Eco-leather shoes: advantages and disadvantages of the material

Not so long ago, the modern shoe market was replenished with another type of material from which shoes are made, namely ecological leather.

At first, buyers puzzled over the origin of the name for such a material, associating it with the environmentally friendly area where the product is made, using exclusively safe materials during its production process. In fact, everything turned out to be much simpler. The name of eco-leather is based on its artificial creation and safety when used by humans.

Everyone knows that genuine leather is animal skin processed in a special way, followed by tanning and the application of dyes. The process of creating eco-leather is significantly different; animal skins are not used ; the base for such leather is made of fabric. Manufacturers use cotton fabric, onto which a thin layer of polyurethane is applied to create strength and elasticity. The leather created in this way is very similar to natural leather, it is just as soft, flexible and has a presentable appearance. Since the materials used to create such leather do not harm human health, it is called ecological.

Since this type of material appeared in the footwear industry not so long ago, buyers often wonder about its quality. Like any product, eco-leather has its pros and cons, which you need to understand before purchasing shoes made from this type of material.

Advantages of eco-leather

• Price . If you walk through a shoe store and look at the models of leather shoes presented, the first thing that will catch your eye when comparing seemingly similar boots is the price. While boots made from natural and eco-leather are very similar in appearance, the pricing policy for shoes made from eco-leather is lower. Because the manufacturer does not use real animal skins, replacing it with cheaper materials.
• Elasticity . Since genuine leather has the natural property of stretching over time, be prepared for the fact that boots purchased according to size will increase in size in a few months and will no longer fit the leg so tightly. As for eco-leather, it is less prone to stretching and the purchased shoes will keep their shape much longer.
• Hypoallergenic and non-toxic . For people with hypersensitivity to a variety of allergens, this point is especially important. It is unpleasant when new shoes made of genuine leather cause a very unpleasant reaction, provoked by the chemicals with which this leather was treated during tanning. Eco-leather is made from materials that are environmentally friendly for humans.
• Lets air through . When making eco-leather, a thin layer of polyurethane with micropores is applied to the fabric, thus providing air access. That is, feet in such shoes will be more comfortable than in shoes made of artificial leather, which completely block the passage of air.
• Durability . Since the fabric layer is covered with a layer of polyurethane, which is quite flexible and durable in its structure, eco-leather shoes are reliable and not prone to scratches and abrasion.
• Colors . It is quite difficult to dye natural leather in some original color, completely eliminating its natural shade, which cannot be said about eco-leather. It lends itself to any coloring, acquiring bright unusual colors.

What to wear with

First of all, it should be noted that eco-leather jackets are universal and suitable for all representatives of the fair sex. However, when choosing a specific model, you should not forget that:

• short lengths (up to the waist line) are contraindicated for overweight girls
• older ladies should avoid lacquerware;
• young ladies with a non-standard figure are better off avoiding fitted models.

In addition, it is necessary to separate such outerwear into demi-season and winter items in order to avoid health problems.

Winter jackets

Due to the fact that eco-leather is not afraid of severe frosts, winter jackets and sheepskin coats are often made from it. This season, the attention of all fashionistas will be focused on the pilot model.

This is a straight, not too short product, where the fur lining from sheep most often acts as insulation.

A similar jacket can be worn with jeans and tight turtlenecks with a high collar, as well as with long skirts and a noodle dress below the knee length.

In addition, this particular model of winter outerwear goes better than others with aviator sunglasses and knitted stocking hats.

Demi-season products

Demi-season eco-leather jackets are good both in warm autumn and in slightly frosty winter. After all, if you wear them with thick sweaters, you won’t be afraid of the first snow.

And if you wear similar outerwear with light blouses and open dresses, you can spend warm autumn nights with special comfort.

By the way, to create a harmonious autumn look, you can take a black jacket as a basis and complement it with a bright stole and matching gloves.

A winter look can be created around an eco-leather jacket, complemented by a voluminous knitted collar and a warm hat.

Yellow eco leather jacket

The yellow jacket made of eco-material is a very bright, juicy product. After all, the color of the sun not only helps to significantly improve your mood, but also helps fight the autumn blues.

Such products look best with leather pants, jeans and light, flowing dresses in pastel or basic colors.

