DEES

Honestly, I was surprised. But in the end, it depends on which fight you choose to take on. Let me explain.

Traditional leather (aka animal leather) comes from the skin of animals like cows, goats, horses, etc. The production process includes tanning, which transforms rawhide into durable material. It can be done traditionally, using natural tannins, or chemically, with chrome and other chemicals.

Vegan leather, on the other hand, is made from synthetic materials like polyurethane (PU) or natural materials like cork, pineapple fibers (Piñatex), and more recently, mycelium (mushroom roots). It’s a great option if you want to avoid animal cruelty.

Me and my JW PEI vegan leather bag.

Now, let’s talk about the pros and cons:

Pros

• Animal leather: If you take good care of it, you can keep your leather pieces for years— they even get better with time. Plus, if the tanning process is done using traditional methods, it relies on natural resources.
• Vegan leather: No animals are harmed. There’s a huge variety of textures and colors, often more consistent than animal leather. And finally, it’s easy to maintain— vegan leather doesn’t require any special treatment.

Cons

• Animal leather: First off, it comes from animal skin. If tanned chemically, it can be toxic and polluting. If tanned traditionally, the piece is usually more expensive.
• Vegan leather: It’s less durable— it tends to crack or wear out faster. And from an environmental standpoint, some vegan leathers are made from plastic, which means chemicals and petroleum are involved. Also, synthetic materials are often less breathable.

Now that you have a clearer picture, you get why I say it depends on your personal values. If avoiding animal cruelty is your priority, then vegan leather is a great alternative.

Personally, I have both in my closet. But I’d lean toward secondhand animal leather pieces— to give a second life to bags, jackets, or shoes. And if possible, I’d go for traditionally tanned leather when I can find that info.

What about you? What’s your take on leather? How do you shop for it?