Dear Readers,

Do you remember what your favorite shoes were when you were nine years old? I do. Mine were Airwalk sneakers, maroon with holographic sparkles that caught the light when I moved. I felt thrilled to be starting Mrs. Moser’s fourth grade class with such cool shoes, and I gazed at them often, wiggling my feet to make the colors dance. What were these glorious shoes made from? Pleather.

Back then, in the ‘90s, we only really had two choices: plastic leather, aka pleather, and actual leather. The first started out as oil or gas. The second started out as an animal. Since then, things have gotten more complicated. Enter the era of “vegan leather.” The term oozes virtue, yet lacks specificity. 

So what is vegan leather exactly, and should we consider buying shoes, jackets, and purses made out of it? Three of us at Bluedot have taken on the subject: our advice columnist, Dear Dot; our fashion-loving, Cornell-bound student intern, Sasha; and me. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t terribly straightforward, and I recommend that you read both of their articles (linked to below) for more detail than I have room for here. 

But, in sum, vegan leather is any material designed to mimic animal leather and used in similar applications. The term isn’t legislated, and may describe anything from pleather — aka 100% polyurethane or, even worse, PVC plastic — to 100% bio-based Mirum, which is one of the newer vegan leather materials. (Italy is the exception. The phrase vegan leather has been banned there, similar to the U.K.’s prohibition of brands like Oatly describing their non-dairy products as “milk.”)

Vegan leather may include: 

• Plant materials such as apple skins, pineapple fronds, grape skins, and even kombucha cultures. 

• Cotton, canvas, polyester, or other fabric to provide a support structure for the repurposed plant materials.

• Recycled materials, such as plastic water bottles. 

• Virgin fossil fuels (surely the case with my Airwalks).

All of this uncertainty makes vegan leather ripe for greenwashing. So, is it actually better for the planet than conventional leather? Let’s look at some of the arguments. 

On the plus side: 

• Cruelty-free: made without any animal inputs. 

• Generally less environmentally detrimental than conventional leather: Lots of water, land, and resources go into feeding animals. And turning animal hides into leather typically requires much more water as well as harsh chemicals. 

• Increasingly easy to find. 

• Seeking out ethical vegan leather shows that consumers care about innovative new materials, which means the market will likely respond. 

On the negative side: 

• Generally not biodegradable (then again, depending on how they’ve been treated, not all leather products are, either). 

• Not as easy to repair as animal leather. 

• Rarely as durable as animal leather. 

• Almost all vegan leathers, even those made with plant materials, also use fossil fuel materials. 

One obvious customer base for vegan leather products is vegetarians and vegans. Some, however, may still choose animal leather, including Bluedot assistant editor, Emily Cain, a longtime vegan. “Surprisingly, I don’t own any vegan leather!” she told me. She says she never has. Instead, Emily chooses “to buy leather secondhand, so as to not directly support leather production, or the production of more stuff in general.”

Are you interested in finding some cool new cactus leather boots, a belt that used to be part pineapple, or a backpack made with olive remnants? Or perhaps you’d love a luxe, beautifully patinaed vintage leather hobo bag? You’ll find it all below.  

Happy accessorizing and happy shopping, 

– Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor  

Sophie Kelly, one of Bluedot’s Secondhand Sisters, takes us on a journey to find a vintage jacket. Although she considers vegan leather, Sophie concludes: “When shopping secondhand, I recommend looking for genuine 100% leather … I know I'm getting a durable piece without directly supporting the leather industry or contributing to the demand for new leather production.” 

When searching for vintage leather goods, check out: 

• Local thrift shops for the best chance of finding a steal. 

• Poshmark for (generally) affordable, contemporary clothes and accessories. 

• The RealReal for authenticated brand name bags, shoes, and clothes.

• 1stDibs for antique purses and top labels.

• eBay for a mix of everything.