Is Vegan Leather Anything Like Real Leather? || Testing Cactus, Pineapple And Cork Leather!
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- Опубликовано: 3 ноя 2021
- I recently got a few samples of vegan leather and I am super curious how these compare to actual (chrome tanned) leather! We will be testing Cactus (Nopal) leather, Pineapple (Piñatex) leather and a cork based leather. Are these better than plastic faux leathers? Let's find out!
For more information about these substitute leathers and the store I got them from you can check this site (in dutch): eurolatino.nl/alternatief-voo...
For the difference between chrome tanned and vegetable tanned leather see this video: • Vegetable Tanning vs. ...
For free breakdowns of my builds or to fuel my crafting addiction you can visit my ko-fi: ko-fi.com/marisarmoury 
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I wonder how the vegan leathers would work out under wear and tear over time (like the bottom of a bag or purse) or if they'd need a special treatment and how much they'd darken from a waterproofing, or if they;d fall apart if certain oils are used....and how they'd hold up under being wet or soaked.
Those are all good ideas! With this many suggestions I think a followup video is going to be needed! My head is already working on ideas for the wear and tear!
I have a wallet from SlimPuro made out of cork leather and I carry it in my pocket since 2018. And I'm a heavy user, means everything that I use and carry every single day has to be more or less bullet proof. And I can say that it holds up way better than I expected it to do. On some corners the cork layer seems to wear down, but it's not flaking or coming off in pieces, more like when you have a painted metal object and on the edges the paint wears thinner and you can see the metal slightly showing through. Otherwise the stitching holds up extremely well and even the edges of the material hold up extremely well. They also look and feel like they're burnished so there's no fraying or anything. It feels super soft, I love the feel of this cork. So I am super happy with this product, it definitely shows some age and wear but I like those EDC items to show some of the love they received over several years.
On the other hand I just received a handmade cork leather cover for a travelers notebook and the cork seems to be paper-thin. The edges already start to fray. They are sewn to a piece of black felt and loose threads coming off the fabric layer under the cork all the time. So there's no way this piece will hold up for a long time. And the edges are completely unfinished contrasting the superior finishing of the edges on my wallet. But I don't know if the material is too thin for being burnished.
So it definitely depends on the quality and thickness of the materials you use. The actual surface of the cork seems to be extremely strong and the weak point being the edges.
@@MarisArmoury Can you do a video on experimenting with different finishing or burnishing techniques for the different vegan materials, especially the cork? Because I can't find anything on that topic on the internet and I'm super curious because of the seemingly burnished edges on my Slimpuro wallet and the super fragile fraying edges on my travelers notebook.
Vegan here. I've been using boots made from cork for about 2 and a half years now for my job which involves A LOT of walking outdoors (city, nature) in all types of weather, from hot summers to harsh winters, as well as for airsoft. To this day they're still as sturdy as day 1, only slightly less water resistant. I'm terrible at maintaining my boots (as in, never) and they still hold up great! They're from the brand/store "Vegetarian Shoes".
Cork leather is very environmental friendly. And not a single animal has to get hurt. :)
The Brand LOUIS LUCANO makes designer bags from apple leather in Italy and the structure looks original like real leather, they also look very high quality. My sister bought one and is thrilled!
Lizscapism sent me here and wow! What an interesting video! So cool that non-plastic vegan options are becoming more widely available
thank you for this video, it was SOOO informative!! I appreciate all the tests you did!!
Cork kinda sounds interesting as a "wooden armor" feel. Like something woody or natural themed. Faeries come to mind and all those kinds of peoples with armors might look interesting if made with cork.
Oh! That sounds like a super cool application! I would use something else to back it though its not really sturdy enough for armour on its own. But that is definitely some good inspiration!
Thank you so much for doing this! I've been looking into using these different leathers and want to use the strongest and best ones for my leather working. Great channel, love your videos.
Thank you for the compliment!
Very interesting. I liked how methodical you were in testing each one. Would like to see a video on wear and tear for each one as well.
Thank you!
Would like to see Cowboy cactus leather belt, holster, seats, boots, saddles and see how it holds up. Will it last as long as real leather.
