Do you wonder what faux leather is like or what is Pleather made of? Do you wonder if it’s an environment saver or not? Many people like us would definitely be conscious about saving our environment. They would be against harming the animals just to gain original leather, while we can use alternatives like faux leather and save the environment and animals with it. So, in this article, let’s learn more about what faux leather is and how it can save animals from harm.
What Is Faux Leather?
The answer to what faux leather is made of is basically that faux leather is the same as it sounds. Faux or fake leather is made by combining different types of plastics like polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and silicone with polyester to create fake leather that looks mostly like original leather. This leather is used in the construction of many things, and greater things can be made by it, like faux leather jackets for men. Plus, it doesn’t require harming any animals or the environment. Most commonly, faux leather is made in the colours of natural leather, but it can also be made in many more colours, as making synthetic leather is easy and can be created in any colour. This leather provides the same insulation as the original leather. It’s hard to differentiate faux leather from original leather until you give it a detailed look. From a closer look, the texture of the original leather can be identified, as it has a different pattern than faux leather.
Type of Faux Leather
Faux Leather can be found in various types nowadays, which are mostly dependent on the type of plastic material or coating used in them. Here are a few common types of faux leather, which are mentioned below:
- Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) Leather: PVC leather is basically made from polyester fibers that are composed of the fibers of vinyl. It is the most toxic faux leather of all.
- PU leather: PU leather is made by covering animal hide with a bendable polymer and then treating it. It is less toxic than PVC leather. Learn more What is PU Leather Jacket?
- Silicon: PU and PVC are inorganic polymers, while silicone is a natural polymer.
- Leatherette: The word “leatherette” refers to all fake leathers that are made from vinyl or other plastics and fabrics. They are made up of a fabric base and a plastic cover. They don’t have any animal products in them.
- Vegan Leather: What is Vegan Leather? This is the latest type of faux Leather, which is made from vegan material like pineapple leaves, coconut, cork, apple peels, other fruit waste, recycled plastic, etc
History Of Faux Leather
After researching the history, the most common fact about faux Leather is that the basic fabric was developed by the Chinese, which was nearer to the faux leather we have today but not exactly the same. After that, many people tried to develop a petroleum-based product in an attempt to make faux leather that could be more durable and practical than the previous one. Even one of the earlier forms of it was developed by the paper pulp that used to be called Presstoff in the second century during World War 2.
This version was popular and was developed by the people of Germany. More research was conducted on it to make it better and more durable. In 1920, a popular rubber company in America developed a better version of faux leather called Naugahyde. It gained popularity in the international market very soon and gave a proper concept to faux synthetic leather. It was the only popular alternative to faux synthetic leather in the 1930s and 1940s, while in the 1950s, many companies tried to make a much better version until the 20th century. Faux leather has become more popular, especially for faux leather jacket womens, and is durable. Most of the products or original Leather have been replaced by it.
Real Leather vs Faux Leather
Here are a few pros and cons in a comparison of real leather vs faux leather so you can learn more clearly about the features of faux leather jackets:
Pros
- Affordability: When we talk about real Leather vs Faux Leather, faux Leather is cheaper than real Leather and a good substitute for the original Leather.
- Environmental Impact: It is one of the best ways to save wildlife and our environment, as original Leather is not environment-friendly and not safe for animals.
- Ease of Workmanship: Faux leather fabric is easier to work with rather than original Leather as it takes less effort to tailor it into other things, while original Leather takes lots of effort, and generally, it is hard to deal with while manufacturing things from it.
- Color Variety: It can be produced in a variety of colors, while original Leather is limited to fewer natural colors only. Faux Leather is easy to dye and color as compared to the original lather, and it is more adaptable than real Leather.
- Low Maintenance: Faux leather needs less effort to be maintained and taken care of as compared to the original leather jacket.
- Eco-Friendly Options: Plant-based faux Leather is normally recyclable and eco-friendly, and it keeps the environment safer than original Leather.
- UV Protection: Faux Leather offers the ultimate protection over original Leather as faux Leather usually offers protection from UV rays, while original Leather gets damaged by UV rays and cannot protect you much from them.
Cons
- Pattern Replication: When we talk about real Leather vs faux Leather, Faux Leather cannot have the same pattern as real Leather, no matter how they are constructed. The thorough and natural pattern of the original Leather cannot be created over them.
- Susceptibility to Damage: Faux Leather can be pealed and scratched easily as they are not prone to wear and tear. They cannot tolerate harsher conditions and get torn away, while real Leather has the properties to protect you from wear and tear.
- Breathability: Faux Leather is not breathable like the original Leather is. In faux Leather, you can easily get sweat and cannot wear it in much hotter weather as they are extremely isolating.
- Heat Tolerance: Faux Leather cannot tolerate much hotter or higher temperatures as it is made of plastic, and the high heat damages it.
- Environmental Impact of Production: The use of faux Leather, especially polyurethane leather, results in the production of micropollutants as well as a significant amount of waste for the environment.
Uses of Faux Leather
Faux leather is an excellent choice for furniture and the indoor interior of a home, as it does not get hot in the summer or crack in the extreme cold. They are also used in making car seats and interiors. Faux suede leather is used in making carpets, rugs, and many other decorative items. They are an excellent choice for making footwear because of their durability. As for the people who wonder, “Is faux leather durable?” the answer to whether faux leather lasts is that it does, but it is not as durable as genuine leather is. Real leather is more durable and long-lasting than faux leather. Due to the fact that they are exceptionally insulating, they are a good alternative for making leather coats, jackets, and outwear, as they provide excellent protection from cold weather and rain. They are especially used to make raincoats and jackets because of the excellent waterproofing properties of faux leather.
Features Of Faux Leather Jackets
Faux leather jackets are jackets made from synthetic leather instead of original animal skins or hides. These jackets are extremely insulating but less durable than genuine leather jackets. Faux leather blazers are easy to maintain, much lighter in weight, and available in a variety of different colours. These jackets are also available in lots of different types, like faux leather puffer jacket, brown faux leather jackets, faux leather bomber jackets, etc, but Natural leather jackets and real leather are always better as compared to synthetic leather.