Sustainability is one of the biggest buzzwords in the fashion industry right now. But, far from a fleeting trend, the mainstream interest and ever-growing commitment to the cause is forcing brands to acknowledge it and provide alternatives.
And while there's still a long way to go, there are already hugely groundbreaking discoveries that look set to change our environmental - and sartorial - landscape forever. Particularly when it comes to leather...
The problem with leather (and most faux leathers!)
We caught up with PETA, who explained the "vegan fashion revolution [that] is underway."
"As consumers learn the truth about the leather industry – that every year it kills 1 billion animals, often horrifically – and as they recognise the devastating impact that animal agriculture has on the planet, they're choosing to turn away from animal-derived materials and towards ethical vegan fashion."
And with the Vegan leather industry reportedly set to be worth $85 billion by 2025, it seems PETA may have a point.
Once a fabric to raise purely ethical questions, brands answered the prayers of customers who hated the idea of animal leather by providing them with a number of PVC-like alternatives. Unfortunately, these are wildly unsustainable.
'PVC' stands for Polyvinyl chloride - which is not only the most toxic plastic for our health but it's also awful for the environment. You just have to know that it's made from petroleum - one of our more scarce natural resources and one that's commonly refined into fuel(!) - to understand why. It also emits toxic compounds.
Now you see why there's a need for innovation...
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