Vegan Leather Car Interiors Called Out As A Sham

Fine leather maker Bridge of Weir calls for transparency in the materials industry, particularly with the claims made by synthetic material manufacturers regarding the environmental friendliness of vegan leather. The Scottish company is a renowned supplier of premium leather to luxury automakers, including McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, Polestar, and most recently, Aston Martin with its newDB12.

In a statement, Bridge of Weir believes that many leather alternatives, often marketed as "vegan," actually contain plastic components that do not biodegrade, despite being touted as eco-friendly. The firm is concerned that carmakers and consumers are being "greenwashed" with these claims.

Over the years, several automakers have switched to using vegan leather in their cars for their assumed sustainability.

Since last year, BMW and Mini have completelyditched genuine cowhidefor the vegan option. Meanwhile, Tesla presented avegan leather cabin for the Model Slate last year - a $30,000 option.

There have been several other examples, each claiming sustainability as the reason for the move and coinciding with the world's increasing call to save the environment.

However, Bridge of Weir cites a recent study by theFilk Frieberg Institute,揭示the presence of plastics in leather alternatives. Plastics, as we all know, are composites derived from fossil fuels. They don't biodegrade safely or efficiently and can't be fully recycled.

The leather maker likewise cited that vegan leather products aren't as robust as leather, which could lead to frequent replacement.