Cruelty Free Belts

The Best Reasons Why a Vegan Leather Belt is Better

vegan leather belt

Choosing a Vegan Leather Belt makes sense

 

There are many good reasons to choose a vegan leather belt.  There is no doubt that the leather industry is one of the most important within the fashion industry; it moves hundreds of billions of dollars a year and is expected to continue to grow in the next decade. The problem is that this growth requires a large number of slaughtered animals to meet consumer demand. This includes millions of animals of different species, according to PETA. But it is not only about animal cruelty, but an environmental problem that affects human beings as well. In this article, we’ll explain why a genuine leather belt is worse from an ethical and environmental point of view compared to a vegan leather belt (aka faux leather belts) and why you should opt for a vegan leather belt instead. Are you ready to read about the exciting world of faux leather vegan belts?

 

 

10 Reasons Why a Genuine Leather Belt is worse

 

 

We’ll go step by step, but in general speaking, animal leather production is terrible for the environment.  We will later make the case for why cruelty free faux leather belts are better.  For now though let’s see why genuine leather is worse:

 

1.  Animal Sacrifice

 

The leather industry describes its product as a by-product of meat production, but it is actually a parallel industry.

 

The leather industry alone is worth around $400 billion, and more than a billion animals are killed every year for the sake of fashion.

 

Many of these animals are raised for short periods of time before being killed, while many others are ruthlessly hunted for their skins.  Considering this, wouldn’t it make more sense to opt for faux leather products instead?

 

This slaughter includes all kinds of species, such as:

 

  • Sheep
  • Lambs
  • Goats
  • Pigs
  • Zebras
  • Bison
  • Kangaroos
  • Elephants
  • Crocodiles
  • Ostriches
  • Snakes

 

But with no doubt, the animal that takes the worst part is the cow, with almost 300 million cows slaughtered just for their skin every year!

 

2.  Industry Without Ethics

 

The term “ecological leather” has become popular among those who defend the production of animal leather over faux leather.

 

The term refers to practices where resources use is reduced and non-toxic vegetable dyes are used in tanning, using only a fraction of the leather normally implied in production.

 

However, it’s a misleading term since in the end, the material used is the same, with all the consequences that this entails.

 

In addition, vegetable dyes are obtained from the bark of trees, and this means stripping the tree of its “skin,” with the consequent death of the plant.

 

Anyway, killing other living beings for fashion is not ethical and, in the end, the only ones who really benefit are the owners of these animal agriculture industries.

 

3.  Harmful Chemicals

 

The leather industry uses a large number of preservatives made from chemical compounds that are very harmful to nature and humans.

 

As we already mentioned, don’t be fooled by the “green” products promoted by some manufacturers; turning animal skin into leather requires large amounts of energy and dangerous chemicals.

 

These chemicals include mineral salts, formaldehyde, tar derivatives and various cyanide-based oils and dyes – and you know how dangerous cyanide is to humans.

 

Did you know that most leather production in the European Union uses chrome for tanning?

 

You can see what the experts say about the dangers of chromium here.

 

4.  Water Pollution

 

The production of animal leather requires large amounts of water. This includes water for the maintenance of live animals plus the water used during the different processes of leather production.

 

Indeed, for every metric ton of leather produced, about 20,000 to 80,000 liters of water are consumed.

 

On the other hand, the animals used in leather production generate almost 150 times more excrement than the entire human population, with the difference that these wastes are not treated in any way.

 

5.  Damage to Human Health

 

Tanneries work with large amounts of chemical agents that are harmful to human health, such as lime sludge, arsenic, sulfides, and acids.

 

These chemicals are used to stabilize the collagen and fibers in the skin to prevent them from rotting away.

 

It’s common to see how a large percentage of people who work and live near tanneries get sick and die of cancer, possibly due to exposure to chemicals such as those already mentioned.

 

In fact, some studies in the European Union found a link between an increased risk of leukemia and exposure to certain chemicals used in tanneries.

 

6.  Deforestation

 

The raising of animals for the production of leather also requires large grazing areas, which end up completely cleared.

 

Only in the last 50 years, close to 70% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared for the creation of grazing lands.

