Dos and don'ts of buying leather - a guide for Gen Z
26th September 2023: Buying leather goods can be a major investment, and it can be hard to know what quality looks like. Leather UK has come to the rescue of younger consumers by launching ‘A Guide To Buying Leather’ - an online resource to help Gen Z make informed decisions about leather and its alternatives.
“Vegan leather” is popping up more and more these days, positioned as an alternative to real leather, an ethical, “cruelty-free” choice. It’s also marketed as better for the planet although that claim is highly questionable considering many leather alternatives are made from PVC or PU (polyurethane) - plastic materials derived from fossil fuels!
Leather UK’s easy to read guide is designed specifically to empower young shoppers with the facts to cut through meaningless marketing terms and navigate the minefield of misinformation about leather.
Dr Kerry Senior, director at Leather UK, explains: “We take every opportunity we can to tackle the confusion that surrounds leather. Many people have now got the message that they need to buy better quality clothes that last longer, but they are less likely to know how to do that in practice. Trying to get your head around all the different terms garment manufacturers use can make it hard to make the right choice.”
Leather UK’s guide breaks down common myths around leather, such as the belief that cows are bred solely for their hides. In fact, leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries and if the hides were not used by the leather industry, they would simply go to waste. Along with myth-busting facts, the guide provides tips for identifying real leather and understanding product labels and what terms like ‘vegan leather’ actually mean…..hint, not very much.
Dr Senior continues: "Gen Z cares deeply about making ethical purchases but gets understandably misled by unsubstantiated marketing claims. We encourage shoppers to investigate clothes, footwear and accessories by looking closely at the composition label which by law must list what exactly something is made of! It’s time to debunk the hype around vegan and faux leathers to show that high quality real leather, when cared for, is often the more sustainable choice."
To view ‘A Guide To Buying Leather’ visit https://leatheruk.org/guide-to-buying-leather/