Big agree. If you're going plant-based, it's not worth it to try to replicate leather, there are much hardier and cheaper options for plant-based materials than vegan leather, like the canvas you said
I've been interested in trying waxed canvas, but it's unclear to me if the wax is actually all natural or not. The wax recipe doesn't seem to be prominently advertised on most of the listings I've seen, and it's easy to imagine that the wax could have a lot of synthetics in it.
Couldn't agree more. What is it with the fixation on leather lookalikes? There are so many options for fabrics, some of them very hard wearing. Fabric can be coated or waterproofed or whatever one needs. But these options are mostly one used for utilitarian looking options. Or really cheap and cheap looking stuff. I notice that with handbags a lot. Try finding a nice, 'classic' looking handbag, that is not leather or fake leather.
So, I have an off angle on this, and that angle is transparency. "Vegan" leather is "Pleather". "Vegan" leather is marked as such because "Pleather" is no longer marketable. They are targeting a specific clientele with a sub-par material and often confusing people that were actually looking for real leather (I got duped by this wordsmith marketing). The material does NOTHING good for the environment and the "byproduct" could otherwise be used as fertilizer and (not) backed with plastic! I agree with everything you said here but (had) to add the marketing part. Mainly because I was fooled by this (once). LOVE the channel and I have learned a TON! THANK YOU!!!!
Thanks for this interesting video. I have been vegan for more than a year now but am working with leather. I think that if we kill an animal we should at least use every part of it to honour it, giving its life for our convenience. I have a vegan friend who does not like to wear/carry leather articles and I made a handbag from cork last Christmas. But that was like flimsy and much too thin. So I might try one of the alternatives you presented. Thanks again.
That's what I actually say to my every client who grins on sight of leather. If he's not bought by Sheer term Veg leather, A tell him about the primitive tribes consuming and utilizing every possible part of an animal. Also - there are archaeological finds prooving the durability of leather.
Leather IS PLANT BASED. Most common leather comes from CATTLE. Cattle are vegetarian-only eaters, so their final end product is the best VEGAN LEATHER.😂😂
It is unimagianable that someone who cares for animal welbeing would be indefferent to general environmental pollution by plastics. And i think you will find few if any at all. I feel that vegan leather is a misuse of the term vegan as a marketing trick misleading consumers who actually mean well with regard to animals and the environment.
Being vegan is 100% ideological and has never helped our environment or animals of any kind. It is factually slow starvation via malnutrition and perpetuates pollution via plastics and mining vs living naturally off of the land with sustainable farming or hunting and gathering. Veganism is mental illness and social disease.
It’s a balancing act. Animal leather is out, obviously, if someone “cares for animal well being” as you say. So using the least problematic forms of vegan leather (it’s a spectrum) could hypothetically be an option, especially if the options get better. No to animal leather though, obviously.
I care about animals and eat meat, and use leather. We are omnivores, and it's okay to meet those needs. In the USA we need to protect our food animals better. Fighting amongst ourselves is making it impossible. Vegans don't understand that most vegan options for clothing actually kill more animals than using the leather left over from the meat industry. I was vegan for ten years and quit because it was that or die. My nephew has permanent bone damage from being vegan. My family has to eat some meat. We don't produce something that is nessasary for that lifestyle. People need to learn to live and let live. Let's come together and take better care of our non-human creatures. We can all agree that food animals need proper care and respect. Let's work on that together.
i find it interesting that plastics are marketed as vegan. if the plastics used are made using crude oil, natural gas and coal, then they are animal and plant derived.
I mean crude oil, gasses, and coal are almost entirely plants technically. Plants got to the surface before animals and so the best working theory is in that gap of time where animals hadn't caught up there weren't many biodegraders like fungi or bacteria so the land was choked with dead plantlife that couldn't be broken down fast enough to avoid getting buried and that initial layer of moss and foliage is the vast majority of the biomass used in fossil fuels. But even without that explanation "vegan" is still a marketing term that in non-food products more or less means "not tested on animals" so companies that use animal in their products can market them as vegan as long as they don't do animal testing and get away with it.
Great video. I know it is hard to stay unbiased. The plastic content is enough for me to stay away from it. But it is important to be open minded and continue to test what comes out.
Thanks for using some of it. I've read about it over the last couple of years, and the glue and micro plastics in the binding agent turned me off of it, among other problems you point out. Seeing it used sealed the "nope."
Well done for your honest opinion. Keeping it real and telling it like it is allows others to make an informed decision. Keep up the great work E Cheers Paul
Leather is such a natural, strong, and beautiful material. Replacing leather with something that can outperform it on a spec sheet may be possible through evolving technology but working with leather gives me the same sense of peace and connectivity to nature that I get when working with wood. I appreciate the quality of it, the beauty of it, and treat it with a higher respect and passion knowing it came from a living thing.
Unfortunately Mylo is not available to the general public yet, so it wouldn't be possible (also it would be a material review for a material you cannot get).
There seems to be more mushroom leathers than just Mylo now. Maybe his youtube presence would mean he could get a sample. FYI I work with and love leather and even if we were to reduce meat consumption there would still be more than enough hides to go around as many are wasted.
I think a reason they are not letting it be bought by regular people. Might be a treatment or finish that needs to be added that is toxic without right safety measures.
Well made video I like that you didn't spend the whole time bashing on it even though it was not performing as well. I especially like your little bit at the end where you highlighted some of its pros and brought to light the fact that it is a new product then we may eventually make a fully biodegradable version. For me I'm going to continue using regular leather, at least until the biodegradable plant-based perform as well and can be repaired
I agree with your thoughts, Eric. I am interested in the cactus leather, not as a replacement for leather but a quirky option. I live in southern Arizona, so that would give me an option for that factor.
YES! I was 421 up-thumb on 4-21 😁 You jump right in a very sensitive topic and I appreciate your honest evaluation. From your attempt at drawing a stitching line, I can see that this plant stuff would not accept any tooling. I do not see it as a viable material for the craft. But honestly, I had no idea it was even in development. If I live long enough, perhaps I will see synthetic "veg-tan". Who knows? Thanks.
Thanks for doing the demos on these leather alternatives. I was compelled to use these for my leather stand at the County fair last year. I used grape leather and cactus leather. Both failed miserably. The rivets I set in to hold the handles so embarrassingly pulled straight through. They have no strength and I will not be using these on my stand ever again.
Interesting video. Thank you. The cactus seems like a semi-workable product. Even after doing some web research, I'm unclear whether they use polyurethane or polyester in their product. It seems more likely to me that polyurethane would be used here. But, they may very well be using both. From what I understand, the Desserto cactus product is moving toward being 100% plant-based. I love leather, but I also support the development of alternatives, for those people who want them.