Thanks. I really liked your video. Nice choice of music.
I am intrigued by the cactus leather hahahaha. Awesome stuff!!! As seen in the comments this will be seen again, look forward to it! (and yes I'm always late with seeing your videos sorry whahaha)
I'm happy you enjoy them, no matter when you watch them ;) And yes, I find the cactus leather to be rather interesting stuff.
For those who love the nature: the cactus and pinapple leather, unfortunately, consist of 30-50% PolyUretheane (plastic from your old black Oil)
polyester
Where is your source? Cactus leather is supposed to be completely oil free.
@@SkepticalCaveman
Technical Details for Desserto toffee brown:
Thickness: 1.0 mm (+/-10%)
Backing: Knit, 50% recycled polyester / 50% recycled cotton
Contains 20% cactus; 80% PU
@@SkepticalCaveman
even the black/white still use Polyester and Bio PU:
Technical Details for Desserto black and white:
Thickness: 1.2 mm (+/-10%)
Backing: Woven; 55% Polyester / 45% Cotton
Contains 35% cactus; 65% BIO PU (56% +/- 5% total bio mass content)
@@SkepticalCaveman this is from a vegan shoes company, one of the best: The latest version contains 69% bio-oil and a viscose (a natural material from eucalyptus trees) backing fabric.
This material does still have 31% polyurethane in its composition, so there is still some plastic.
Because of the nature of the material, it is not biodegradable.
Our vegan suedes are made from 100% polyurethane. We are always looking for more sustainable alternatives.
Cork is used extensively in the bag making community. It is durable and water resistant, though the quality of the cork fabric varies, with some of it being very thin and not very sturdy to much higher quality. I've been trying to get my hands on some of the other two 'leathers' but haven't found a place that stocks it here.
It does indeed seem like a good material for bags and such. I guess I am lucky with the store here, I recently checked and it seems they also stock grape leather now. So might need to make an addedum to this video some time 😉
Found you because of watching an ad for the new Mercedes Vision EQXX electric car with vegan interior...
Possibly an interesting test to do: How does it react to 'scraping' damage. Like being scraped along a wall, or across pavement tiles. Since that is honestly a type of encounter that I tend to have with materials used in my larp gear a lot.
So, in a way, reverse weathering? That might indeed be an interesting one!
@@MarisArmoury What about peeling? I find all of my cheaper “fake” leather peels eventually and looks awful….
I know this is an old comment, but cork leather is super abrasion resistant, one of it's real features
@@Sedilkin By the way, is cork leather tear resistant also?
@@Jonathan-L it's difficult to rip because of it's fabric backing, it does come quite thin in general so it's not magic, but yeah I would say it's tear resistant too. I would definitely struggle to tear it on purpose
Very interesting! I was surprised by how strong the materials appear. I would love to see a follow up video about how well they stand up to wear and tear.
Thank you! The wear and tear has been suggested often now, lets see how we can test it!
Great video thank you!
Really cool video! I am playing with the idea of getting into LARP but I would prefer to avoid leather. Which seems... well rather difficult. So this was really interesting to see these alternatives!
Thank you! And yes, leather is used quite a lot in larp, so I am really curious to these kinds of alternatives too. Still waiting for one that can be tooled though ;)
my main concern is durability. If you are making something that durability isn't a concern then vegan "leather" (I put it in quotes because to me it shouldn't be called leather since it is not from an animal) can be a good alternative. But in my experience vega leather will start peeling off after some use specially with high friction or folding and it is not as breathable as real leather so it offers less thermal confort. Generally if you light a lighter near a vegan leather it will light up on fire
Real question is the cost? How does it compare to pleathers/faux/vinyl?
It seems much more durable than those, but unless it’s the same cost or cheaper it won’t make a worldwide change and be used in everything that vinyl uses now.
Hi! Thanks for your video!
From what I could see the cactus leather could be amazing for belt pouches, being a better material than chrome tan in this comparison.
Im also intrigued to how it would hold up to bevelling, finishing it off, maybe weathering, giving it additional colour(s), waterproofness and how to maintain it so it stays new as long as possible.
