Plant-based and Fashion

Sustainability meets style as vegan materials storm the fashion industry. Say goodbye to traditional leather and hello to eco-chic alternatives.

Eco-chic is on the rise, with brands ditching leather for fruity vegan options. But what’s the deal with vegan leather? This alternative is not only more ethical towards animals but also more environmentally responsible. It cuts down on emissions and conserves water resources during production. Whether synthetic or plant-based, the benefits are clear. An innovative form of plant-based leather is fruit-based leather, sourced from fruit waste and scraps. Examples of this sustainable trend include Piñatex, a by-product of the pineapple crop, and Frumat, which manufactures its leather feel material from apples. Immaculate Vegan was one of the first brands in the UK to introduce fruit-based leather in its collections.

Environmental impact

With greater environmental awareness, consumers’ choices and behaviours have skewed towards more sustainable products. In 2021, Statista found that UK consumers wanted more vegan fashion, especially leather alternatives. Another report from the Vegan Society found that 78% of British shoppers are willing to pay more for plant-based leathers.

Because the plant-dying process uses organic resources, sustainable materials can biodegrade more easily than those made with chemicals.

Plant and fruit-based alternatives can save up to 40 times the water consumption of traditional animal leather tannage and 17 times less water than plastic leather.

So why not choose plant-based instead?

A market trend on the rise

Sustainable trends like fruit-based fashion have successfully offered a versatile, high-performing alternative to leather with a low environmental impact.

A similar shift could soon happen among animal-based materials, such as fur, silk, and wool, while the competition for the best vegan leather and more awareness among customers is already in full swing.