Leukeather vs Faux Leather: What's the Difference?
Have you heard of Leucaena? It's a fast-growing tree that requires minimal water to grow, and bares long green seed pods. Recently, these pods became the key to creating exotic, durable vegan leather goods!
In 2020, Egyptian architect Nuhayr Zein created a plant-based leather alternative made of dried Leucaena pods, called 'Leukeather.' This ethical leather alternative boasts a unique natural pattern of beautiful deep red and brown colors, which mimic the texture of animal skin. This makes it the perfect substitute for exotic skins, which have been banned by many fashion brands.
One of the greatest benefits of introducing this ethical fashion material is that it requires very few resources for its production! After all, many farms already grow Leucaena trees, and the pods are typically discarded. So, by using this waste material to create beautiful plant-based Leukeather, we can put it to much better use and even combat the breeding of exotic animals.
Leukeather is produced using zero toxic materials, and the company grows additional trees using the pods' seeds. Additionally, the trees themselves are natural nitrogen fixers, meaning they can improve soil fertility.
So, how does this material perform? After a year of development, the team behind Leukeather has turned it into a soft, flexible, water-resistant, and breathable exotic leather alternative. It requires minimal treatment and zero embossing to achieve its gorgeous, luxurious finish. However, the product is still undergoing R&D, meaning we'll simply have to wait and see how this material can measure up to traditional leather!
Comment your thoughts on this ethical material alternative below! Would you purchase leather goods made of Leukeather? Sign up to our newsletter to receive updates, tips, and info on vegan fashion and more!