I agree with you, Eric. The biggest reason I won't use it is that vegan "leather" is flammable and doesn't biodegrade like leather. Plus, the animal I'm using is a vegetarian, so that should count. Thank you for doing the tests.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Back in the 60's, they came out with "Naugahide" - also a lot of plastic. It was very pliable, but very heavy and didn't breathe. It was also very flammable, and the fumes from its burning bordered on toxic. Not good.
I've been a vegetarian, bordering on vegan, for more than 45 years. I wish there was a good plant-based alternative to leather. But...there's just not. I'm okay with cowhide being a waste product that should be used if beef is going to be eaten anyway. If we ever get to the point where people are eating so little beef that we have to kill cattle to get leather specifically, I'll have to re-think things. But for now, real hide is more environmentally friendly.
Eric: If the cost is really low, this would be a great 'Prototype' material instead of wasting real leather. Right now I used 'Fun Foam' to prototype. Flexible. Right thickness. Cheap.
Honestly these materials wouldn't be great for samples either as they're pretty impossible to glue. When I order hides that are split down I ask for the split to be shipped with it. Free, works just like leather because it is - it's just the fiber part - and perfect for samples :)
Your review was was true and non-prejudiced. I find that when "facts" are reviewed instead of "feelings", quite often the result is the old, time proven way. In a bigger world picture, I wish more things were considered and reviewed fairly and factually as you did. Merit based, fact driven, fair and balanced reviews will net you true results. THANK YOU!!!
I was Vegan for awhile, I'm not currently. For my health it is better for me to be Vegan but that is on a body level. I don't really understand all of the ideals reasons for Veganism but at least on a my tummy stops trying to murder me level eating less animal products is good for me. I've been on the fence for awhile about if using leather is okay for me or not and your video really got me thinking. I'll watch until the end, I'm only at the fire test, but you just spoke about the pandemic and why leather is what it is. I thank you for making this video :D I need to learn how to craft with leather better. >.< Following instructions from someone that's been doing it almost 20 years is difficult but I'm stubborn. hehe.
You'll never get that price buying a single sq. ft. of anything, nope. "Bulk" usually means a dozen of the same hide. Buying panels, which are great for small projects or trying a new tannage, you're paying for the labor to panelize a hide. The whole "panel" concept is a fairly new concept in the crafting market - panels have only been around since 2017-ish. Up to that point a single shoulder was as small as you could get in a very limited amount of leathers. I buy sides, shoulders, etc. because buying individual panels is not cost effective or large enough for the things I run through the shop
@Corter Huh.... That's interesting to know, actually. It never occurred to me that panels and smaller "square-type" cuts weren't always just "a thing." So, basically, they created a higher profit market within a long-established market... Lol. Cool to know. I, personally, have never bought more than a panel or two (clearly, I'm new to this and don't sell a bunch). Funny to know that wouldn't have even been an option just that recently back in time. Cheers!
Grape, cactus, etc. When polyester is added isnt that still a form of vinyl? I recall assisting a young woman who is a model, showing me her new, insanely expensive, vegan-leather purse she was so proud of (over ten yrs ago). It was a form of vinyl and looked like product from any Target, Walmart or dollar store. Not wanting to share my thought ("oh, you poor, dumb thing") I told her it was nice.
Great video, thank you. Vegan leather will have its place in some products. Maybe something that future iterations might improve upon. Unfortunately for anything I make would never be comfortable with the results.
With that level of flammability I'm not sure you could actually use it in a commercial consumer good, given all of the flame retardants that have to go into children's clothing that's made of polyester that don't appear to be here.
Thanks for trying it and questioning. I have moral qualms about using leather but since it's a by-product of animals raised for eating and since I still eat meat, I can't be so much of a hypocrite that I won't use leather. I also have qualms about the environmental issues you validly raised so I agree with your wait and see attitude,
I didn't know that Desserto used recycled polyester (plastic) in their products. I saw a video where they showed their work, and the product was fireproof, it didn't catch fire. I'm surprised :(
I like these videos, they teach me what not to try, that’s semi new in the market! Thanks man. We only have Tandy’s leather shop here in east coast Nova Scotia. You must have better resources there?
Have you tried the mushroom based ones? But the most interesting thing is how it ages… most fossil fuel based vegan leather just disintegrates (and probably sheds micro plastics) and you can’t do anything to prolong its life.
Great overview of the "vegan" leathers. I didn't know they were attached to plastic. Disappointing. I am not a vegan, but I understand how some people feel, and you were not condescending, so good job.
@@Corter I'm glad I saw your answer. Your videos got me into leatherworking 4 years ago and seeing that thumbnail with that description made me unsub immediately at first.
@@CorterI didn't think that being upset by automatically generated content (not only the thumbnail but the description as well) warranted such a passive aggressive answer. But ok.
It is always hard to be mindful of all the possible factors that contribute to how a product is made and its impact on our world. And how deep are you looking into that rabbit hole (Would you buy an Eco-friendly strawberry if the tiers of the truck that transport them are not eco-friendly?!?) I like leather for its qualities and would love the find a leather product that gives more insight into which animal gave the hide, which process was used to prepare it into leather, and the impact it has on our world. I find it refreshing that you point out that the wine industry and cattle industry share a high impact on our world. Would it be possible to attach the grape of cacti top to a natural base? Like jute cloth or a type of canvas. It would be not a replacement for leather but a new product to find its own use and market share. Replacing a product to satisfy a need not to use the product always feels a little silly to me. Thank you for the video
Have you heard of Reishi? It’s made from mushrooms only and seems like it has quite high pontential for being a sustainable leather. Made by a company called mycoworks
I have, it's not available to the public and has a polyurethane topcoat on it. It's the one I wanted to try most, but you can't get it from what I know.
I've been really interested in trying the different vegan leathers. I've heard there is a mushroom one that is really good and more leather like than the others. I love working with mammal leathers, but I'm allergic to them (alpha gal allergy) and it does cause issues. Unfortunately the other leathers like snake and lizard are small and ostrich leather is way to expensive for me.
In my opinion "Plant-based leather" is still plastic-based fake leather with some plant fibers. It might be better than the older full-plastic fake leather, but its still plastic. As far as I know they can't really be recycled as its a mixture of different plastics, but that might have changed since I last read about this, which was some years ago. The main issue i have with any kind of fake leather (full plastic or plant based) is they war out really quickly. Even if not used heavily. Either the top layer or the top lacquer, peels of the backing as a whole layer or flakes of in tiny pieces, or the material just fails out of nowhere. Regular exposure to sunlight or sweat speeds up this process like crazy. Also fake leather doesn't age or patina like real leather does. It just looks like brand new, until it starts to break. Real leather has to be maintained, but at least it doesn't break down if maintained properly.
I personally have been using faux leather in the past, and I never wanna use it again. I put a lot of effort into making pieces that just did not last at all. All the plastic, the fact it doesn't last, that's for me personally reasons to rather make one long lasting piece of leather than plastic wannabe leather. Of course, the animal doesn't die. But it's still horrible for the environment with all the plastic. Not for me. But it's an option for whoever doesn't feel comfortable using animal skin and I can respect that.
