Sometimes nature has the formula right and anything mankind tries to do will only lead to failure and embarrassment. Consider the cow. In many ways the cow is the perfect animal. Not only are they inherently passive, docile, and compliant–hence the word bovine–they are also hearty, resilient and durable. The cow also imparts all those qualities to us when they give us their parting gift, leather. Now while there are several leather alternatives these days including plastics, or what some might call “vegan leather” (let’s be real, it’s plastic), there really is no substitute for durable leather belts, jackets and other fine leather goods. Like most people who have had the misfortune of purchasing a “faux leather” jacket, you have probably dealt with the inevitable plastic shedding that takes place after wearing your jacket for a season. While that plastic jacket was really inexpensive to purchase while at the same time sporting really cool style, it now is littering your floor with its polyurethane shedding. A true testament to the follies of humanities attempt to improve an already perfect material. Still not convinced? Maybe the following reasons will give you the incentive to spend a little bit more on leather belts and leather briefcases rather than constantly replacing inferior plastic belts and canvas satchels.
Leather Grows With You
If you have ever heard any of the older generation moaning about how “they just don’t make them like the used to” and rolled your eyes, maybe you should think twice before roundly dismissing that comment. Granted, today it is much easier to find a replacement for certain articles of clothing rather than spending the money to have them repaired, but it is also true that the lifespan of most of our goods is drastically shorter. This is due to a term called planned obsolescence. Basically, manufacturers have a certain lifetime in mind when developing and producing their products. This is the reason why certain light bulbs only last 2000 hours rather than 4000 or 5000. At it’s heart this type of limited utility of goods is good for the economy because it ensures that there will always be a regular demand for certain products. But in the case of fine leather goods the consumer is able to get around this limited wear and tear. What sets leather apart from most other synthetic materials is that it actually grows and molds to your specific body contours the more times you use it. Think about the best fitting pair of jeans that you have. Notice how they fit you your contours just perfectly, it’s the same way with leather. After a while leather belts and jackets will mold to your body perfectly almost to the point where you barely recognize you are wearing them. In fact, several families have jackets that have been passed down from generation to generation. Consider this, the next time you go shopping for a new jacket or belt you could possible be gaining one for an entire lifetime or more.
Leather is a Byproduct of the Food Process
The term vegan leather, faux leather, and cruelty free leather are all pseudonyms for plastic based leather alternatives. While many people steer towards these due mostly to considerations of price there are those that abstain from genuine leather due to their beliefs. For those of you who may be opposed to leather because of environmental or ethical reasons, here is something to keep in mind. Leather is a byproduct of the food process. There are many companies that make leather products exclusively from the hides of animals that have been used in the food process. If you want to take it a step further there are companies that source their leather from farms that are organic and use ethical slaughtering methods. While this may not assuage the concerns of those that are philosophically opposed to meat and the meat industry it is something to consider next time you think about sneering at that rack of leather belts.
So the next time you are considering updating your wardrobe, think about sticking with the material that that nature made to be resilient and last a lifetime.