 

Naturally, this massive deforestation has caused the loss of habitat for many other animal species, as well as contributing to accelerating climate change.

 

7.  Air Pollution

 

Several of the processes involved in the production of fur, wool, and leather lead to air pollution.

 

Several studies have shown that animal husbandry produces more greenhouse gases than the sum of all vehicles that use fossil fuels in the world.

 

In fact, the animal leather industry consumes huge amounts of fossil fuels – just like the livestock industry in general. The production of these derivative products has nearly three times the negative environmental impact of many petroleum derivatives.

 

8.  Breaking the Law

 

Most consumers buy leather products without really knowing where they come from, whether the animals were mistreated or what the working conditions of the people involved are.

 

It has nothing to do with an animal leather product saying on the label that the leather comes from a first world country, since in reality, many of these products are imported from other developing countries.

 

About half of the world’s trade in animal leather takes place in countries such as China, Brazil, and India, and in these countries, animal rights and good working conditions are far from perfect.

 

9.  Genuine Leather is Difficult to Degrade

 

Although this could be seen as a positive point, deep down it is not so much.

 

It is true that animal leather products are treated with many chemicals so that they can last a long time.

 

However, when a consumer, for whatever reason, becomes bored with a leather product, that product will most likely end up in the trash.

 

Once there, it’ll be necessary around 50 years before the product is completely degraded, thus adding to soil contamination.

 

10.  Soil Erosion

 

Raising sheep for wool production requires constant felling of trees to make room for grazing, something that over time has led to increased soil salinity, erosion and decreased biodiversity in many areas.

 

A study in South Africa showed that large numbers of grazing animals have been responsible for a negative change in soil and vegetation that has led to the formation of highly eroded barren areas.

 

Something similar has happened in other countries with high wool production, something that has brought the industry to its knees due to the desertification this has caused.

 

What is Vegan Leather?

 

The term vegan leather refers to any type of leather that is not of animal origin.  Vegan belts which are one type of vegan leather products for instance can be made out of vegan leather belts, cork belts, recycled material belts, or canvas belts.

 

This term vegan belts can then be applied to both leathers of synthetic origin and leathers of vegetable origin.

 

This unique characteristic makes vegan belts valid for those who care about animal welfare.

 

Synthetic vegan leather is essentially made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), both of which are plastics derived from petroleum.

 

On the other hand, plant-based vegan leather is derived from vegetal fibers in combination with other types of compounds.

 

We could get into a discussion about whether vegan leather should be called “leather” or not, since, technically, the term “leather” refers to the material obtained from the tanning or preparation of skins of animal origin.

 

Based on this, we can then deduce that the term vegan leather is more of a term created to indicate to consumers that they’re getting a product that is just as good as real leather but without animal suffering.

 

How can Leather be Vegan?

 

Vegan leather is designed to imitate real leather, but its production uses materials and procedures that have nothing to do with the extraction of animal skin.

 

While different types of plastics such as PVC and PU have been used for a long time, more sustainable and innovative plant-based alternatives have emerged over time to create very nice vegan belts.

 

This is because there are different plants from which it’s possible to produce materials that are very similar to leather, and each of these plants provides peculiar characteristics to the final product.

 

This allows a wide variety of applications in accordance with the strictest standards of environmental and animal care, without sacrificing the quality of the final products.

 

What is Vegan Leather made of?

 

Plant-based vegan leather is produced by processing waste obtained from plant fibers: from orange and apple peels, through pineapple and grape peels, to the skin produced by cacti.

 

Of course, this is good for the environment since on the one hand, the breeding and slaughter of animals is avoided.

 

On the other hand, waste materials are reused which, in the best case, should be sent for composting.

 

Vegetable leather can then be produced both from processing residues as through plants specially cultivated for this purpose, but with zero animal cruelty and minimal environmental impact.

 

Where to buy Vegan Leather?

 

Fortunately, nowadays it’s getting easier to find all kinds of vegan leather products, even in online stores like Amazon.  Our personal favorite is a brand on Amazon called Nat Leathers.  Click here to see Nat Leathers vegan leather offerings so you can start making your very own vegan belts among other vegan leather products.

 

The most important factor to consider is that you make sure that it is vegan leather. For this, follow these two basic tips:

 

  • Read the label before you buy – This should indicate the type of material used.