For now I will stick with leather, I have a leather journal that I’ve had over 13 years and it is still a beautiful leather, it does have scratches on it but that to me just tells the history, it gives it character. My grandmother told me to buy a coat that’s made out of leather and you’ll have it your lifetime, when she was younger she lived on her fathers farm and had cattle she said nothing goes to waste.
Find plant based alternatives very interesting, but I agree that the use of plastic and the more flimsy nature of these alternatives makes it a less sustainable alternative to animal leather. I have seen another company called life materials which makes some 100% plant based leather alternatives from a number of different things and is available to the general public. Would you consider testing them too?
I heard about some good stuffa bout Apple leather from Linus Techtips that make a backpack with it, wonder how this would hold up to your standard as a material.
Not only the plastics that are a problem but the harsh chemicals that are used to make these plants feel and look like leather. Let's add that plastics are made from gaz-coal-crude oil .... Or the fact that leather can last for centuries and is easy to repair, exemple : shoes. Vegan leather breaks down and only lasts a couple of years.
This kind of stuff is a massive scam imo. But I have found plant leather that is actually cool. At a renfair I found a vendor called Leafii selling leaf leather. Literal Teak leaves soaked and dried into sheets with some sort of adhesive, probably also a plastic base (which would suck if true). I got a notebook made of it, and it really is cool. You can see and feel the veins in the leaves, and being a crafter the vendor showed me his personal wallet that he made with it, which at the time was 2 years old. It ages and patinas just like leather, the veins fade to a lighter shade, the edges darken, the veins can also raise up and become more pronounced over time. But they dont know how long it lasts, his wallet was the oldest item that they've made with it, so at least 2 years. They make some really cool bags and stuff with it, but idk how ethical their company truly is. They claim sustainability and paying good wages to asian farmers, etc, but that can mean anything they want their marketing scheme to mean. All I know is the leaf leather is actually really interesting, and works beautifully for making stuff for any sort of ranger or druid type character for a larp.
The only reason we need to care about emissions is because we keep consuming things we don't need. Don't stop making super yachts just stop making leather. Totally crazy.
my only question is how will it hold up over time what happens after 10 20 30 50 years also like a lot of vegan products have plastics or chemicals in it and there we go polyurethane no thank you , its out already and the video is only at one minute mark
They're pretty clear in all the reading material that it's only meant to last 10 years max, which is super confusing because they're currently making car interiors out of it lol
@@Corter Cars are designed to be replaceable products now. It is too true that they don't make them like they used to. Planned obsolescence is the sales strategy for a lot of companies. I feel like leather workers are the opposite. Thank you for the video.
The very reasons I got into leather was to create something beautiful to use and sell to get people AWAY from vegan/fake/plastics. I'm with you, won't touch it. Get rid of the plastics in your life.
It's a type of MATERIAL. Not "leather" as the world views "leather". I wish society would stop with the naming of legitimate things with the fake and manipulated items they want to desparately justify and lie about. My grandmother's plastic grapes in the livingroom decorative bowl on the coffee table, NOW, must surely have some nutritional value in today’s world.😂 They "identify" as 'grapes' and how dare you not believe my delusion??🙄 Now let me get other idiots like me together and then attempt to force you to believe my lunacy or we shame and harass you.
I love how people care about the environment once we talk about faux leather. Sure it’s not the best but if people cared about the environment they’d eat more of a plant based diet.
I think “vegan” or plant based leathers are ridiculous. Animal based leather in itself is a byproduct of the meat industry so I don’t understand why people would question the ethics to it. Making a new product infused with plastic that can’t degrade and is likely to not last is a bigger ethical issue than not using a leather just because it came from a living creature. I’m completely fine with people choosing a vegan lifestyle but leather should be an exception for use. If you are vegan don’t feel bad about having a leather product it’s better off for the environment than these faux, “feel good” greenwashing products.
If i wasn't going to use leather, i would try using felted wool, oilcloth, or any number of other plant based materials. Plastics in these types of applications is just wrong. I'm not totally anti plastic, but there are many better uses for plastic.
I feel like plastic and leather get a bad rap. They’re both just byproducts. Plastic and rubber are just leftovers from oil refinement. I am pro plastic and leather, because I feel like it’s better to get secondary use out of both before they end up in a landfill and end up being fossil fuels millennia from now.
The concept of plant based materials used for constructing things doesn't bother me. The world uses it all the time in packaging. What's bothersome is the foolishness of people branding something as 'Vegan' in an attempt to appear Green and eco-conscious. I can understand people taking a dietary 'anti-meat' stance, but why are they attempting to shame leather as something substandard and politically evil? Even worse is that if you ask those same people "How is leather made?" they haven't a clue. So yeah, let's throw out those 6,000 year old recipes of using 'plant based' vegetable tannins to reinforce natural animal tissue and only use plastic coated, ground fruit rind pressed into sheets. THAT is the 'Green' path alright. MORE plastic in people's lives. Oh so healthy for planet Earth (eyeroll.) Sorry guys,..not buying into it. Additionally, there's the screwy branding. Are people buying vegan products to make themselves feel better? Or are they buying vegan products to virtue signal? There's a difference. Also note that when the average person sees a plant based vegan product their first thought will be...'Is that leather?' Which kind of defeats the entire concept. Have a wonderful Spring everyone. Cheers!🍺
I've never understood why vegans want to call something 'Leather' when they so oppose real 'Leather' in the first place. It's just the same as vegetarians trying to make their food look like meat products (burgers, sausage rolls, fake bacon etc) when they are so opposed to the meat. Why can't they come up with their own brands and names for things instead of trying to copy and / or pretend it's something that they actually oppose in the first place? Can someone explain?
If you really want to know I can try and explain it to you. Companies that produce plant leather, fake meat and so on does it because there is a market for it. But here is the thing to remember; the vaste majority of the people that buy these products are not vegan, but rather people who already eat meat, buy leather but are trying to make a make some form of change (reduce their consumtion so to speak). Companies would not make enough profit if it was up to just a few vegan consumers. So for companies to be able to sell their products they name and shape their products to imitate burgers, leather, sausages and so on so that people know how to use the products. The familiarity aspect is a powerful thing. So even if a product is marked as vegan or shaped or imitates meat, it does not take away from products that already are real leather, real meat or real dairy products. No one who goes into a supermarket and see the plant milk will think it is cow milk, or plant burger think that is is made from meat, or vegan leather expects it to be real leather. It is just simple marketing and to make money. Copying products that are already in a consumers buing pattern is a way to make people buy their products and is done over and over, everywhere. That is not a vegan thing but a marketing thing.
