Abstract
The textile industry is the only one which has utilised all kinds of resources available in nature, and the evolution of textile materials has drastically hampered nature as well. Leather and fur are a few of the classic examples of materials derived from animals that have attracted dialogues about animal rights and ethical sourcing. To substitute animal-based leather, numerous materials have been manufactured synthetically and semi-synthetically. This review article discusses various types of leather, viz., bovine leather, poromerics, leatherette, plant-based vegan leather, and the sustainable alternatives available in the market as well as at the inductive research phase. The article is a comprehensive review of the leather and its commercially available alternatives along with their marketing strategy, and technical details. The article also compiles insight into the processing, and the components of vegan leather and the environmental issues related to them. The sustainability and circularity of processing in manufacturing vegan leather have also been discussed, with biodegradability as the focal point.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. The outline of the manuscript was decided by Ravindra D. Kale (R. D. K.) and Shamlan M. S. Reshamwala (S. R.). The data collection and literature review were conducted by Srishti Tewari (S. T.) and Latika Bhatt (L. B.). The first draft of the manuscript was written by S. T. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Availability of data and materials.
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Tewari, S., Reshamwala, S.M.S., Bhatt, L. et al. Vegan leather: a sustainable reality or a marketing gimmick?. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 3361–3375 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31491-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31491-8