WHAT ARE FAKE LEATHERS?

Universities abhor plagiarism.

Brands detest counterfeit copies.

Law agencies despise forged currency.

Even God hates liars and fraudsters!

Why then, do companies promote lies with their false and  misleading “LEATHER” products, when nothing in their products is actual leather?

It’s crazy even to talk about “PU Leather” or “Vegan Leather”. These are just not Leathers. It’s time we call spade a spade. Wrong information and shrill publicity with the aim of toying with consumers’ minds and sensitivities has muddled the idea of sustainability and Eco-friendly products. Let’s get it straight – “PU Leathers” are NO substitute to genuine leathers. They are NOT Biodegradable and harm the environment even more during their production process. So called “Vegan Leathers” on the other hand are NOT as durable or effective as genuine leathers.

New technology, innovations and regulations have helped leather processing and manufacturing immensely, by making it more sustainable and Eco-friendlier. New school of thought and approach with proactive leadership has changed the way leather is today processed and manufactured. Waste Management, Recycle-ability of goods, Monitoring carbon footprint, Eco-friendliness, preserving natural resources and ethical production is the only way forward.

Let us study a bit about faux leather.

Short for polyvinyl chloride, PVC leather, otherwise known as vinyl, is made by combining polyvinyl chloride with stabilisers which help protect the material, plasticisers to soften and lubricants to make the material flexible, this is then applied to a base material which are typically made from polyester, cotton, nylon, or rayon.

Out of the various options for faux leather fabrics, PVC is the most unrealistic in appearance when comparing it to real leather and also much less breathable and prone to cracking.

PVC has been labelled by Greenpeace as the “single most environmentally damaging type of plastic”. It is not biodegradable or degradable. This means that items made from PVC will retain their form for many decades and any breakdown that occurs is simply granulation where the pieces become smaller but do not disappear. PVC also creates dioxins, a group of highly toxic chemical compounds which are harmful to health and remain in the environment causing damage for many years after production. So yeah, please stop buying PVC products. Further, studies have shown that even animal life is unfortunately harmed due to the continual build-up of non-biodegradable material in the world’s ecosystems. These smaller pieces of PVC can be ingested by animals which can lead to blocked airways and other harmful consequences.

Similarly, PU (polyurethane) leather is made by applying or laminating a 100% polyurethane finish to a base material which typically include cotton, polyester, nylon, or rayon. An artificial grain pattern is then applied to the surface using a roller to produce the look of real leather.

Further, synthetic leather is produced with different chemicals and a totally different industrial process to real leather. Bonding together a plastic coating to a fabric backing is the most common way to make faux leather.

Vegan/Faux leather that is made with PVC or PU often has a very strange smell from the chemicals. It’s often described as a ‘fishy’ smell and can often be very hard to get rid of, especially while trying not to ruin the material. PVC can also outgas dangerous toxins that give off this nasty smell.

Vegan leather is also synthetic, it doesn’t form a patina like real leather does when ageing and it is much less breathable as the pores that are printed onto the surface of pleather are artificial.

Faux leather is known as vegan leather because the material used is never from animal skins but although this is a huge benefit for animal activists, the manufacture of synthetic leather is not beneficial to the environment or humans due to the toxins in the plastics used to make them. The manufacture and disposal of PVC-based synthetics let out hazardous dioxins, which can cause developmental and reproductive issues and even cause cancer. The synthetics used in vegan leathers also don’t fully biodegrade, although they can be broken down to a degree, they can also release toxic particles and phthalates, which can affect the health of animals and the environment.

We at WALLETSPLUS are conscious of the need of the hour for the environment. Hence, we religiously abide with our below corporate values.

PRESERVE – Striving to maintain surroundings in its original state.

PROTECT – Safeguarding our environment from harmful wastes and effluents.

PRODUCE – Manufacturing with the spirit of innocence and righteousness.

Blog December 01

Quality Control of Leather Products

At WALLETSPLUS, Quality Control of Leather is defined as the degree of excellence a product possesses with respect to design of product and conformity with certain prescribed standards and specifications; so as to meet customers’ expectations to total satisfaction.

Various test

 

Our stringent Quality Control (QC) involves establishment of quality standards and installation of systems to ensure that these standards are maintained and practiced. Our mission is to create and deliver remarkable handcrafted leather goods with pristine quality. We work with leather because it is a versatile, beautiful, and durable natural material, and we use only the highest grade of materials. If you’re browsing leather wallets, leather bags or even small leather goods, remember that the highest – and strongest – leather grade is full-grain, and means the raw material is exceptional. The lower grade leathers will have a milder aroma, while the best grades have a rich, sweet smell. WALLETPLUS’ in-house testing and QC ensures that only the best quality leathers are used to manufacture pristine products.

The Friction Test determines the behaviour of the leather surface to friction. Leather samples are thus rubbed on the Felt to analyse the behaviour of the leather and its finish. Once the production of the leather is finished, it is important to check the leather’s elasticity. The Stretching Elasticity Test is important as only the best of the best quality leather is expected by our customers. The Water Absorption Test is critical as faux leathers (like vegan leathers or PU) always fail the water absorption test. True quality leather will never leave a stain when spilled with clean water if treated carefully. The Breaking Strength Test is employed to test the strength of leathers when stretched for tensile endurance. It also indicates the effects on finished product during regular use and wear of leather.

