Articles
Why Synthetic Leather is not better than Leather
by Neha C. Web Development CompanyAs more people choose to live a vegan lifestyle, the demand for synthetic leather has increased. And, more often than not, they end up intertwining sustainability, environmental credentials, animal cruelty, and ethical sourcing. Leather is regarded as "bad," whereas synthetic leather fabrics used in the manufacture of various products are regarded as "good."
But do we understand the impact of synthetic leather on the environment? The most common alternative for leather is PU or polyurethane, and PU is made from DMF (Dimethylformamide), a material that has not only been linked to toxicity in humans but also has a lifespan of more than 500 years, implying that it is not biodegradable. In contrast, not only does it have a much shorter lifespan than leather, but it is also much more difficult to up-cycle or recycle, and burning it to dispose of it only emits harmful carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
Given the information presented above, it appears that synthetic leather causes more harm than good.
Isn't this an interesting fact for all the leather sceptics? Another interesting fact is that while the actual hide value of an animal in terms of monetary value is only 3%, more than 93 percent of the animal is actually used for its meat.
The meat and leather industries have a mutually beneficial relationship. Animal hides will continue to be a waste product as long as the meat industry exists. Unfortunately, the current global supply of hides has far outstripped the current demand. This has occurred primarily as a result of two major factors.
- More and more economically developing countries are increasing their meat consumption.
- The public outcry against leather products has resulted in a global drop in demand for leather goods.
The aforementioned factors have not reduced demand for meat in any way, but rather have resulted in the dumping of animal hides, which is, frankly, a waste. With dwindling demand for animal hides, the meat industry has resorted to either dumping them in landfills or, in the worst-case scenario, burning them. Neither of these has a positive impact on the environment; in fact, the opposite is true.
Leather is merely a byproduct of the meat industry, accounting for only 3% of total output. The public's lack of knowledge about leather and synthetic leather is causing more harm than good.
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About Neha C. 
Web Development Company
67 connections, 1 recommendations, 187 honor points.Joined APSense since, January 17th, 2022, From New Delhi, India.
Created on Apr 13th 2022 01:55. Viewed 180 times.
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