Is leather vegan?

Leather is a material made from animal hides, typically cowhide, through a process called tanning that preserves the skin and makes it durable. It is used for shoes, bags, jackets, belts, and furniture. People often ask whether leather is vegan because it is an animal-derived product, but the question usually arises in contexts where someone is trying to avoid animal products for ethical, environmental, or dietary reasons.

Leather is not vegan because it is made from the skin of animals, which requires raising and slaughtering them. Even if the animal was raised for meat, leather production still relies on the animal's death and is therefore incompatible with vegan principles that seek to avoid all forms of animal exploitation. Some argue that using byproducts reduces waste, but vegans generally reject this because it still commodifies animal bodies and creates demand for animal agriculture.

On a label, leather is usually listed simply as 'leather' or 'genuine leather,' but terms like 'bonded leather' or 'faux leather' can be misleading. Bonded leather contains some real leather fibers, so it is not vegan. Faux leather, also called synthetic leather or pleather, is typically made from polyurethane or PVC and is vegan. For a plant-based alternative, look for materials like cork, Piñatex (from pineapple leaves), or mushroom leather.