Portugal Bans misleading ‘vegan leather’ term

We’ve seen the meat industry feel threatened by vegan alternatives using the words ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ but now the leather industry is feeling the heat. Apparently consumers are confused by the terms ‘plant-based’ leather and companies that use prefixes such as ‘vegan,’ ‘synthetic,’ or ‘pineapple’ could face serious fines. 

Annick Ireland, Founder of ImmaculateVegan.com reports “the simple truth is that this is nothing to do with consumer transparency and protection, and instead just one more desperate attempt by old, flailing industries to continue their cruel and climatically disastrous practices, in the face of growing consumer enlightenment and change.”

There is no denying that the vegan leather market is booming. According to a report by Infinium Global Research, the plant-based leather industry is predicted to hit $89.6 billion by 2025. Over the past few years we’re seeing innovative alternatives hit the shelves, such as mushroom, cork, apple, grape and cactus. We’ve seen the likes of Stella McCartney debut the world’s first-ever garments made from vegan, lab-grown Mylo™️ mushroom leather. 

“These rare, exclusive Mylo™️ pieces embody our shared commitment with Bolt Threads to innovate a kinder fashion industry – one that sees the birth of beautiful, luxurious materials as opposed to the deaths of our fellow creatures and planet.”

Stella Mccartney

We also cannot ignore the conversation of sustainability, which argues whether conventional leather or plant-based leather is better for people and the planet. Traditional leather might be a by-product of the meat industry but we also need to take into account the impact of rearing livestock, such as deforestation, water and land overuse, plus global carbon emissions. Once animal hides go into production, they receive a heavy chemical treatment with a large percentage using chromium tanning. This avoids the product decomposing and thus takes many years for the product to then biodegrade at the end of its life cycle. 

However, vegan leather is no angel either. Plant-based materials can be mixed with PU plastic which might end up in water or landfill. It takes many years to degrade and release toxic chemicals into the environment. 

Plant-Based News reported that “The Environmental Profit & Loss tool developed in 2018 by Kering states that the impact of producing vegan-leather can be up to a third lower than traditional leather.”

Let’s not forget that this is not just a matter of what is most sustainable for the planet, but a war on words and proof that language is a powerful tool when it comes to marketing and consumerism. 

What are your feelings towards Portugal banning the term ‘vegan leather’? Do you think it’ll make a dramatic difference within the fashion industry?