Quality Control of Leather

best leather for wallets

Best Leather For Wallets

“Clothes make the man…” said Mark Twain.
Similarly, the texture, beauty and durability of leather and craftsmanship decide the quality of end leather product.

Let us overview a few different kinds of leathers to narrow down our best suited choice for an immaculate Wallet.

The best leather for wallets should be Genuine Leather. Split leather is the lower layer of the hide that isshaved off the top grain. However, Bonded leather is made from scraps of leather bonded together.Always prefer choosing Split leather as it is a better option over bonded in terms of durability and looks.

Another popular choice is the Top Grain leather. Whereas split leather is the lower level of the hide, top grain is the top of the hide or outer most layer. A top grain leather is stronger than a split grain option.

Next, Full Grain leather comes from the outer most surface of the hide. The difference between the two is that full grain leather is not sanded or processed so they have a deeper beauty thanks to the natural markings. Full grain is also a good choice for the best leather for wallets because of its durability and beauty.

Also, another favourite option is Nappa Leather. This leather is also Full Grain, however, it is dyed and processed a bit more and hence, offers a refined and sophisticated appeal common in higher grade leather wallets.

Exotic leathers include leathers from alligator, ostrich, snake, and eel among others. This type of leather should not be confused with leathers of cow hide made with textures of ostrich or alligator texture in the surface.

Also popular is Suede leather. It is extra soft and supple and very commonly used for Wallet production.

Last, but not the least BEWARE of another type of leather that is Man-Made. This isn’t real, genuine leather and is usually comprised of synthetic components. The term is just something loosely applied to wallets of lesser quality to try to pass themselves off as leather to the unsuspecting shopper.

Choose your leather wisely for the next Wallet you buy, because you are defined by the quality of leather wallet that you slip out of your pocket in public!

best leather for wallet

Post-COVID-International-Trade-And-Aftermath-In-Leather-Trade

Post-COVID International Trade and Aftermath in Leather Trade

Introduction

Although the pandemic due to covid-19 is fundamentally a health crisis but has left an all-inclusive effect on every aspect of human life. No wonder international trade is also affected due to this crisis. It has been recorded that global merchandise trade has witnessed a near about 14.3 percent downfall in comparison to the previous year. This downfall can be considered as the direct effect of lockdowns. On the other hand, this pandemic has also left an overall bad effect on international supply chains and eventually on the employment and the income of the employees. All these reasons are there behind the collapse of international trade. So here in this discussion, we will talk about how the post COVID situation has impacted international trade and leather trade as well.

A Short Review on the Background of International Leather Trade

After the 1990s, the globe, headed by China, accelerated globalization and lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Things had been improving since the 1950s, but the development of the digital economy appears to have resulted in a massive acceleration in communications. The leather business had a hand in it. A single piece of leather can provide a huge number of employees in the concerned industry, such as in the production of footwear, clothes, purses, wallets, gloves, and other accessories. These draw primarily unskilled individuals into the labor, give them skills, provide stable salaries, and supply governments with definable tax money.

The Leather Business Is Undermining Its Image: The Direct Impact of Post COVID Situation

Leather is a multifaceted material that supports millions of people’s livelihoods, and it must be adequately addressed for the planet’s biodiversity and climate demands in the future. Any damage to its reputation puts this in jeopardy, and we can’t dismiss it or pretend it’s unrelated to us. During the financial crisis, we began to notice that globalization was leaving some communities behind, such as those in the developed world who were left jobless as their outdated industries closed. If there’s one thing we’ve learned in the last decade, it’s that all such groups of the overlooked and left behind must be assisted, or issues will emerge in this pandemic situation as well. It is not anymore in the top three manufacturing industries in the world, where it had been for centuries, but it is still significant. Many of the countries in need of poverty reduction have large quantities of high-quality raw materials. Although the pandemic situation due to COVID-19 has directly and massively impacted each side of the concerned industry there is still a chance to survive. Let’s talk about the prospective aspects of the concerned trading in the upcoming portion of the discussion.

The Potentiality of the Leather Trade in Upcoming Period

Surprisingly, the leather business may provide job prospects at various levels in both the developing and developed worlds. For example, workers in under-developed countries need the chance to labor and create value for their own raw materials. And, as corporations in the luxury and automobile sectors have demonstrated, there is valuable employment for leather makers and craftspeople in the developed world’s leather networks as well. However, such maneuvers must be executed correctly. Business-friendly policies and strategic measures are required in the emerging international leather trade market after COVID. To achieve global economic development, the governments must set clear and attainable goals that may be achieved via systematic planning and implementation in such a potential sector as leather goods production.

Conclusion

Generally, tanneries or large corporations are involved in the production of apparel by leather material. Raw material shortages, excessive labor costs, poor product innovation, and a lack of presence in the global fashion market are just the reasons behind the downfall of the concerned industry. But to become prominent in international trading leather sector has to keep a lot of promise in terms of exports, growth, and employment. It directly or indirectly employs around 2.5 million people. Nearly half of the workforce is skilled or semi-skilled, with women accounting for 30% of the total employment. Hopefully, this perspective sector will conquer all the odds and establish its place on top of the global marketing aspects again.

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