Synthetic Alternatives to Animal Skins

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” —Mohandas Gandhi

Why Faux?

Consumers are concerned about leather’s ethical, health, and environmental effects. Many avoid supporting the livestock industry, in which billions of animals suffer inhumane conditions on factory farms, grueling transport, and violent death. Leather International recently stated, “If the consumer gets the idea that leather isn’t exactly ethical, it could follow the fur industry, which was decimated by publicity campaigns ...” This popularity crash has already begun. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health shows that the accident and illness rate is five times higher in tanneries than the average for all other industries. The chemicals used in leather production (an estimated 225) have been linked to nervous disorders, asthma, cancer, and other illnesses.

PETA recommends PU (polyurethane) pleather as a responsible alternative to leather or even to PVC (polyvinylchloride) pleather, as it is less damaging to the environment. We also recommend natural materials such as cotton canvas, rubber, nylon, and polyester.

This guide will help you find materials that are fashionable and ethical.

Globalsources.com is another resource for finding international suppliers of non-animal alternatives to leather.