How is leaf leather made?

1. Making leaf leather involves sustainably harvesting fallen Teak leaves. But don’t worry; no harm comes to the trees during this process.

2. After gathering the Teak leaves, they’re soaked in water, dyed, and placed flat together to dry. This encourages the leaves to bond to one another, creating a large sheet of the leaf material.

3. After the leaf material dries, cotton fabric is attached to create a soft interior backing and give the material more structure.

4. The last step is to apply a thin translucent outer layer of non-toxic BOPP film. This seals the leaf layer and provides additional protection. Once this layer is added, the leaf leather becomes waterproof and durable.

5. After the leaf leather material is made, we can use it to create handbags, wallets, and many other accessories! In our opinion this is one of the strongest, sustainable, and most aesthetically pleasing cruelty-free leathers on the planet.

Is leaf leather ethical?

Plant Hide Leaf Leather is traditionally handmade in the Land of Smiles (Thailand). The craft has been around for quite some time and is a completely ethical process practiced by locals.

We work with a small family business of local Thai artisans to design and create our high-quality leaf leather products. These locals are expert seamstresses, helping us to develop and expand the Plant Hide Leaf Leather collection.

 

How do you take care of leaf leather?

Leaf leather is super easy to care for. You won’t need harsh chemicals to keep each piece as clean and fabulous as the day it was received!

Simply dampen a paper towel with water and wipe it down. You can add a little soap on the paper towel if you’d like, as well.

If you decide to use soap, a little in some water goes a long way! We recommend using something free of chemicals that could damage the product, like Dr. Bronner’s.

Once you clean your leaf leather with a soap and water solution, it’s best to use a water-dampened paper towel to remove any soapy residue. Then, use a dry cloth or paper towel to blot it dry.

What makes leaf leather the best alternative to animal leather?

While we might be biased, we think leaf leather is the best animal leather alternative on the planet. But we’ll leave that up to you to decide for yourself!

Not only is leaf leather an innovative material that preserves Mother Nature’s art, but it’s also a compassionate alternative to animal skin. Every leaf leather product is a cruelty-free purchase.

We’re firm believers that animal skin belongs to animals. The cruelty wreaking havoc on the fashion industry is something we’d like to mitigate as we provide this incredible vegan option.

As plant passionate animal lovers, we support the vegan community. With so few high-quality plant-based leather alternatives available, we will continue expanding the Plant Hide Leaf Leather collection to provide more options.

Leaf leather is also more environmentally friendly than animal leather and faux leather. Leather tanneries pollute the environment with carcinogenic chemicals, and faux leather demands chemicals for its creation, as well.

Is leaf leather durable?

Leaf leather is surprisingly strong! The process of transforming Teak leaves into Teak leaf leather makes these products waterproof and long-lasting.

Personally speaking, I have a leaf leather wallet that I’ve used daily for several years with minimal signs of wear. The only damage it has is from when one of my dogs chewed on the corner. But it’s still my daily wallet and works great!

Planned obsolescence is one of the biggest contributors to excessive waste. This in mind, we create all Plant Hide Leaf Leather products with longevity a priority.

If you have any questions about leaf leather, feel free to contact us at any time!

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