The Low-Down On Faux Leather Handbags

By Shawna Trujillo


You may be considering investing in an animal-skin handbag that will last longer than the bag you're currently using. After all, those can't-do-without items like sunblock, hand lotion, tampons, tissues and lipstick that you carry around along with your wallet and keys can really be hell on a bag made of fabric. If ethics and economics are a consideration, however, you may want to think about getting one of the many faux leather handbags that are available instead.

Faux leather used to be derided because it was so easy to spot as fake. However, today's materials are becoming increasingly realistic looking and feeling. This makes it much easier to make an ethical and economical decision and still look good.

More people are looking for alternatives to animal products, especially as vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more common. Animal-rights groups have also been putting pressure on the fashion industry to become cruelty free as more information becomes available about the practices involved in getting animal skin. Consumers are increasingly aware of the real cost of what they're buying and the impact this has on the world. As such, they are more inclined to use their spending power to dictate to the fashion industry instead of the other way round.

Ethical considerations are not the only reason why some people prefer to go for faux, however. Economics is a huge consideration too. Not only are artificial materials cheaper to produce, but most are easier to clean too. Therefore, you not only save on the price of that tote, but also on the cost of keeping it looking good.

There are different materials that can be used to produce artificial animal skin. Most of these are made of some kind of synthetic product, like PVC, polyurethane or acrylic. Some materials are made from a natural fiber like cotton which is then covered with a thin layer of the synthetic product, usually PVC.

A drawback of synthetic hide is that it isn't very eco-friendly. Anything with a plastic base takes years to degrade. As petrochemical products, they also depend on an industry that tends to have a very negative impact on the environment.

Of course the length of time that synthetic materials take to break down is not all bad. Products made of these materials can last a long time while natural fibers can degrade quickly if not taken proper care of. In addition, they are recyclable and in fact often made with recycled materials like food containers.

There are more environmentally friendly materials that are karma-free yet have the appearance and texture of real hide. Cork is used to make a product called cork leather, for instance, while kelp is the main source of so-called ocean leather. Finding these products can be difficult though. They can also be prohibitively expensive.

The great thing though is that no matter what type of material you decide on if you want to switch to faux leather handbags, you can have your pick of styles. Carry-all totes are popular for everyday use, but it's always a good thing to have something smaller and more elegant for formal occasions. Since you're saving on the cost of the bags already, you might as well take one of each.




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