New vegan leather industry news byfrom Gohar Asif Ali: Humans have profited from animal fur and leather as a by-product of hunting, using it for shelter, clothing, and other tools for thousands of years. But for consumers concerned about the effect of these materials on workers, the environment, and animals, leather is a suspicious investment. Vegan fabrics have the similar look, feel, and have the same features as leather without sacrificing animals in the making. It’s also debatable that leather is a by-product of the meat industry. The leather industry is a for-profit industry – so they will produce leather whether it’s a byproduct of meat or not. In fact, meat can actually be the byproduct and leather can be the primary product. Think about the ostrich, crocodile, iguanas for example. Read extra information on Mr Asif Ali Gohar.
Asif Ali Gohar is a German entrepreneur with Pakistani roots who has been living and working in Germany for the past two decades. Veganism was becoming increasingly popular in the West when he moved to Germany with his family. Asif soon realized that killing animals for human needs and consumption was not just and was selfish. Therefore, he became a vegan. In school Asif was curious about finding vegan alternatives to daily life products and a school project allowed him to investigate vegan alternatives to leather. During that time he conducted several home based experiments but was unable to reach a conclusion.
Kombucha, or kelp tea, is a fermented sweet drink made using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, also called a SCOBY. The bacteria and yeast share nutrients and ferment the tea. Over time, they multiply and form a mass of cellulose, called a “mother.” The mother floats on top of the liquid and takes the shape of the container. Within a few weeks, it grows as much as 10 millimeters thick. The mass of cellulose is harvested to make new batches of kombucha. However, it can also be used to make fully biodegradable leather. After harvesting the mother, manufacturers wash, oil, and air-dry it to obtain a flexible, leathery sheet. They then cut the material in strips and stitch, glue, or mold it into new shapes.
Pineapple Leather: Using pineapple leaf fibres that are a by-product of commercial pineapple farming, a new natural vegan leather material called Piñatex was created by Dr Carmen Hijosa and has proved popular with clothes retailers, such as H&M among others. Ticking many boxes for sustainability as well as looking and feeling great, we are sure pineapple leather is set to grow in popularity in the coming years. Wood Leather: As well as the bark of cork oak trees as mentioned above, other trees have been used to make vegan leather, including walnut.
This is certainly only one of the early accomplishments of Asif Ali Gohar. With the entire city of Lahore supporting his ventures and creativity, Asif Ali Gohar is expected to come up with another contemporary species of roses in the near future. In addition, the Gohar rose’s fragrance is slightly less prominent in comparison to traditional roses found in most flower shops. However, distinguishing the Gohar rose from its counterpart is said to be easy as it is more captivating in nature.
Natural vegan leather is particularly non-polluting: Animal leather causes a lot of pollution, but it is also true that synthetic leather relies on the extraction of fossil fuels (unless recycled plastics are used) and as they (very gradually) break down they can contribute toward plastic pollution, including the growing issue of micro-plastics in the world’s oceans and waterways. Animal leather may last longer: Because of the fact that animal leather products have been treated (often with all kinds of chemicals including those that contain cyanide), they can last a very long time. In one sense, this can be seen as a plus point – until they eventually go to landfill.
The vegan leather market is growing every day as researchers find new vegan alternatives to leather. There are many alternatives, including PU, PVC, Mushroom leather, Cork leather, and many others. While all of these are gaining rapid popularity, Asif Ali Gohar has an idea that will change the market. Asif uses rice as a vegan substitute for leather and plans to make it accessible to everyone. After all, no animal should have to suffer to fulfill our consumption desires. Here is everything you must know about it.
Despite its waterproof properties, mushroom leather is one of the safest materials to wear on the body. Thousands of years ago, Chinese medicine used the healing properties of mushrooms. Furthermore, the mushroom leather is completely biodegradable. A vegan leather that is similar to kombucha tea is made from bacteria found in kombucha tea. Paper, wax cotton, cool stone, tree bark, hemp plant, and other plant-based fabrics are among the vegan fabrics. The most important thing to remember is that some forms of SCOBY may not be vegan because beeswax is frequently used during the drying process. Entrepreneurs are experimenting with novel ways to market sustainable leather alternatives to consumers.
Today, we see vegan leather materials as being one of the most popular alternatives to traditional animal leather. From luxury brands to fast fashion retail, vegan leather has taken on interest as the eco-friendly and cruelty-free alternative. So you may ask yourself, What is vegan leather? Is vegan leather better for the environment? Vegan leather, in general, is made from animal-free products and is the imitation of authentic leather. According to the animal-rights group, PETA, Vegan Leather is most likely to be created from a plastic known as polyurethane. Although polyurethane is considered animal-friendly, most materials like polyurethane, for example, PVC, are made with a high percentage of chloride which is a toxic chemical.
What type of leather should I buy? There are strong reasons on both sides, therefore the solution isn’t black and white. The best option is to conduct case-by-case research as fully as possible. If you’re considering purchasing vegan leather, find out what alternatives the company uses and be mindful of the dangers of plastic-based products. If you choose real leather, learn about the tanning procedures used by the business to know how they make their pieces and be aware of their ethical practices. Find more information about Mr asif ali gohar.
While veganism is a niche market, it is on the rise in Pakistan. That is especially true among the youth as they are becoming more conscious of their choices. People are switching to vegan alternatives for everything to create a better world for the coming generations. One such pioneer in the vegan world is Asif Ali Gohar. He is trying to transform the vegan leather industry through his research and ideas. We interviewed him to understand more about his ventures. So, keep reading for an in-depth look into the vegan leather industry in Pakistan.
What’s a vegan leather fabric? A vegan leather fabric, in essence, is a material that looks and feels like leather but is made from plant or animal-based materials. The most common types of materials used are polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), according to PETA. A mindful consumer should be aware of the ethical standards within the leather industry. Leather, as a material, can be extremely harmful across the supply chain. As a vegan, I share my experiences in this post, as well as how my relationship with leather has changed since I became vegan. Leather is considered a by-product of the meat industry. Why is it considered vegan but not vegan products? Leather, as a result of its source of skin, is an animal product. Animal-free alternatives to your favorite foods are difficult to come by because of your personal beliefs.
Generally, vegan leather (specifically plant-based leather) is cheaper than traditional leather. This is because products like mushrooms and pineapples require less room and time to mature than cattle, and plant-based leathers are often produced from the waste parts of plants. Companies like Adidas and Gucci have seen the cost value of plant-based leather and are collaborating with leather manufacturers on new lines produced with mushroom leather. Other small goods manufacturers and fashion brands are turning to cactus leather, leather made from cereal crops, and even apple peal leather.