Cons of eco-leather

• Smell . Everyone knows the smell of genuine leather, which cannot be confused with anything else. In the production of eco-leather, polyurethane is used, which can in rare cases give off an unusual pungent odor that disappears after the first wear of the shoes.
• Frost resistance . Compared to natural leather, eco-leather will not be as warm. When choosing winter shoes, pay attention to the inner filling of the shoes, for example, fur or felt.
• Care . You need to look after eco-leather carefully and more carefully than natural leather. After getting wet, be sure to wipe with a cloth and use shoe polish. If cared for incorrectly or unscrupulously, such leather will quickly lose its presentation and may crack and leak.
• Form . Buyers who are looking for comfortable wearing of shoes complain that shoes made of eco-leather cannot take the shape of the foot as much as natural ones, so they retain the shape of the last. When choosing, pay attention to the fact that such shoes will not wear out over time and will not become more comfortable if you felt uncomfortable standing in them when you first tried them on.
• Manufacturer . When purchasing shoes made from eco-leather, choose trusted manufacturers who produce high-quality material. Some manufacturers save money by using cheap materials, which leads to the short-lived life of such shoes.

How to choose an eco-leather jacket

To choose the right jacket made from “eco” material that imitates genuine leather, you need to carefully examine its surface.

Thus, products that have an uneven tone, strange abrasions or thickening should be immediately excluded from the shopping list. In addition, crooked or incompletely finished stitches also indicate the low quality of the item and “hint” at its short service life.

In addition, all eco-leather jackets can be divided into different styles:

• casual . Most often, shortened products that do not have a collar are presented in this category. Their color depends only on the preferences of the future owner, but the most popular are black, gray and red things;

• rocker style . Products of this kind are usually richly decorated with metal fasteners and zippers. In addition, they have a length just below the waist and are predominantly dark in color;

• romantic style . To create a romantic look, patent leather jackets are best suited. They can be pink, baby blue, pale green, white or black and resemble sweet lollipops;

• winter models . Their main difference from ordinary jackets is fur collars and linings, which can be of absolutely any color. These types of jackets make it very easy to create a stylish winter look.

How to distinguish eco-leather from leatherette?

The first method relies solely on sensations, so it is recommended to practice before using it. Each seller usually has samples of upholstery materials. Take a piece of material and hold it in your palm. Do you feel the warmth, soft, velvety surface? Most likely, you have eco-leather in your hands. PVC is an ordinary plastic, therefore, the sensations from leatherette are similar to those you experience when holding a plastic object in your hand or touching, for example, a plastic window frame.

If it is difficult for you to rely on your feelings, you can use a more complex method. To do this, drop a little vegetable oil onto the surface of the material being tested. If you look at this place after a day, not a trace will remain on natural leather and eco-leather - the oil will be absorbed without spoiling the surface. If, under the influence of vegetable oil, the material has become rough and rigid, it is leatherette, the chemical components of which are destroyed by vegetable oil.

The leatherette on the sofa is cracked, what should I do?

The upholstery on the sofa is exposed to mechanical stress almost constantly, especially if there are small children in the house. You don’t always want to get rid of a cozy leather sofa if it has cracks and damage. There are several options to get rid of this problem:

Repair kits, adhesive materials

This method is also suitable for small scratches that must be restored without fail. Today on the construction market you can purchase various replacement repair kits. It includes liquid leather and specialized tools to make it easier to apply. The assortment includes popular colors, so choosing them will not be difficult.

Adhesive materials require painstaking care and attention. Before starting work, be sure to read the instructions for using the product.

Disguise

Cracked areas can be masked using liquid polymer. It is based on alcohol, which helps the solution penetrate the top layer of the skin. This allows you to create a masking effect; the composition dries within 15 minutes. To apply you will need a piece of gauze and a spatula with which to apply the product. After drying, the skin and the composition become almost one whole, and the damage becomes almost invisible.

Partial replacement

This method is used in extreme cases when scratches cannot be repaired minorly. It can only be performed by a specialist who understands the technology. If there is multiple damage, it is better to use reupholstery of the sofa, since partial repairs will no longer save the product from the final loss of appearance and characteristics.

How do covers behave in the cold?

You may be interested in: Material for car covers - which is better?

It is believed that eco-leather on car seats freezes in the cold. This could happen in Yakutsk or Norilsk at temperatures below -35. In such weather, leatherettes become covered with cracks. Polyurethane is a frost-resistant material with low thermal conductivity. It is even used as insulation in construction. In particularly harsh winters, you need to turn on heated seats or put fabric covers on the seats.

In the hot sun, the interior of the car becomes hot, along with the seats and covers. The air conditioner normalizes the temperature in minutes.

Rules of care

As for caring for eco-boots and shoes, it is practically no different from caring for models made of genuine leather. Shoes made from this material must be regularly cleaned of dirt and treated with special water-repellent compounds. Boots, shoes, sneakers or boots must be dried after each wear.