You already shortly mentioned prices, but could you enlighten me/us on the price compared to, in this case, chrome tan? If it’s not too much higher (and if I don’t have a project to work on 😅) I might actually want to try to make pouches with it- the fabric ones I own right now are too flimsy to my liking.
Right, I was still going to sew the patches to a costume to see how they would hold up to wear and tear. And yes, the cactus one might work pretty well for belt pouches and such.
I think beveling isn't going to work very well considering it has a fabric backing, so shaving off the edges won't really work.
These are the current prices for the cactus leather: eurolatino.nl/product-categorie/leeralternatieven/cactusleer/ How it compares to regular chrome tan.. Depends. You can strip an old couch for free, or get very fancy expensive new chrome tan, it has a price range.
Now that I looked up the store, it appears they are carrying a fourth one, grape leather. Sounds interesting too.
Would the cork leather make a good lining? Can you get it in a very thin weight? That could be cool for certain goods like clutches and other small items.
Hmm, I think it might be. It is a very thin weight as is, it is lighter than any of the leathers and about 1mm thickness. Don't know if it is produced in a thicker weight, but at least this one weighs nearly nothing.
Have you tried wet-molding or heat shaping any of these, especially the cactus leather? Or how about ironing the seams down flat? There are also leathers made from carob, coconut water, wood-grain and mushrooms, but the sample packs are a bit expensive where I have seen them.
Nope I have not tried wet molding. I'm writing it down for a followup!
Cactus leather process told me please
Great video! I was wondering if those 3 "fake" leathers can be holed by a fork hole punch and stiched afterwards by hand with a wax thread... What do you think?
I think that should be possible, they might just needs one or two more whacks. As for stitching with waxed thread, the leathers did surprise me with their sturdyness however wax thread is thicker, and the holes will be larger too, so I think it should be ok, just make sure to keep some distance from the edge to prevent tearing.
You can see leathers like this being stitched in Cxizent's video here: ruclips.net/video/Z5W_B9nAavA/видео.html However, he doesn't know which is which.
@@MarisArmoury thanks a lot!
Hi, does cactus leather get wet like real leather or absorbs water if it comes in contact of water ?
Turns out I still had the piece next to me on my desk. No it does not absorb it, it is pretty much water repellent like fake leather.
You should try cut some and try to tear them if they easy to tear.
Leather usually is for tough used like shoes, pineapple leather maybe is the best for shoes, pls make a video of it.
This type of leather is not really suited for shoes, more for things like bags.
Thanks a lot ^_^
Do you know if those avviabile in Israel/world - ship?
Thanks :)
I have no idea, I just checked here with my local leather shops. You can see if there are any leather stores near you and ask if they carry it?
What is chrome tanned leather ‘s source? What is it made from?
The source is an old leather couch. It is actual real leather.
@@MarisArmoury Thank you!
How about molding the veg learher?
I could try, but I can already say these are not good materials for molding. They all have a fabric backing and will not have the elasticity needed for molding.
I was wondering if any of them got wet, would it repel water? Or would it partially dissolve apart? I had a faux leather jacket that got trashed due to peeling, and it wasn't that old.
I think the pineapple leather might just soak it up. No idea how well it would hold long term. The cactus leather seems pretty repellent, though it does still have a fabric backing. It seems sturdier than most fake leathers so I don't think it would peel that quickly. But this is also too sturdy to make a jacket from. Not sure what to make of the cork, I just held it under the tap and I can't say for sure whether it get soaked by the water or not.
I’m really wondering how they stretch.
Hmm, I only have small pieces here, but from what I can see, not much. The cactus leather very slightly on the bias, but if you do that too much I think it might warp.
@@MarisArmoury interesting. I was thinking to make a Chelsea boot with it, but might not be enough stretch
Im not vegan, but one of my pet peeves was vinyl was pretty much fast fashion that was contributing to landfill waste because it doesn't last like leather. Its just plastic junk. Its good to see actual biodegradable options becoming available, even if they might mot have the lifespan of a leather item, its still miles better than what was available before, amd i hope to see manufacturers switching away from vinyl as a leather alternative
Yes! I am also not vegan, but am somewhat conscious in the choices I make regarding fabrics. I was complaining with a colleague earlier this week that stretchy jeans also degrade way too quickly, clothing just doesn't last anymore. But fake leathers seem to be especially horrible with this, some just start flaking and breaking in no time. These do seem a bit more sturdy than most vinyls or pleathers, however, this does not mean these fake leathers do not contain any plastic at all, and I wouldn't call them biodegradable either. I have a feeling it is a mix of the more 'natural' ingredients with some plastics.