@@jimkallerholm6692 People often buy fake leather because that's all that is on offer now, so let's not call it leather, call it what it really is 'man made fibre'. You are right in that they probably wouldn't make enough money if they didn't mass produce things so they need to try to con people in to buying it just to serve the vegans. The vegan community is yet another minority group getting loud publicity and trying to get things all their own way. Companies don't want the bad publicity and find it easier to con the majority of people in order to placate the loud vegan minority. Having read quite a big on this, Vegan leather can actually be worse for the environment due to the manufacturing process. Imitating something like a burger and pretending it is a burger is simply a way of knowingly conning people in order to make money. Shame on them.
@@jimkallerholm6692 In other words - calling a (Vegan) product something that it's not is intended to con people just to make extra money.... shame on them.
Using real leather is the most sustainable choice. Why? because the meat industry is the one that waste the least. A single cow is very expensive to buy and maintain so when it comes the time to slaughter every single part of the animal is used because not using it would be a waste of money. Meat goes to food industry, the bones/ cartilage can be used in cosmetics and for consumption, the guts can be consumed too and the leather can be used to make goods. It's ok to look for alternatives if you're not ok with the whole meat industry but don't fool yourself thinking that would be more sustainable than just using real leather because if you choose not to use it it will turn into waste
I think, all this leather replacement stuff miss the point. Leather is already a recycled product. It uses the remaining rawhides from meat production. As long as animals are raised and sloughtered for meat, there are hides remaining. Them not using for turning into leather, you should have to throw them away. In terms of sustainability and environmentally a complete nonsens. Leather is one of the oldest receicle products of mankind. Why change a winning team. And if the tanning is made in industrial developed countries with proper environmental regulations, the production doesn't harm workers or nature. My opinion as a tanner, working 45 years in the leather industry.
As an artist that loves your work and has learned so much from you, please do not use AI for your thumbnails! It's powered by the theft of thousands of artists and creatives and just really sucks to see!! Please dude you are better than this :(
The whole point was to make everything in the video - thumbnail/title/description - synthetic with ai because the leather feels like ai made leather. not going to be a full time thing :)
@@Corter While I get the idea, you could have gotten the same idea across by photoshopping something just as fake. "just this once to prove a point" is still using a tool actively threatening mine and many others livelihoods. I'm glad its not going to be a full time thing, but it's gotta be a zero tolerance thing. Like im going to be honest, the thumbnail nearly made me immediately un-sub on principal, and your reply to me is the only thing to bring me back to actually watch the video and see your point. And I'm sure im going to get people replying to me "oh it's not that serious get off your soapbox" because i always do when i make comments like this, but like thats kind of the point because it is that serious. We had an entertainment industry shut down last year because it is that serious (among other things) I'm sorry to word vomit in your comments but I feel passionately about this and I am so tired of having to do so. Thank you for reading all of this if you do.
No worries, everyone's got their own moral compass. If you feel like the thumbnail is something to unsubscribe over that's your own opinion and you're more than welcome to it!
That's a common mischaracteristion of how generative AI works. It's not "stealing" anything, any more than you would be stealing if you drew, let's say, a cactus, from memory. You can only draw a cactus because you've learned what a cactus looks like, either by seeing a cactus in-person or thru exposure to the work of others depicting cacti (including, in this example, written botanical descriptions of cacti). 'Your' cactus would be a completely unique piece of art, despite drawing entirely from your previous exposure. This is how AI works. It's how we work too.
I think the "plant-based" term is a way to get people to pay for an inferior product and make them feel good about it. If I see the term "vegan" or "plant-based" I pass on it.
So sad, the cure is worst than the disease - It just seems another way to sell us more plastic; We now, globally use 100 million barrels / day and rising My experience of leather comes from riding - 30 yrs ago we all used leather saddles and Bridals, now it's mostly synthetic
This stuff is as much leather as vegan hamburgers are meat. If they would stop trying to trick people with childish word games people might take them more seriously. Just call it what it is: plastic. Although if they did that they could no longer claim that it was sustainable or eco-friendly without being immediately called out.
Its hilarious and poetic that these vegan leathers are essentially a petroleum product. Lotta granola people like to be seen. The image they portray is what actually matters to them and this perfectly illustrates that. Nothing wrong with using animal products. Especially byproducts. All these pseudo animal products.. tofurky, vegan chicken, vegan jerky, vegan leather, its all just big business and they fall for it. Amd if they really actually care about animals why even wear/use something that is supposed to resemble leather? Seems odd to me. Like saying youre against smoking so you dont inhale.
Vegan? Not if it’s petroleum based and I’m not really empathetic to the vegan movement but I doubt they’d like this unnatural product. Sounds like a flop, leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, is biodegradable and yet durable for years. Leather helps use the whole animal like my ancestors did…
Personally I feel that canvas is a better vegan option. Plant based (cotton), hard wearing, and easily waterproofed.
Big agree. If you're going plant-based, it's not worth it to try to replicate leather, there are much hardier and cheaper options for plant-based materials than vegan leather, like the canvas you said
I've been interested in trying waxed canvas, but it's unclear to me if the wax is actually all natural or not. The wax recipe doesn't seem to be prominently advertised on most of the listings I've seen, and it's easy to imagine that the wax could have a lot of synthetics in it.
Couldn't agree more. What is it with the fixation on leather lookalikes?
There are so many options for fabrics, some of them very hard wearing. Fabric can be coated or waterproofed or whatever one needs. But these options are mostly one used for utilitarian looking options. Or really cheap and cheap looking stuff. I notice that with handbags a lot. Try finding a nice, 'classic' looking handbag, that is not leather or fake leather.
@@chad206 You can always just buy the canvas and wax it yourself.
@@chad206 Waxed canvas is great, but many vegans will object to it as it is "taken" from bees.
So, I have an off angle on this, and that angle is transparency. "Vegan" leather is "Pleather". "Vegan" leather is marked as such because "Pleather" is no longer marketable. They are targeting a specific clientele with a sub-par material and often confusing people that were actually looking for real leather (I got duped by this wordsmith marketing). The material does NOTHING good for the environment and the "byproduct" could otherwise be used as fertilizer and (not) backed with plastic! I agree with everything you said here but (had) to add the marketing part. Mainly because I was fooled by this (once). LOVE the channel and I have learned a TON! THANK YOU!!!!
Thanks for this interesting video. I have been vegan for more than a year now but am working with leather. I think that if we kill an animal we should at least use every part of it to honour it, giving its life for our convenience. I have a vegan friend who does not like to wear/carry leather articles and I made a handbag from cork last Christmas. But that was like flimsy and much too thin. So I might try one of the alternatives you presented. Thanks again.
That's what I actually say to my every client who grins on sight of leather. If he's not bought by Sheer term Veg leather, A tell him about the primitive tribes consuming and utilizing every possible part of an animal.
Also - there are archaeological finds prooving the durability of leather.
