For ages, humans have been using shoes made out of leather, and though synthetic products of all kinds abound, shoe connoisseurs regard leather as the material of choice. I have worked in a leather technology lab for some time, and I'm not only fascinated with the great qualities of leather, but I have imbibed so much of smell of leather that I am almost addicted to it.
Yet this post. Why?
1. The cost-durability trade off. Leather shoes are generally more expensive than synthetics. They last more, but why do we need our fashion shoes to last a lifetime? In today’s world of “use and throw”, their longevity may even annoy you: you can’t throw them away because they are still good and you have spent a lot on them, and you don’t feel like wearing them again and again and again. Btw, some categories of synthetic leather can be as long lasting as hard leather.
2. Design, color aspects. Synthetic leather comes in many more varieties than pure leather. It does have a greater range of colors too.
3. Texture. Leather comes in rich, ‘leathery’ textures and stretches well. Synthetic leather is not far behind; at bends and seams, certain synthetic leathers stretch better than pure leather.
4. Feel. Though fine leather is soft on feet, it ‘breathes’ and it feels natural, fine varieties of synthetic leather can be even softer. The Nike sports cum fashion shoes look so trendy and are softer than most leather shoes.
5. Snob value. Well, high quality pure leather has an elitist appeal. Certain varieties of leather – made from rare species as against mass-produced varieties – show themselves up in the crowd, no doubt about that.
6. Cruelty to animals. This one beats all other considerations. I drool about sexy and feminine shoes but have slowly convinced myself to avoid leather shoes. I know of true stories of animals being skinned alive. Even otherwise, animals are killed cruelly because this leather is much better in many respects than the hide of dead animals.
I quote here a passage from PETA website:
“ In India, a PETA investigation found that workers break cows' tails and rub chilli and tobacco into their eyes in order to force them to run and exhaust themselves on way to the slaughterhouse. … In the U.S., millions of animals endure extreme crowding and deprivation, castration, branding, tail-docking, and dehorning without painkillers. At slaughterhouses, animals have their throats cut routinely, and they are skinned and dismembered while they are still conscious. ”
Yet this post. Why?
1. The cost-durability trade off. Leather shoes are generally more expensive than synthetics. They last more, but why do we need our fashion shoes to last a lifetime? In today’s world of “use and throw”, their longevity may even annoy you: you can’t throw them away because they are still good and you have spent a lot on them, and you don’t feel like wearing them again and again and again. Btw, some categories of synthetic leather can be as long lasting as hard leather.
2. Design, color aspects. Synthetic leather comes in many more varieties than pure leather. It does have a greater range of colors too.
3. Texture. Leather comes in rich, ‘leathery’ textures and stretches well. Synthetic leather is not far behind; at bends and seams, certain synthetic leathers stretch better than pure leather.
4. Feel. Though fine leather is soft on feet, it ‘breathes’ and it feels natural, fine varieties of synthetic leather can be even softer. The Nike sports cum fashion shoes look so trendy and are softer than most leather shoes.
5. Snob value. Well, high quality pure leather has an elitist appeal. Certain varieties of leather – made from rare species as against mass-produced varieties – show themselves up in the crowd, no doubt about that.
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| faux suede from Beyondskin |
I quote here a passage from PETA website:
“ In India, a PETA investigation found that workers break cows' tails and rub chilli and tobacco into their eyes in order to force them to run and exhaust themselves on way to the slaughterhouse. … In the U.S., millions of animals endure extreme crowding and deprivation, castration, branding, tail-docking, and dehorning without painkillers. At slaughterhouses, animals have their throats cut routinely, and they are skinned and dismembered while they are still conscious. ”
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