  • Ask the manufacturer – If the label doesn’t indicate the type of material in the product, email or call the manufacturer and ask for information.

 

How can I make my own Vegan Leather Belt?

 

If you’ve been curious or have fashion designer instincts and want to know how to make your own vegan belts, we’ve got you covered!

 

Here is the simplest tutorial you can find on the Web on this subject. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to create cruelty free vegan belts!

 

The following are the materials and tools you need to make vegan belts:

  • Matching thread

  • A chalk marker or similar

  • A ruler

 

And these are the steps you should follow:

 

  • Cut two long pieces out of the vegan leather – these will be your belt

  • Cut two small pieces of 4 cm length

  • Make sure you can wrap the two small pieces around the width of the first two strips

  • The strips shouldn’t be wider than your belt buckle

  • Sew one piece around the belt buckle

  • Now make a small loop with the other piece

  • Sew the long strips together to create the belt

  • Make sure you leave around 10 cm on one end of the belt open

  • Round the ends on the other side of the belt

  • Now sew the leather loop around the long strip

  • Sew your belt to the piece on the belt buckle

  • Finally, punch a couple of holes into the end of the leather

 

Your new cruelty free vegan leather belts are finished!  Or perhaps you’re a bit confused about the step-by-step process and need more in-depth instruction if this is you then please see this guide by clicking here.

 

Where to buy Vegan Belts?

 

In case you don’t have the time – or fashion designer instinct you can always go to an online store and directly buy the cruelty free vegan leather belts you like the most, right?

 

Don’t worry, you are in the right place!

 

Take a look at some of our best vegan leather belts and visit our online store. We have a wide variety of cruelty free vegan belts.

 

Vegan Leather Belts for Men:

Truth Slug Vegan Belts for Men, Super Durable Belt

 

Vegan belts that are clean and have a classic design that will never go out of style. Extremely long-lasting and virtually indestructible vegan materials.

SlideBelts Men’s Ratchet Vegan Belt

 

Vegan Dress Belt Ratchet Closure, adjustable to a quarter inch, increments up to 48-inch waist circumference, brown belt, incredibly comfortable and simple to use.

Axesoria Men’s Reversible Vegan Belts

 

Eco-friendly leatherette, reversible, and cruelty free vegan belts made with loving vegan materials.

Vegan Leather Belts for Women:

 

Doshi Gold Ring Vegan Belt

 

Wide Vegan Belt with a solid gold colored buckle.

SlideBelts Womens Classic Ratchet Vegan Belt

 

Vegan Belt with Ratchet Closure, adjustable to a quarter inch increments up to a 48-inch waist circumference, super comfortable and easy to use.

 

Axesoria Western Turquoise Buckle with Vegan Belt

 

The buckle is in a dark silver finish, and the vegan belt is made from non-animal, cruelty-free leatherette.

Wanna see our other vegan leather belts for sale?

 

Then visit Cruelty Free Belts complete collection of Vegan Belts by clicking here.

 

Perhaps you’re like us here at Cruelty Free Belts and are a little crazy about Vegan Leather Belts.  If this is you, we recommend reading some of our related blog posts: How to Make your own Vegan Leather Belt“, “Cactus Leather – More Prick but Less Harm to Animals“, “Vegan Belts – the Ethical Real Leather Free Alternative“, “Vegan Belts make an Ethical Difference“, “Vegan Leather vs Real Leather – What’s the Best Option?“, “Non Leather Belt – the Cruelty Free Difference it Makes“, and “Are Vegan Leather Belts Better than Real Leather Belts?”

FAQ
What makes vegan leather belts a better choice?

If faux or vegan leather products don't require animal sacrifice, wouldn't it be more logical to choose them instead? In addition, killing other living creatures for fashion can be considered unethical. In the end, animal agriculture industries benefit only their owners. Additionally, compared to the leather industry, the textile industry uses a large number of chemical substances that are harmful to the environment and human health. As a result, vegan leather belts save the environment every time you use them.

Exactly how are vegan leather belts made?

Several materials can then be converted into leather, including processing residues and plants specifically raised for the purpose, but using no animal products and causing the least amount of environmental harm.

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