The Fabrics We Use

      Most commonly-used animal hide leathers are not biodegradable. They are loaded with caustic and toxic chemicals to keep animal hides from decomposing. Many argue leather is a by-product of the meat industry, but a high demand for leather shows a striking change in the scales. This “win-win” partnership has become an aid to both industries with each conveniently blaming the other.

     Animals are being mercilessly slaughtered at a high rate since the demand, both in fashion and food seemingly justify these actions. Furthermore, the tanning industry poses many dangers to both the environment and those that work within it. The primary environmental threat involves the dumping of solid and liquid waste that contains leftover chromium and other hazardous compounds. Vegetable tanned leathers are generally biodegradable, but the tanning process requires the use of more water and tanning agents than chrome tanning.

     In comparison, faux or vegan leather is not a major contributor to water pollution, does not require animals to be reared and slaughtered; requiring only the land of the factory used to produce it. Today, with the advent of technology, artificial leather quality has improved drastically - sometimes making it tough even for knowledgeable artisans to differentiate between genuine and faux leather on first sight. 

     Every purchase at Aulive has a purpose – whether it be supporting sustainable jobs for artisans in India, reducing our carbon footprint or moving away from the quagmire of high street fashion into an ethical alternative of sustainable fashion. Moreover, most of our artificial, ethical leather is sourced from verified suppliers - for its quality and low environmental and human impact.

     Consumer choice plays a vital role in these instances. With a rise in conscious buying and questioning unethical brand practices, companies have become alert and are streamlining their business ethics accordingly. Similarly, when consumers steadily purchase faux fur & faux leather items over genuine versions - investors raise funding on research projects that entail animal and environment friendly leather alternatives. It’s a step by step approach to a cruelty-free and ethical market. In 2019, we at Aulive introduced bags made with pineapple leaf fibres. Piñatex® is made of fibre from the leaves of the pineapple plant. These leaves are discarded from the pineapple harvest, so the raw material requires no additional environmental resources to produce. In 2020, Cork was added into our plant based leather collections. We source leftover Cork fabric from a manufacturer locally. The scraps of Cork fabric are what makes the inner lining of our bags in The Plant Collection. This year, in 2021, we partnered with another biomaterial company to add Coconut leather alternative to our Plant Collection. 

     As an ethical, fashion brand, we embrace innovation and will constantly strive to be at the forefront of ethical, conscious alternatives without compromising on style and quality. Not only are Aulive products creating change, they are made with a lot of love to make sure you can enjoy them for years to come.