge potential for being an important fabric in the sustainable garments industry. 

This vegan leather also contains water-based PU material for extra strength and durability in the long run. 

• Waxed Canvas Leather

Waxed canvas leather is already in use for making different types of jackets and bags. But recently, many businesses have started using it for making other clothing items too. 

Waxed leather provides similar characteristics and protection as that of real leather. Also, with the help of rewaxing, waxed leather products can again look like brand-new items.  This means that the waxed leather product can last long. Even restoring a second-hand waxed leather product is also possible with the help of rewaxing. 

• Cork Leather Fabric

Another popular vegan leather fabric, it is made up of plant fibers from the cork Oak trees. This is a very sturdy as well as water-resistant fabric. In addition to being renewable, the fabric is also very durable, lightweight, and easy to clean/maintain. 

The cork material of the Oak tree is harvested and dried out in six months. After drying out properly, this cork is boiled and the final leather fabric is formed. 

Conclusion 

Different types of vegan leather fabric available for sustainable garments businesses are discussed above in the post. 

From coconut-based Malai leather to Apple skin leather and many more. Each of these variants of faux leather fabric has some unique features. These help in developing high-end and trendy eco-friendly garment items without affecting the flora and fauna.