Vinyl leather or synthetic leather, popularly termed faux leather, is a replacement to leather crafted out of petroleum. Although sharing many of its attributes to real leather, this is a less cruel alternative as its production does not harm any animal.

With more and more varieties of faux leather it has gotten exceedingly difficult to differentiate between fake and authentic leather. This fabric is made in a way that resists stains as it can easily be cleaned. It has become one of the most popular fabrics for garments for its insulation properties. 

Faux leather is water-resistant and supplied to the touch, just like real leather. As it cleans up easily and is resistant to abrasions or cuts, it has increasingly become a popular choice for household upholstery, especially the ones with children or pets. However, it is not as durable.  

What Is The History Of Vinyl Leather?

Presstoff, a kind of cloth that was among the first imitation leathers, is still manufactured today. Since the usage of real leather was rigorously restricted during the war, this German-invented cloth was widely used.

When Naugahyde was initially developed, synthetic leather became even more popular gaining global recognition in the leather industry. Established in 1892, it was the U.S Rubber Company that first created this vinyl leather. Their workers engineered this alternative which started off by being used in purses. The environmental movement that happened around the 1970s, heightened people’s awareness towards the risks of synthetic products. This in turn affected the faux market negatively.

However, several eco-friendly options are available these days.

Manufacturing Micro Suede or Vinyl Leather.

Although most of these initiatives have failed, a few businesses have recently been successful in producing artificial leather alternatives that aren’t made of PVC. However, the worldwide fake leather business hasn’t seen much of a dent from these vegetable-based artificial leather alternatives up to this point.

To create faux leather, manufacturers might employ a wide range of diverse production techniques. For example, to make Presstoff, paper pulp is treated with a unique kind of resin that gives the plant-based substance more resilience. But historically, the inability of this leather substitute to withstand severe flexion and disintegrate in damp conditions has hindered extensive production of Presstoff.

The Various Alternatives of Original Leather

With unrefined origins and promising stories, revolutionary replacements of leather seem to be frequently gracing the market. Be it mushroom, cactus, apple, or pineapple, leather has now been given a far less cruel alternative. Sometimes fruity, sometimes vegan, these serve better than the unrefined animal hide. So, what are these alternatives?

1. PVC or Vinyl Leather

    PVC is a thermoplastic that is stiff, resilient, lightweight, and long-lasting. The classic “faux leather” option is produced by using plasticizers in conjunction with chemical reactions.

    Unlike real leather, it will eventually start to flake or break from the loss of phthalates, or plasticizers. The majority of faux leathers are actually made of PVC or polyurethane, which is frequently bonded to base fabrics—which are frequently polyester weaves—to keep everything together. It is rare, however the fabric basis might be natural. It makes them more robust and flexible. The ability of PVC or PU materials to repel water is one of its main advantages.

    There are several global manufacturers of vinyl leather based primarily in China including, WINIW, Hantron, Anli Material Tech Co., amongst others, offering a wide range of applications ranging from furniture, shoes, bags and coats as well as leather for car seats.

    2. PU Leather

      Polyurethane is put on top of the leather material in PU leather. In addition to providing a superb finish, the PU offers the cloth flexibility. PVC leather, on the other hand, is coated in plastic after a layer of foam.

      PVC leather contains a foam layer, which makes it more durable than the other leather. But PU leather is quite thin. PU is more breathable due to its thinner thickness. The excessive number of layers of PVC leather makes it harder for air to flow through.

      WINIW, Solamni and Anli Material Tech Co., are some of its top global manufacturers supplying products that have thousands of applications ranging from fashion to automobiles.

      3. Silicone Leather

        Synthetic materials like silicone leather are derived from silicone, a polymer renowned for its strength and environmental friendliness. Silicone leather is devoid of toxic chemicals and animal products, in contrast to traditional leather and other synthetic equivalents such as PU and PVC leather.

        Silicone leather is a sustainable option in many industries since it has fewer environmental impact and safety standards than PVC and PU leathers. Like these, silicone leather is also manufactured by several companies supplying materials all over the world, WINIW being one of the top manufacturers.

        4.    Fruit Leather

        While it makes sense to turn fruit harvest byproducts into materials, the process of converting fibers into a substance that resembles leather is not all that different from leather itself.

        The material needs a lot of processing and dependence on polyurethanes or PVC to make it marketable, and even then, its longevity is still in doubt. Because pineapple rips easily and is anisotropic, it requires a fabric backing. This means that using pineapple is essentially a more resource-intensive method of producing leatherette, which is a plastic covering with a fabric backing.

        5. Microsuede Leather

          One kind of microfiber is microsuede. A polyester fabric created by humans, microsuede is composed of millions of minuscule microfibres. Although faux suede lacks some of the drawbacks of real suede leather, it feels just as good.

          Compared to real suede, microsuede is less expensive and has greater stain and wear resistance. It can be printed in a variety of patterns and is available in a wide range of colors. Microsuede leather is manufactured and supplied globally by companies such as WINIW, and ANLI Material Tech Co.

          Conclusion

          Production of leather has come a long way from the original animal hide to the various varieties that are now available in the market. Several companies like WINIW, Solamni and ANLI Material Tech Co, now supply these microsuede and vinyl leather materials that not only provide a better alternative but are also eco-friendly in nature.