Home-grown fashion accessories brands that use plant-based leather

The leather and tanning industry is one of the most gruesome and polluting ones in the world. This is not news. Neither is the fact that there are numerous alternatives to traditional leather that provide the same luxurious look and feel without ethical and environmental concerns. However, here comes a twist, a lot of brands use petroleum-based plastics like PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) as leather alternatives. While this option is cruelty-free, it is not biodegradable and ends up causing a lot of land and water pollution. 

Thankfully, many labels are coming up with innovative alternatives for leather through plant-based materials—from mushrooms and cacti, to pineapple leaf fibres. Take a look at these brands that are selling faux leather that will clean up your conscious and still look extremely stylish!

Malai 

This Kerala-based vegan leather brand was launched in 2017 by Zuzana Gombosova and Susmith C Suseelan. The label ingeniously uses coconut waste to create a material that is flexible and durable biocomposite. They collect and refine coconut water until it becomes a usable fabric that feels similar to leather but is compostable. 

PAIO  

Since its inception in 2016, Paio has had one agenda—to create cruelty-free, sustainable, and conscious fashion that doesn’t compromise on design or style. It is a Mumbai-based, PETA-certified vegan shoe brand that uses plant-based leather, mushroom leather, and all other kinds of faux leather to create handcrafted collections for all occasions. So, if you’re looking to make your shoe wardrobe more eco-friendly, Paio is the place to start!

Aulive  

If you’re in the market for a new suitcase or a backpack, check out Aulive. This vegan label has minimal environmental impact. They are not only cruelty-free but also planet-friendly. Their alternative to leather comes from (believe it or not) pineapple leaf fibre, cork fabric, and coconut leather. Who said you can’t take care of the environment while being stylish? 

Arture  

Considering the name, this label is an amalgamation of the words ‘art’ and ‘nature’. Thus, it’s not surprising that they specialise in cruelty-free leather options. They have replaced traditional leather with cork fabric. Cork is extremely durable, flexible, water-resistant, anti-fungal, and lightweight. Arture also works with cactus leather, which is obtained from a type of cactus plant that is native to the southwestern regions of the United States and Mexico. Their range of products includes wallets, handbags, laptop sleeves and other travel accessories.

Broke Mate  

Embracing slow fashion, Broke Mate’s products are the ideal blend of fashion and function. This PETA-approved vegan-certified company is committed to only using cruelty-free and ethically sourced materials. They use vegan leather to create their range of bags which are targeted at conscious shoppers.