Dirt should be removed as soon as possible with a damp cloth and then wiped dry. Special products should be used to remove old stains. It is allowed to use ammonia or a 50% aqueous-alcohol solution. Organic stains can be removed using natural leather cleaners. To increase the service life and facilitate cleaning of products, it is recommended to periodically treat eco-leather with impregnations.

Such shoes should be stored in cardboard boxes, stuffed with paper and placed separately in special anthers. It is very important to ensure that the products are well ventilated during storage.

Where can I buy eco-leather material?

• Ekokozha.ru.Site with a large selection and a clear division into categories by type, purpose, price and brands.

• AvtoKozh.ru. Online store with a narrow specialization. Offers eco-leather for cars and furniture.

• Domus fabric store. Huge selection of faux leather furniture fabrics. There you will find original textures and stylish shades that will appeal to both connoisseurs of minimalism and creative individuals.

To summarize, we can say that eco-leather is a modern, high-tech material with excellent properties. Perhaps this article will help you make the right choice.

© 2021 textiletrend.ru

Masking cracks in leatherette

The “Liquid Skin” product will do an excellent job of masking cracks. It is based on alcohol, which penetrates the upper layer of skin at the site of injury. To hide cracks, follow these steps:

1. Cut a piece of gauze the same size as the size of the injury.
2. Apply gauze to the cracked area.
3. Apply the solution using a spatula.
4. After 10-15 minutes it is recommended to apply another layer.

After drying, you will notice that the damaged area and the artificial leather have become one. It is impossible to determine with the naked eye where the damage was.

Items made from leatherette are wear-resistant, but any product becomes unusable over time due to the appearance of cracks or small scratches. They spoil the appearance of the product and significantly reduce wear resistance, since a small crack can later become a large hole. Let's take a closer look at the options for repairing such things.

Most popular colors

Oddly enough, black is not the most popular color among outerwear made from eco-leather. After all, such products are most often chosen by young girls who want to stand out from the crowd with their youth and brightness.

Below is a list of the most current shades for jackets made from eco material:

• white;
• light gray;
• bright yellow;
• deep blue;
• beige;
• soft green;
• pale pink;
• bright red.

We buy on AliExpress

Those who want to save money and at the same time purchase a quality product should pay attention to Chinese online platforms. The most popular of them is AliExpress. There is a huge selection of eco-leather available here. Reviews can be read directly on the page of the selected product. The rating system is convenient, which allows you to choose a really good seller.

You can order a winter jacket on the Chinese trading platform as early as September. It is worth considering that the goods after payment can only arrive within a month. In addition, starting in November, preparations for the New Year holidays begin in China. Due to this, the goods may be delayed at the post office. The buyer runs the risk of receiving his eco-leather down jacket in the middle of winter.

You can place an order from a Chinese seller quite simply. Communication in most cases takes place in English. You can use a translator. And those who are unsure of their abilities should use the help of an intermediary. In this case, you need to be prepared to overpay for the goods by up to 20%.

History of eco

For a long time, technologists in chemical production have been looking for an analogue that can replace natural leather. Made dermantin. But in terms of its characteristics, quality and properties, it was much inferior to the original. Because of this, consumers have a prejudiced attitude towards things made from synthetics.

The picture changed after 1963. At this time, a wave of outrage from people to protect animals swept across America. We had to urgently find a way to produce synthetic matter. A year later, the baton was picked up in Japan. So gradually the new technology was introduced into plants and factories around the world.

Advantages and disadvantages of ECO leather

For T

Wow, to understand what is better - ECO leather or artificial leather, let's look at the advantages of using products made from ECO leather:

• ideal price-quality ratio;
• availability in a wide range of sizes, which is very convenient when making furniture;
• the production procedure is less expensive, less environmentally hazardous and humane in relation to the animal world;
• wide range of colors;
• low hygroscopicity, which increases the productivity of finished eco-leather products;
• excellent elastic properties;
• high resistance to sunlight - a black product made from eco-leather can remain in the sun for a long time and will not fade at all;
• excellent frost resistance;
• products made from this material wear well and are resistant to abrasion;
• the material does not cause allergic reactions;
• this type of fabric is a practical and durable material;
• the presence of micropores allows the product to breathe, unlike dermatin fabric;
• the presence of a fabric base helps to quickly eliminate minor deformations;
• easy care for products of this type of leather.

Important!

Due to a number of beneficial properties, ECO leather is a very popular material.