Leather IS PLANT BASED. Most common leather comes from CATTLE. Cattle are vegetarian-only eaters, so their final end product is the best VEGAN LEATHER.😂😂
It is unimagianable that someone who cares for animal welbeing would be indefferent to general environmental pollution by plastics. And i think you will find few if any at all. I feel that vegan leather is a misuse of the term vegan as a marketing trick misleading consumers who actually mean well with regard to animals and the environment.
Yeah. It really just feels as if they are simply mixing a little bit of plant fiber into naugahyde and calling it something new.
Being vegan is 100% ideological and has never helped our environment or animals of any kind. It is factually slow starvation via malnutrition and perpetuates pollution via plastics and mining vs living naturally off of the land with sustainable farming or hunting and gathering. Veganism is mental illness and social disease.
Greenwashing. Yup. Gross. Plants mixed with plastic.
It’s a balancing act. Animal leather is out, obviously, if someone “cares for animal well being” as you say. So using the least problematic forms of vegan leather (it’s a spectrum) could hypothetically be an option, especially if the options get better. No to animal leather though, obviously.
I care about animals and eat meat, and use leather. We are omnivores, and it's okay to meet those needs. In the USA we need to protect our food animals better. Fighting amongst ourselves is making it impossible. Vegans don't understand that most vegan options for clothing actually kill more animals than using the leather left over from the meat industry. I was vegan for ten years and quit because it was that or die. My nephew has permanent bone damage from being vegan. My family has to eat some meat. We don't produce something that is nessasary for that lifestyle. People need to learn to live and let live. Let's come together and take better care of our non-human creatures. We can all agree that food animals need proper care and respect. Let's work on that together.
My vote is for leather not plastic. Once leather made objects can no longer be use they can decompose in the landfill, plastic will not decompose.
And the leather will last way longer
i find it interesting that plastics are marketed as vegan. if the plastics used are made using crude oil, natural gas and coal, then they are animal and plant derived.
yup, this right here
I mean crude oil, gasses, and coal are almost entirely plants technically. Plants got to the surface before animals and so the best working theory is in that gap of time where animals hadn't caught up there weren't many biodegraders like fungi or bacteria so the land was choked with dead plantlife that couldn't be broken down fast enough to avoid getting buried and that initial layer of moss and foliage is the vast majority of the biomass used in fossil fuels.
But even without that explanation "vegan" is still a marketing term that in non-food products more or less means "not tested on animals" so companies that use animal in their products can market them as vegan as long as they don't do animal testing and get away with it.
Great video. I know it is hard to stay unbiased. The plastic content is enough for me to stay away from it. But it is important to be open minded and continue to test what comes out.
Absolutely, I don't think plant based materials are bad at all they've just got to make sense in manufacturing and use
Thanks for using some of it. I've read about it over the last couple of years, and the glue and micro plastics in the binding agent turned me off of it, among other problems you point out. Seeing it used sealed the "nope."
I’m grateful you did this. I love how you gave them a chance and still just showed it’s not as good as the real thing.
Well done for your honest opinion.
Keeping it real and telling it like it is allows others to make an informed decision.
Keep up the great work E
Cheers Paul
Leather is such a natural, strong, and beautiful material. Replacing leather with something that can outperform it on a spec sheet may be possible through evolving technology but working with leather gives me the same sense of peace and connectivity to nature that I get when working with wood. I appreciate the quality of it, the beauty of it, and treat it with a higher respect and passion knowing it came from a living thing.
There is also an alternative called Mylo made from mushrooms. I'd be interested in seeing you test that stuff too.
Unfortunately Mylo is not available to the general public yet, so it wouldn't be possible (also it would be a material review for a material you cannot get).
Ya I read about Mylo and was excited to try it - only to find that I couldn't get it anywhere.
There seems to be more mushroom leathers than just Mylo now. Maybe his youtube presence would mean he could get a sample. FYI I work with and love leather and even if we were to reduce meat consumption there would still be more than enough hides to go around as many are wasted.
I think a reason they are not letting it be bought by regular people. Might be a treatment or finish that needs to be added that is toxic without right safety measures.
The company that made Mylo is bankrupt. Maybe the idea to produce mushroom "leather" wasn't that good.
Well made video I like that you didn't spend the whole time bashing on it even though it was not performing as well. I especially like your little bit at the end where you highlighted some of its pros and brought to light the fact that it is a new product then we may eventually make a fully biodegradable version.
For me I'm going to continue using regular leather, at least until the biodegradable plant-based perform as well and can be repaired
I agree with your thoughts, Eric. I am interested in the cactus leather, not as a replacement for leather but a quirky option. I live in southern Arizona, so that would give me an option for that factor.
YES! I was 421 up-thumb on 4-21 😁
You jump right in a very sensitive topic and I appreciate your honest evaluation. From your attempt at drawing a stitching line, I can see that this plant stuff would not accept any tooling. I do not see it as a viable material for the craft. But honestly, I had no idea it was even in development. If I live long enough, perhaps I will see synthetic "veg-tan". Who knows? Thanks.
Thanks for doing the demos on these leather alternatives. I was compelled to use these for my leather stand at the County fair last year. I used grape leather and cactus leather. Both failed miserably. The rivets I set in to hold the handles so embarrassingly pulled straight through. They have no strength and I will not be using these on my stand ever again.
Interesting video. Thank you. The cactus seems like a semi-workable product. Even after doing some web research, I'm unclear whether they use polyurethane or polyester in their product. It seems more likely to me that polyurethane would be used here. But, they may very well be using both. From what I understand, the Desserto cactus product is moving toward being 100% plant-based. I love leather, but I also support the development of alternatives, for those people who want them.
I agree with you, Eric. The biggest reason I won't use it is that vegan "leather" is flammable and doesn't biodegrade like leather. Plus, the animal I'm using is a vegetarian, so that should count. Thank you for doing the tests.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Back in the 60's, they came out with "Naugahide" - also a lot of plastic. It was very pliable, but very heavy and didn't breathe. It was also very flammable, and the fumes from its burning bordered on toxic. Not good.
I've been a vegetarian, bordering on vegan, for more than 45 years. I wish there was a good plant-based alternative to leather. But...there's just not. I'm okay with cowhide being a waste product that should be used if beef is going to be eaten anyway. If we ever get to the point where people are eating so little beef that we have to kill cattle to get leather specifically, I'll have to re-think things. But for now, real hide is more environmentally friendly.
Cork is nice. My brother bought me a little coin purse made from cork on a trip he took to Spain or Portugal. I like cork.
Eric: If the cost is really low, this would be a great 'Prototype' material instead of wasting real leather. Right now I used 'Fun Foam' to prototype. Flexible. Right thickness. Cheap.
Honestly these materials wouldn't be great for samples either as they're pretty impossible to glue. When I order hides that are split down I ask for the split to be shipped with it. Free, works just like leather because it is - it's just the fiber part - and perfect for samples :)
@@Corter I completely agree about the splits. Same flexibility. Best standin for prototypes. Very smart.
