Ecopelle, the ecological alternative



What is eco-leather

Attention, one of the mistakes that are often made, is to consider eco-leather a vegan and cruelty free material. This is not the case at all.

Assuming that in Italy all tanning processes are subject to the regulations introduced by the European Union, "eco-leather" means, according to the UNI 11427: 2011 standard, a type of leather or leather produced following a protocol with low or low environmental impact .

It is therefore a product of animal origin, but which undergoes a particular treatment within a precise production process, which uses for example chemical reagents with low environmental impact.

They are synonymous with eco-leather also : ecological leather, eco-leather, ecological leather or ecoleather. To clarify, "leather", "leather" are equivalent, in fact they are also governed by law 1112/66 and reserved exclusively for products obtained from the tanning process of animal remains.

Faux leather and leatherette: what are the differences

The imitation leather or imitation leather or synthetic leather or vinyl leather (in fact used for footwear) is different from the eco-leather: it is a fabric coated, - sometimes even a natural fabric like linen and cotton - covered or coated or obtained for "Calendering" of synthetic substances, often polyurethane resins - or from the union of polyamide and polyurethane -, then subjected to fixing operations.

Imitation leather may look similar to natural leather or leather, but it is not of animal origin and has completely different qualities and impact on the environment.

There are different types of fake leather, from rough to more glossy, passing those that aesthetically reproduce the uneven texture of natural leather.

This type of material is used for the production of bags, shoes, cases, suitcases, clothing or parts of them; car interiors, motorcycle and bicycle saddles, armchairs, chairs or other furnishing items.

Ecological choice: eco-leather or imitation leather?

It is not so easy to establish a definitive scale of comparison between the two materials .

On the one hand there is the subject of the recovery of raw skin deriving from animals used for food purposes ; on the other hand there is the use of increasingly controlled plastic materials and, thanks to the new regulations, more and more environmentally sustainable.

Beyond the subjective and personal choice, the sure thing is that, in case you lean towards the purchase of leatherette garments, or totally deriving from non-animal raw materials, you have to know its quality in depth: these non-woven fabrics they should be light, washable, resistant and breathable at the same time ; absolutely non-toxic, hypoallergenic and non-sensitizing.

Today we did not limit ourselves to imitation leather, but there are many new materials that accompany the vegan choice for example, just as light and waterproof.

Useful references: ICEC, Institute of quality certification for the tanning industry. Here you can also know the database of certified companies.

Reference standard: Standard UNI 11427: 2011 Leather - Criteria for defining the performance characteristics of leathers with reduced environmental impact.

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