The advantages of using the latest technologies are obvious, but there are also negative aspects:

• For many people, products made from genuine leather symbolize prestige and luxury, but eco-leather does not provide such a feeling of chic.

Popular brands of automotive leatherette

Many are alarmed by the inscription “Made in China”:

• For example, Oregon leatherette is very popular due to its attractive price. This is a mixture of vinyl and polyurethane. The manufacturer indicates this in the labeling. But some are silent about the composition and label it as; "Eco leather Oregon". It has been noticed that Oregon often turns out to be thinner than the thickness of 1 mm indicated in the documents;
• The second place in popularity is occupied by Alba, which is very close in appearance to genuine leather;
• Companion eco-leather is characterized by increased wear resistance;
• Dollaro comes in a variety of colors, which is why it is sometimes mistaken for leatherette;
• Softar is positioned as a self-healing leather substitute. Traces of deformation are smoothed out on it. Its service life exceeds that of genuine leather.

The term “spunbond” is used in eco-leather labeling. This is a technology for producing a non-woven base. It has good breathability and serves as a backing for the foam layer. Faux leather with such an addition on the reverse side sometimes comes with a ready-made figured screed. It is used for inserts on the backs and seats of chairs.

PVC and polyurethane: there is a difference

All leather imitations are built according to the same scheme: fabric (cotton, polyester), on top of which a polymer film is applied. Until recently, the common polymer was polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is easy to give it any color, embossing, or shine. The material is easy to care for and chemically resistant. Yes, and it looks good. Faux leather with PVC coating is still often used to upholster seats and backs in public places and transport, kitchen and other furniture, etc. It is clear that this “skin” is far from being comparable to natural leather - it is porous and able to “breathe”, and the film is monolithic and impenetrable for moisture and air.

Half a century ago in the USA they announced the creation of a porous leatherette. The main idea was to use another polymer instead of PVC - a polyurethane film. We obtained a material whose porosity turned out to be even higher than that of natural leather - the number of pores in the latter decreases when processing raw leather. In our area, the new product is called “eco-leather”. It is increasingly used for upholstering furniture.

"Ecological leather": pros and cons

Let us list the main advantages of the new material:

• highly permeable to air and moisture vapor (but does not allow water to pass through);
• cheaper than genuine leather (but more expensive than PVC leatherette);
• outwardly almost indistinguishable from genuine leather;
• varied in color and embossing, it is not difficult to choose upholstery to suit any style and design of furniture and the room as a whole;
• resistant to abrasion and tearing, durable;
• does not change color or other properties under the influence of light or ultraviolet radiation;
• elastic and soft, pleasant to the touch;
• has no odor and does not cause allergies.

As you can see, in some ways eco-leather is similar to a PVC substitute, and in some ways it differs favorably from it. Much depends on whether you care for the material correctly. By the way, caring for eco-leather is more difficult than caring for PVC leatherette. Let us also not hide the fact that both materials emit toxic substances when burned.

Eco leather comes in different varieties

It is no secret that the same name can hide products of very different quality. It all depends on the skill and integrity of the manufacturer. Genuine leather does not always meet our expectations: even ideal raw materials are easy to spoil. The same applies to eco-leather furniture.

Very often, the “face” of furniture is finished with embossed eco-leather treated with acrylic emulsions. They give the material an “attractive” look. But it is clear that in this case the tiny pores simply disappear. Sitting or lying on such a covering is uncomfortable - sweat accumulates under the bare areas of the body.

Low-quality fakes are often passed off as eco-leather. They are cold to the touch and require additional textile bedding; they shed, staining bed linen; Contaminants are not washed off from them, cracks and peeling appear at the seams and folds.

It is unlikely that you will be able to recognize fakes by eye. Before reupholstering furniture, try:

• make inquiries about the quality of the material and work of this company from people who have used its services;
• find out what guarantees the company gives;
• ask what type of eco-leather, what manufacturer she uses and search for additional information on the Internet.

And lastly: the too low price of eco-leather should alert you - high-quality material cannot be cheap.

Restoring the appearance of shoes with cracks in leatherette

To repair such shoes, we buy vinyl leather. This is a synthetic piece of fabric coated with polyvinyl chloride. Unfortunately, in this way it will be possible to repair only isolated damage. If your shoes have a lot of cracks that have burst, you will have to replace them with leatherette. Also, a single damage can be repaired by applying a special patch to it, which can be purchased at a fabric store.

Important! In order for the work to be of high quality, when performing repairs, it is necessary to adhere to a certain technology.