Your review was was true and non-prejudiced. I find that when "facts" are reviewed instead of "feelings", quite often the result is the old, time proven way. In a bigger world picture, I wish more things were considered and reviewed fairly and factually as you did. Merit based, fact driven, fair and balanced reviews will net you true results. THANK YOU!!!
I was Vegan for awhile, I'm not currently. For my health it is better for me to be Vegan but that is on a body level. I don't really understand all of the ideals reasons for Veganism but at least on a my tummy stops trying to murder me level eating less animal products is good for me. I've been on the fence for awhile about if using leather is okay for me or not and your video really got me thinking. I'll watch until the end, I'm only at the fire test, but you just spoke about the pandemic and why leather is what it is. I thank you for making this video :D I need to learn how to craft with leather better. >.< Following instructions from someone that's been doing it almost 20 years is difficult but I'm stubborn. hehe.
I'm curious about the price difference. Is it cheaper than actual leather?
Depends on the leather, most of the plant based options I found were around $7-9 a square foot which is solidly in nice leather territory
That must be bulk pricing. $7-9 certainly won't get me a sq ft of anything nice at BuckleGuy or RM.
You'll never get that price buying a single sq. ft. of anything, nope. "Bulk" usually means a dozen of the same hide. Buying panels, which are great for small projects or trying a new tannage, you're paying for the labor to panelize a hide. The whole "panel" concept is a fairly new concept in the crafting market - panels have only been around since 2017-ish. Up to that point a single shoulder was as small as you could get in a very limited amount of leathers. I buy sides, shoulders, etc. because buying individual panels is not cost effective or large enough for the things I run through the shop
@Corter Huh.... That's interesting to know, actually. It never occurred to me that panels and smaller "square-type" cuts weren't always just "a thing." So, basically, they created a higher profit market within a long-established market... Lol. Cool to know. I, personally, have never bought more than a panel or two (clearly, I'm new to this and don't sell a bunch). Funny to know that wouldn't have even been an option just that recently back in time. Cheers!
Imagine Corter Leather with out Leather😂
Corter Tofu😂Just kidding
Grape, cactus, etc. When polyester is added isnt that still a form of vinyl?
I recall assisting a young woman who is a model, showing me her new, insanely expensive, vegan-leather purse she was so proud of (over ten yrs ago).
It was a form of vinyl and looked like product from any Target, Walmart or dollar store.
Not wanting to share my thought ("oh, you poor, dumb thing") I told her it was nice.
Great video, thank you.
Vegan leather will have its place in some products. Maybe something that future iterations might improve upon.
Unfortunately for anything I make would never be comfortable with the results.
Great vid man
one last thing: will it wetform? (i assume bot but would love to see)
With that level of flammability I'm not sure you could actually use it in a commercial consumer good, given all of the flame retardants that have to go into children's clothing that's made of polyester that don't appear to be here.
Thanks for trying it and questioning. I have moral qualms about using leather but since it's a by-product of animals raised for eating and since I still eat meat, I can't be so much of a hypocrite that I won't use leather. I also have qualms about the environmental issues you validly raised so I agree with your wait and see attitude,
Thank you
How’d you make your cover pic for this video?
AI generated if I were to guess
Интересно смотреть ваши видео. Я из России 👍🔥
Seen some really nice work come out of Russia
I didn't know that Desserto used recycled polyester (plastic) in their products. I saw a video where they showed their work, and the product was fireproof, it didn't catch fire. I'm surprised :(
I like these videos, they teach me what not to try, that’s semi new in the market! Thanks man. We only have Tandy’s leather shop here in east coast Nova Scotia. You must have better resources there?
Thank you for the review. Also interested to see what will be the next generations
adter you added the glue im sure those suckers would light us on fire by just rubbing them together lol
Have you tried the mushroom based ones? But the most interesting thing is how it ages… most fossil fuel based vegan leather just disintegrates (and probably sheds micro plastics) and you can’t do anything to prolong its life.
kautschuk is also plant based
Great overview of the "vegan" leathers. I didn't know they were attached to plastic. Disappointing. I am not a vegan, but I understand how some people feel, and you were not condescending, so good job.
What about cork?
Beware! Cork textile/fabric is not made only out of cork. They add plenty of plastic to it to make it more durable.
why the ai thumbnail tho
ai everything - thumbnail, title, description, the leather is synthetic so I made everything synthetic lol
@@Corter ah ok haha that makes a lot of sense
@@Corter I'm glad I saw your answer. Your videos got me into leatherworking 4 years ago and seeing that thumbnail with that description made me unsub immediately at first.
I'd imagine it's a smart thing to unsubscribe either way if you're that upset over a thumbnail image. Glad the videos taught you the craft though.
@@CorterI didn't think that being upset by automatically generated content (not only the thumbnail but the description as well) warranted such a passive aggressive answer. But ok.
It is always hard to be mindful of all the possible factors that contribute to how a product is made and its impact on our world.
And how deep are you looking into that rabbit hole (Would you buy an Eco-friendly strawberry if the tiers of the truck that transport them are not eco-friendly?!?)
I like leather for its qualities and would love the find a leather product that gives more insight into which animal gave the hide, which process was used to prepare it into leather, and the impact it has on our world.
I find it refreshing that you point out that the wine industry and cattle industry share a high impact on our world.
Would it be possible to attach the grape of cacti top to a natural base? Like jute cloth or a type of canvas.
It would be not a replacement for leather but a new product to find its own use and market share.
Replacing a product to satisfy a need not to use the product always feels a little silly to me.
Thank you for the video
Have you heard of Reishi? It’s made from mushrooms only and seems like it has quite high pontential for being a sustainable leather. Made by a company called mycoworks
I have, it's not available to the public and has a polyurethane topcoat on it. It's the one I wanted to try most, but you can't get it from what I know.
As far as edge painting goes, perhaps it simply requires a different kind of paint/dye.
I've been really interested in trying the different vegan leathers. I've heard there is a mushroom one that is really good and more leather like than the others. I love working with mammal leathers, but I'm allergic to them (alpha gal allergy) and it does cause issues. Unfortunately the other leathers like snake and lizard are small and ostrich leather is way to expensive for me.
What about mushroom leather?
In my opinion "Plant-based leather" is still plastic-based fake leather with some plant fibers. It might be better than the older full-plastic fake leather, but its still plastic.
As far as I know they can't really be recycled as its a mixture of different plastics, but that might have changed since I last read about this, which was some years ago.
The main issue i have with any kind of fake leather (full plastic or plant based) is they war out really quickly. Even if not used heavily.
Either the top layer or the top lacquer, peels of the backing as a whole layer or flakes of in tiny pieces, or the material just fails out of nowhere. Regular exposure to sunlight or sweat speeds up this process like crazy.