Veganism is a philosophy which seeks to exclude animal exploitation and harm wherever possible. It's not an environmental movement although veganism does have benefits to human health and the environment.
Out of interest, why are you not vegan (against animal exploitation and harm)?
@@lap9 not everyone is capable of digesting plant proteins properly. Plus several of my favorite vegetables are triggers for gallstones for me. I'd rather not have regular painful visits to the hospital. Just because I require a regular diet doesn't mean I'm pro cruelty. We can have humane farming, so I try to buy from small local farmers as much as possible
@@LoneHowler how do they "humanely" kill the animals that don't want to die on your local farm?
Gallstones are caused by high cholesterol / high fat foods and by definition, a whole food plant based diet is cholesterol free and incredibly low in fat.
Vegetables do not cause gallstones, a diet containing animal products does though.
@@lap9 I had actually meant kidney stones. Kale rhubarb strawberries and many other vegetables are my trigger, calcium supplements are also bad.
Though my gallbladder had to be removed it was when my cholesterol was very low, and it was pigment stones, not cholesterol stones
Interesting! There is some variation in the properties of vegan leathers even if they are made from the same material, so you may want to check multiple manufacturers to get a conclusive look. I have a belt made from cork leather by Corkor for example, and it looks and feels much more like leather than the one you have here seems to. A bit stiffer than leather perhaps, but still flexible.
I dont quite get the dislike for the plastic leathers. Is it because of quality? I don't know much about them but I thought the better ones could be similar to animal leather. The plastic leathers are not quite as environmentally friendly as the plant-based leathers, but still more environmentally friendly than animal leather since cows have such a huge climate impact
Ah right, there can of course be differences between producers, the store listed brand names for the pineapple and cactus leathers, but unfortunately not for the cork leather.
Personally my dislike for plastic leathers is indeed environmental. There is already too much plastic and it will take aeons to get rid of again, so I personally try to lessen my use of plastics. Aside from that my general experience with plastic leathers is that they will crack over time and I do not like the look of that.
Im also trying to steer away from plastic leather, same reasons. The plastic leathers I encountered are never as durable as real leather, causing flakes to drop into the environment whether I want it or not, as well as needing more for the same durability.
If a bag cracks or flakes after 5 years I’ll need 3 bags to last me 15 years for example. From what I noticed, real leather could last as long by itself, given proper maintenance. I even have been able to nurse a pair of dried out leather shoes back to healthy usable- they last me around 8 years now.
So I personally still choose real leather items over plastic, specifically for items that are used daily, like shoes.
I do acknowledge that cows are bad for the environment too, however, in my opinion, raising and killing one cow for my shoes that last 15 years weighs less than having to gather the materials for 3 bags from carbon that has been stored ages ago.
I acknowledge and respect your point of view too- there is not really a right or wrong choice to make- just a lot of viewpoints to the story.
I am really excited for these plant-based leathers though, just for the same reason of environment. If this proves to be even a bit as durable as real leather, I am definitely willing to adapt this material more into my life too! The fact that the plant based taps in on the “short” carbon cycle (so hasn’t been underground) is really appealing.
Interesting!
I was already familiar with fabric-backed cork as a leather alternative, but not the other two. I own a pair of high heel shoes made with the cork one, bought when it was all the rage in Mexico City, back in the early 80s; one of the problems with it is that it's not easy to clean.
I can see the cork one being used for shoes, can imagine it looks nice. But indeed, with all the grooves and textures it will be more difficult to clean. Thanks for the insight!
These new leathers are advertised as being no different to animal leather.
Hmm I do find there are differences, although especially the cactus leather is starting to get close to chrome-tan. If you mean veg-tan, in that case, no, I don't think they are comparable.