If you’re making the move to be cruelty-free, one of the things often overlooked is accessories. Many accessories contain animal products, and none more so than leather or suede belts. Luckily, you can find vegan leather belts for men available.
Best vegan leather belt for men
The days of suede and leather are over now that there are vegan leather belts available. These belts look just as good as leather ones in terms of style. And, they’re just as durable. Better still, many of them are sustainable and environmentally friendly too.
These days, there are numerous brands that offer vegan leather belts for men. So, no matter whether you need a stylish belt for a wedding or something casual for everyday wear, there’s a great vegan leather belt out there. Let’s take a look at some of the top vegan leather belts for men.
Taking a more detailed look into vegan belts for men
This company is 100% vegan and only uses cork in their leather. It’s one of the most eco-friendly options. And, the cork trees don’t get cut down during harvesting, meaning that they’re still there for the next harvest. Cork also doesn’t require much in the way of looking after — think fertilizer and water — making it one of the best options for the environment. Belts from Corkor come in different sizes, are reversible and come in black, brown or natural colors.
If you’re looking for men’s and women’s vegan leather belts, then this brand is a great option. The belts are generally classic in style, so they’re not going to go out of fashion any time soon. Most of the belts are black, so they’re going to match any outfit. Also, the company is carbon neutral, uses only natural or recycled materials for its belts, and has a recycling service for customers.
This vegan brand uses completely sustainable products for its belts. It uses a mix of different options including apple peel, pineapple, cactus, corn, and grape leather. The belt styles it offers are more classic and timeless. That being said there are vegan leather belts for men that suit both casual and professional wear. All their belts are black or brown with long buckles.
This brand is completely vegan and has a range of vegan leather products including bags. The range of men’s vegan belts comes with a variety of looks, styles, buckles and finishes. They use a microfibre-based material for the leather, which means this is one of the more durable, supple belt collections out there. Belt buckles are available in chrome, black chrome, gunmetal, and silver.
Better known for their shoes, nae also offers vegan leather belts for men. These belts come in a range of different styles. There’s even a braided leather belt which is one of the more unusual (and hard to find) vegan belt styles out there. All of their products are made in Spain and certified vegan by Peta — they use cork, pineapple, corn, recycled plastic, and more.
Made from apple skin, all Ashoka Paris belts look and feel very classic. They’re reversible and don’t come in the standard black and brown. Instead, blue and burgundy are the options here. Different sizes are available too, although there isn’t as wide a choice for men’s belts as there is for women’s.
This brand is all about minimalism, and it makes vegan belts for men in a simple style. They’re all super high quality and made from recycled plastic — Technik-Leather, which is 100% vegan and sustainably made. The only downside here is that there are currently only two belt styles available.
What are vegan belts made of?
While many of you may think that vegan belts are PVC, this is not the case. Instead, typical vegan belts for men are made of PU or polyurethane. PU is made from petroleum-based plastic. This means that there is quite a bit of impact on the environment and animals when this type of faux leather is used. This is why there are a growing number of plant-based faux leathers out there being used for vegan leather belts.
For instance, using recycled plastic for faux leather is a great option. This is because there is much less impact on the environment at this point. Instead of the plastic being dumped, it’s repurposed into something long-lasting, stylish, and durable.
However, the real breakthrough is with the aforementioned plant-based leathers. You can now find vegan leather belts for men made out of cork, cactus, pineapple fiber, mushrooms, grape skins, apple peel, and other fruit waste.
Is vegan leather durable?
Vegan leather can last a long time with care. Durability does depend on the type of vegan leather. For instance, plant-based leather can be as durable as animal leather. However, generally, PU leather is not as durable as real leather. It’s more prone to scuffs and tears over time. That being said, it’s actually resistant to cracking, which is something that happens with real leather.
What are the advantages of vegan leather?
Well, the main advantage of vegan leather is that it doesn’t use any animal products and is cruelty-free. There are, of course, different advantages when looking at PU vegan leather and plant-based vegan leather. The latter has more benefits and is what we will discuss here.
For instance, plant-based leathers are environmentally friendly. They can be made using plant or fruit waste. Additionally, they are quite durable. Finally, vegan leather tends to be uniform. This is because, unlike leather made from animal hide or skin, there are no ticks, blemishes, bites, and so on. As such, most of the leather can be used rather than discarded as it is with animal leather.
Is vegan leather cheaper than normal leather?
Yes, typically vegan leather is cheaper than normal leather. This is because some of the materials, such as pineapples or mushrooms, that are used to make the vegan leather take up a lot less space when growing. And, they age faster than animals do, which means that products to make vegan leather are available so much faster.
However, some plant-based leathers are still more expensive as the production process is still being refined. Mushroom leather is likely to become cheaper over time as it becomes mass-produced for example.
What is the toughest vegan leather?
One of the toughest vegan leathers is pineapple leather. This is created from the tough cellulose fibers of this plant. It’s durable and tough enough to be made into shoes, and this has been done by Nike.
Mushroom or mycelium leather is also very tough. It’s already been put to a range of different uses such as bags, shoes, and clothes.
Summary
Looking good and being ethical is now easier than ever. There is a wide range of different vegan belts for men available. If you’re going down the old-school route, then PU belts are an option. But, if you really want to embrace the vegan lifestyle and opt for something more environmentally friendly, then look at the different plant-based leathers coming to the market.
Whatever your preference, take a look at the different vegan belts for men right here.