Is vegan leather just greenwashing?

The gloves are coming off in the conflict regarding the use of ‘leather’ to describe other materials. La Conceria reports that leather goods producer Longchamp has made things clear, stating ‘vegan leather is false!’ The brand has used synthetic materials and launched a collection of goods made of nylon, but opposes the simplification of the material message. 

CEO Jean Cassegrain, the grandson of the Longchamp founder, pointed out: “People prefer simple messages, but things are more complicated.” Longchamp does not oppose sustainability but has issues with greenwashing that takes place in the industry. The company claims to have always cared for responsible processes, reduction of waste, and creating the best possible leather goods. Sustainability for leather goods is, in other words, nothing new. 

When asked about vegan leather, Cassegrain answered that this is simply a lie. Vegan does not mean sustainable, and the material is nothing else than vinyl or artificial material. Leather is not exhausting the environment, like petrol-based products do, but is crafted by an industry that has been recycling for thousands of years. And that is an actual fact. 

Read the entire article about Longchamp here.