Also fake leather doesn't age or patina like real leather does. It just looks like brand new, until it starts to break.
Real leather has to be maintained, but at least it doesn't break down if maintained properly.
Glad i watched the entire video. There is already way too much plastic in our environment as is lets not add to it.
I personally have been using faux leather in the past, and I never wanna use it again. I put a lot of effort into making pieces that just did not last at all. All the plastic, the fact it doesn't last, that's for me personally reasons to rather make one long lasting piece of leather than plastic wannabe leather. Of course, the animal doesn't die. But it's still horrible for the environment with all the plastic. Not for me. But it's an option for whoever doesn't feel comfortable using animal skin and I can respect that.
For now I will stick with leather, I have a leather journal that I’ve had over 13 years and it is still a beautiful leather, it does have scratches on it but that to me just tells the history, it gives it character. My grandmother told me to buy a coat that’s made out of leather and you’ll have it your lifetime, when she was younger she lived on her fathers farm and had cattle she said nothing goes to waste.
Great review, im sticking with regular leather Lol!
Find plant based alternatives very interesting, but I agree that the use of plastic and the more flimsy nature of these alternatives makes it a less sustainable alternative to animal leather. I have seen another company called life materials which makes some 100% plant based leather alternatives from a number of different things and is available to the general public. Would you consider testing them too?
I heard about some good stuffa bout Apple leather from Linus Techtips that make a backpack with it, wonder how this would hold up to your standard as a material.
Not only the plastics that are a problem but the harsh chemicals that are used to make these plants feel and look like leather. Let's add that plastics are made from gaz-coal-crude oil ....
Or the fact that leather can last for centuries and is easy to repair, exemple : shoes.
Vegan leather breaks down and only lasts a couple of years.
Have you tried apple skin or mushroom based leather?
if it works use it, if not then dont, great video!!!
This kind of stuff is a massive scam imo. But I have found plant leather that is actually cool. At a renfair I found a vendor called Leafii selling leaf leather. Literal Teak leaves soaked and dried into sheets with some sort of adhesive, probably also a plastic base (which would suck if true). I got a notebook made of it, and it really is cool. You can see and feel the veins in the leaves, and being a crafter the vendor showed me his personal wallet that he made with it, which at the time was 2 years old. It ages and patinas just like leather, the veins fade to a lighter shade, the edges darken, the veins can also raise up and become more pronounced over time. But they dont know how long it lasts, his wallet was the oldest item that they've made with it, so at least 2 years. They make some really cool bags and stuff with it, but idk how ethical their company truly is. They claim sustainability and paying good wages to asian farmers, etc, but that can mean anything they want their marketing scheme to mean. All I know is the leaf leather is actually really interesting, and works beautifully for making stuff for any sort of ranger or druid type character for a larp.
The only reason we need to care about emissions is because we keep consuming things we don't need. Don't stop making super yachts just stop making leather. Totally crazy.
my only question is how will it hold up over time
what happens after 10 20 30 50 years
also like a lot of vegan products have plastics or chemicals in it
and there we go polyurethane no thank you , its out already and the video is only at one minute mark
They're pretty clear in all the reading material that it's only meant to last 10 years max, which is super confusing because they're currently making car interiors out of it lol
@@Corter Cars are designed to be replaceable products now. It is too true that they don't make them like they used to. Planned obsolescence is the sales strategy for a lot of companies. I feel like leather workers are the opposite. Thank you for the video.
The very reasons I got into leather was to create something beautiful to use and sell to get people AWAY from vegan/fake/plastics. I'm with you, won't touch it. Get rid of the plastics in your life.
I sure wish we could come up with another word for it besides "leather" when it is not the hide of an animal. Maybe pleather or something like that
would be the same as calling Polyester cotton.... Not going to work.... for people who know batter...
It's a type of MATERIAL. Not "leather" as the world views "leather".
I wish society would stop with the naming of legitimate things with the fake and manipulated items they want to desparately justify and lie about.
My grandmother's plastic grapes in the livingroom decorative bowl on the coffee table, NOW, must surely have some nutritional value in today’s world.😂 They "identify" as 'grapes' and how dare you not believe my delusion??🙄 Now let me get other idiots like me together and then attempt to force you to believe my lunacy or we shame and harass you.
Interesting. Not sold. I agree that it is not there yet. Mushrooms seem to be another candidate for "leather".
I love how people care about the environment once we talk about faux leather. Sure it’s not the best but if people cared about the environment they’d eat more of a plant based diet.
I would miss the smell, sound and touch of my vegtan. Guess skiving is out of the question 😂
I think “vegan” or plant based leathers are ridiculous. Animal based leather in itself is a byproduct of the meat industry so I don’t understand why people would question the ethics to it. Making a new product infused with plastic that can’t degrade and is likely to not last is a bigger ethical issue than not using a leather just because it came from a living creature.
I’m completely fine with people choosing a vegan lifestyle but leather should be an exception for use. If you are vegan don’t feel bad about having a leather product it’s better off for the environment than these faux, “feel good” greenwashing products.
If i wasn't going to use leather, i would try using felted wool, oilcloth, or any number of other plant based materials. Plastics in these types of applications is just wrong. I'm not totally anti plastic, but there are many better uses for plastic.
So glad I am not vegan. Thanks for sharing.
The rest of us are, too. You'd be *even more* insufferable.
I vote using the by product of the cattle industry. Using every bit of the animal is truly honorable. Plastic is no good,
Is this vegan material a bi product of the food industry like leather or will plants have to die specifically for its manufacture.
I feel like plastic and leather get a bad rap. They’re both just byproducts. Plastic and rubber are just leftovers from oil refinement. I am pro plastic and leather, because I feel like it’s better to get secondary use out of both before they end up in a landfill and end up being fossil fuels millennia from now.
Please Don't do that
That stuff can be called leather, but it's not leather. Calling a cow hide a peach doesn't make it a peach.
Its not leather so why call it leather. Leather is made from animal skin.
The concept of plant based materials used for constructing things doesn't bother me. The world uses it all the time in packaging. What's bothersome is the foolishness of people branding something as 'Vegan' in an attempt to appear Green and eco-conscious. I can understand people taking a dietary 'anti-meat' stance, but why are they attempting to shame leather as something substandard and politically evil? Even worse is that if you ask those same people "How is leather made?" they haven't a clue.
So yeah, let's throw out those 6,000 year old recipes of using 'plant based' vegetable tannins to reinforce natural animal tissue and only use plastic coated, ground fruit rind pressed into sheets. THAT is the 'Green' path alright. MORE plastic in people's lives. Oh so healthy for planet Earth (eyeroll.) Sorry guys,..not buying into it.
Additionally, there's the screwy branding. Are people buying vegan products to make themselves feel better? Or are they buying vegan products to virtue signal? There's a difference. Also note that when the average person sees a plant based vegan product their first thought will be...'Is that leather?' Which kind of defeats the entire concept.
