For centuries, leather has been a staple for the fashion industry but increasingly, concern about the harmful pollutants and carbon footprints involved in its production has cast doubt on its sustainability. More consumers are also taking up vegan lifestyles (or at least part of it) as animal welfare concerns enter the mainstream and vegan products become more popular.Synthetics, such as PVC and polyurethane, are affordable and popular substitutes that are close to genuine leather. But being derived from fossil fuels, they are also not as environmentally friendly as they are hoped to be. Bio-b...
Wooden watches with mushroom leather straps, created by watchmaker Pala and biotech Mycotech ©Mycotech
In the battle for ethical consumer dollars, mass production of vegan leather by startups like Mycotech and Bell Society, could be the game-changer for the fashion industry
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