Environmental toxicity and sustainability are major areas of research for the leather industry, as well as for the larger luxury and fashion industry. Several alternatives to traditional animal-based leather have been introduced in the market as vegan leather, e.g. the pineapple skin leather Piñatex, mycelium (mushroom leather), apple leather, cactus leather, and PU/PVC faux leather. However, a clear assessment of the sustainability (e.g. carbon/water footprint, LCA) for these alternatives is missing. The aim of this book is to provide clarity and a coherent structural assessment of sustainable vegan or vegetarian alternatives of leather. This book contributes to the current research within sustainability and environmental impact, production, and consumption aspects of these materials.

Assesses the potential as well as environmental impacts of alternatives to leather in the textile industry Discusses considerations in manufacturing vegan leather as well as consumer behavior Useful for scholars as well as readers involved with the textile and fashion industries

Autorentext

Dr Subramanian Senthilkannan Muthu holds a PhD in Textiles Sustainability from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is well known for his contributions in the field and has extensive academic and industrial experience. He is currently heading the department of Sustainability for SgT and API, based in Hong Kong. He has over a decade's working experience in the area of Textiles & Clothing sustainability. He has worked with Industries in Asia and Europe for various Sustainability aspects. He is an Editor, Editorial Board member and a Reviewer for many international peer-reviewed journals in textiles and environmental sciences. He is one of the Directors of the Textile and Bioengineering Informatics Society (TBIS), a charitable organization created to foster, develop, and promote all aspects of science and technology in bioengineering of materials, fibers and textiles. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal Textiles and Clothing Sustainability, published by Springer Nature. Dr. Mukta Ramchandani holds a PhD in management and an MSc in luxury and fashion management from France, a double bachelor's degree in computer aided management and IT management from India. She has numerous publications in sustainability, consumer behavior, luxury and fashion industry. She is the founder of two companies in Switzerland, a consulting firm and a sustainable fashion brand Moraltive, where she combines her experience in design, fashion and environmental sustainability. As an academic and entrepreneur, she applies her multidisciplinary expertise to teaching and consulting across European and Asian universities and organizations.

Inhalt

Chapter 1 Definitions, Government Regulations, and Norms Within the Vegan/Vegetarian Leather Industry.- Chapter 2 Environmental Issues of Conventional Leather and Need for Vegan Leather.- Chapter 3 Environmental Footprint, Toxicity, and Life Cycle Assessment Within the Vegan Leather Industry.- Chapter 4 Natural/Agro-derived Versus Artificial Vegan Leather.- Chapter 5 Producers' Dilemma.- Chapter 6 Reconciling the Sustainable Consumer Behavior Dimensions.- Chapter 7 Sustaining the Vegan Leather Industry.- Chapter 8 Conclusion and Outlook.