Have a wonderful Spring everyone. Cheers!🍺
I've never understood why vegans want to call something 'Leather' when they so oppose real 'Leather' in the first place. It's just the same as vegetarians trying to make their food look like meat products (burgers, sausage rolls, fake bacon etc) when they are so opposed to the meat. Why can't they come up with their own brands and names for things instead of trying to copy and / or pretend it's something that they actually oppose in the first place? Can someone explain?
If you really want to know I can try and explain it to you. Companies that produce plant leather, fake meat and so on does it because there is a market for it. But here is the thing to remember; the vaste majority of the people that buy these products are not vegan, but rather people who already eat meat, buy leather but are trying to make a make some form of change (reduce their consumtion so to speak). Companies would not make enough profit if it was up to just a few vegan consumers. So for companies to be able to sell their products they name and shape their products to imitate burgers, leather, sausages and so on so that people know how to use the products. The familiarity aspect is a powerful thing. So even if a product is marked as vegan or shaped or imitates meat, it does not take away from products that already are real leather, real meat or real dairy products. No one who goes into a supermarket and see the plant milk will think it is cow milk, or plant burger think that is is made from meat, or vegan leather expects it to be real leather. It is just simple marketing and to make money. Copying products that are already in a consumers buing pattern is a way to make people buy their products and is done over and over, everywhere. That is not a vegan thing but a marketing thing.
@@jimkallerholm6692 People often buy fake leather because that's all that is on offer now, so let's not call it leather, call it what it really is 'man made fibre'.
You are right in that they probably wouldn't make enough money if they didn't mass produce things so they need to try to con people in to buying it just to serve the vegans.
The vegan community is yet another minority group getting loud publicity and trying to get things all their own way. Companies don't want the bad publicity and find it easier to con the majority of people in order to placate the loud vegan minority.
Having read quite a big on this, Vegan leather can actually be worse for the environment due to the manufacturing process.
Imitating something like a burger and pretending it is a burger is simply a way of knowingly conning people in order to make money. Shame on them.
@@jimkallerholm6692 In other words - calling a (Vegan) product something that it's not is intended to con people just to make extra money.... shame on them.
Just call it vinyl instead of trying fancy names...
Using real leather is the most sustainable choice. Why? because the meat industry is the one that waste the least. A single cow is very expensive to buy and maintain so when it comes the time to slaughter every single part of the animal is used because not using it would be a waste of money. Meat goes to food industry, the bones/ cartilage can be used in cosmetics and for consumption, the guts can be consumed too and the leather can be used to make goods. It's ok to look for alternatives if you're not ok with the whole meat industry but don't fool yourself thinking that would be more sustainable than just using real leather because if you choose not to use it it will turn into waste
If you don’t agree with animal hides, use canvas and cotton, not something that imitates it but is 50% Non compatible.
I think, all this leather replacement stuff miss the point. Leather is already a recycled product. It uses the remaining rawhides from meat production. As long as animals are raised and sloughtered for meat, there are hides remaining. Them not using for turning into leather, you should have to throw them away. In terms of sustainability and environmentally a complete nonsens. Leather is one of the oldest receicle products of mankind. Why change a winning team. And if the tanning is made in industrial developed countries with proper environmental regulations, the production doesn't harm workers or nature.
My opinion as a tanner, working 45 years in the leather industry.
Great tinder option.
As an artist that loves your work and has learned so much from you, please do not use AI for your thumbnails! It's powered by the theft of thousands of artists and creatives and just really sucks to see!! Please dude you are better than this :(
The whole point was to make everything in the video - thumbnail/title/description - synthetic with ai because the leather feels like ai made leather. not going to be a full time thing :)
@@Corter While I get the idea, you could have gotten the same idea across by photoshopping something just as fake.
"just this once to prove a point" is still using a tool actively threatening mine and many others livelihoods. I'm glad its not going to be a full time thing, but it's gotta be a zero tolerance thing.
Like im going to be honest, the thumbnail nearly made me immediately un-sub on principal, and your reply to me is the only thing to bring me back to actually watch the video and see your point. And I'm sure im going to get people replying to me "oh it's not that serious get off your soapbox" because i always do when i make comments like this, but like thats kind of the point because it is that serious. We had an entertainment industry shut down last year because it is that serious (among other things)
I'm sorry to word vomit in your comments but I feel passionately about this and I am so tired of having to do so.
Thank you for reading all of this if you do.
No worries, everyone's got their own moral compass. If you feel like the thumbnail is something to unsubscribe over that's your own opinion and you're more than welcome to it!
That's a common mischaracteristion of how generative AI works. It's not "stealing" anything, any more than you would be stealing if you drew, let's say, a cactus, from memory. You can only draw a cactus because you've learned what a cactus looks like, either by seeing a cactus in-person or thru exposure to the work of others depicting cacti (including, in this example, written botanical descriptions of cacti). 'Your' cactus would be a completely unique piece of art, despite drawing entirely from your previous exposure. This is how AI works. It's how we work too.
I think the "plant-based" term is a way to get people to pay for an inferior product and make them feel good about it. If I see the term "vegan" or "plant-based" I pass on it.
So sad, the cure is worst than the disease - It just seems another way to sell us more plastic; We now, globally use 100 million barrels / day and rising
My experience of leather comes from riding - 30 yrs ago we all used leather saddles and Bridals, now it's mostly synthetic
So leather is a no no for vegans but plastic is okay even if it destroys nature in every way (not even talking about those petroleum catastrophes)?
This stuff is as much leather as vegan hamburgers are meat. If they would stop trying to trick people with childish word games people might take them more seriously. Just call it what it is: plastic. Although if they did that they could no longer claim that it was sustainable or eco-friendly without being immediately called out.
They need to come up with different names for these alternatives. They are NOT leather.
Plant based leather is not leather.
Its hilarious and poetic that these vegan leathers are essentially a petroleum product. Lotta granola people like to be seen. The image they portray is what actually matters to them and this perfectly illustrates that. Nothing wrong with using animal products. Especially byproducts. All these pseudo animal products.. tofurky, vegan chicken, vegan jerky, vegan leather, its all just big business and they fall for it. Amd if they really actually care about animals why even wear/use something that is supposed to resemble leather? Seems odd to me. Like saying youre against smoking so you dont inhale.
Nope.
Big NO for plastic.
Vegan leather is just rubber 😉
Vegan? Not if it’s petroleum based and I’m not really empathetic to the vegan movement but I doubt they’d like this unnatural product. Sounds like a flop, leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, is biodegradable and yet durable for years. Leather helps use the whole animal like my ancestors did…
Wait I thought this was quarter leather 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
What is leather? None of the above in my opinion.
I already cater to customers who refuse to wear plant products though.
I threw up in my mouth and have to go 😂😢