Gucci has a new vegan leather shoe collection – let’s unpack that

With leather alternatives on the rise, Gucci has recently jumped on board by releasing an exclusive vegan leather shoe range, made with their own material. Before we go further, we need to note that while this is an interesting and positive development, we mustn’t forget that Gucci still have a way to go when it comes to sustainability and ethics. Gucci is not a total ethics brand and this is reflected in their bare minimum rating of ‘it’s a start’ by Good On You. However, we can applaud progress while still demanding more from brands.

A new leather alternative material

So back to Gucci’s new vegan leather. Over the past two years, Gucci has been working on crafting their very own vegan leather, dubbed Demetra. With the material being 77% plant based, it’s fitting that its name is inspired by the Greek goddess of harvest, Demeter.  Demetra is made from sustainably managed forest wood pulp compounds, viscose, recycled steel and also contains bio-based polyurethane sourced from wheat and corn. In addition, any leftover bits of material will be processed by Gucci-Up, which aims to reuse and repurpose deadstock materials.  Gucci has begun their journey with Demetra, by releasing three sneaker styles using the material.

Demetra is currently exclusive to Gucci, however in 2022 the brand is planning to license it to other companies owned by their parent company, Kering. Kering also manages big names such as Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, opening up doors for such brands to follow in Gucci’s footsteps and make use of an animal-free and more sustainable material. The need to share these innovative materials is significant, should we ever see a fashion industry that is more genuinely ethical and sustainable across the board.

For now, though, Demetra is off limits to anyone but Gucci. Moving forward, Gucci plans to release more styles with Demetra, using it in their handbags and other accessories. Should the brand be reducing their environmental and ethical impact, Demetra will need to be used in place of at least some portion of current leather goods, not simply as an addition to the current collection.  

The rise of vegan leather innovation

Gucci is not alone in their quest for more animal-free, sustainable materials. Companies working on and brand investments in circumfaunal (animal-free) leather continue to sky rocket. At the Rethinking Materials conference this year, all panellists unanimously agreed that 2021 will be an 11/10 for “innovation and deal making in sustainable materials”. 

In 2016, there were ten new companies formed that were dedicated to creating circumfaunal, or next-gen leather. On the investment side of things, by 2020 the amount of investment in these such leather alternatives almost matched investment from the four prior years combined. It’s clear that animal-free and more environmentally friendly materials are in demand more than ever before, and Gucci wants to get its foot in the door. 

The innovation side of next-gen materials is a fast-paced industry which is mainly dominated by the creation of alternatives to animal leather. Out of the 74 companies working on next-gen materials, 49 of them focus on biomimicry of animal leather. The last few years have been incremental, seeing a sharp increase in companies dedicating time and resources to these new, sustainable materials. 42 of the overall 74 companies were established from 2014 onwards, and 30 of these focus on next-gen leather. With more of these materials being made and more people investing in them, the next step is brands putting them to use.

Brands using new kinds of vegan leather

So, who is using these materials and how can we expect to see all this be implemented? Well, Gucci for one is an example and there are many other household names, who are also not total ethic brands (yet), making use of next-gen leather. Adidas and Stella McCartney both partnered with Bolt Threads to use Mylo Unleather in their products. This April, Adidas released a sneaker model while Stella McCartney brought out a handbag. In February, H&M collaborated with Vegea to create grape leather handbags. It is crucial for material makers to collaborate with companies within the fashion industry who can fund their grown, and while these examples are certainly not all total ethic brands – and sometimes far from -- it is a step in the right direction. Ultimately the goal is for next-gen leather utility to increase and more importantly, become mainstreamed.

The need for consistently strong ethics

Having an animal-free option released by a brand is positive, but it shouldn’t just be an addition; brands need to commit to seriously reducing the amount of leather they use, and ultimately, to phasing animal leather out. If a brand offers a vegan version of a sneaker or handbag, but continues to produce the same amount of leather products, there is still going to be dire consequences for non-human animals, human animals and the planet. 

With the leather industry estimated to be worth $128.61 billion USD by 2022 it is clear that leather isn’t just a by-product but rather a co-product. The beef and dairy industries profit from the production of leather and therefore purchasing it supports and fuels the mistreatment and slaughter of bovines. They suffer through the pain of forced impregnation, separation and slaughter before being skinned. Too, with leather having the third largest environmental impact to produce from cradle to gate, this material also harms the planet. How many pairs of leather boots (made from cow skin) do you think need to be made for 66kg of CO2e to be released? Five? Four? Not quite, just the one. What’s more, this industry is also unsafe for humans, with tannery workers developing chronic coughing, skin ailments and an increased risk of cancer due to the leather-tanning chemicals. The leather supply chain sees a series of cruelty brought upon non-human animals, the environment and human animals.

Ultimately, leather is in stark opposition to total ethics. So while next-gen leather is up and coming, rapidly gaining investment and popularity, it’s important for brands like Gucci to not only include these vegan alternatives but to simultaneously reduce their leather production, until it is totally phased out. That is where the future of fashion is.