It’s soft. It’s vegan. It looks just like leather. It’s also made from fossil fuels. An explosion in the use of inexpensive, petroleum-based materials has transformed the fashion industry ...

From vegan leather and faux fur to synthetic silk and worries over wool, we look at their effect on the environment; Reading Time: 4 minutes. Why you can trust SCMP. Melissa Twigg.

I get it. You want to walk around the city in comfy sneakers that look elevated and cool, and leather kicks are the way to go. But the thing is, leather isn’t great on the environment.

Plant-based leather is having a moment, from Allbirds’ sneakers made using eucalyptus tree fibre to grape-waste shoes by Pangaia and partly mushroom-based bags from Hermès.