I must have missed something…

Is it leather? Writes on LinkedIn: We’ve banned plastic straws. We’re phasing out disposable coffee cups. Single-use bags are becoming social faux pas. All in the name of sustainability – and rightfully so.

But then I walk into a high-end boutique and see a $300 handbag proudly labeled “vegan leather.” Or shoes tagged “eco-synthetic.” Or jackets made of something called “bio-based premium polymer.” Let’s be real—these are just fancy names for… plastic.

So we advocate and turn away from the dastardly impact of a plastic straw, but don’t think twice about buying a plastic coat, purse or car interior that delivers a thousand times more damaging impact than a straw. Incredulous.

Somehow, we’ve managed to rebrand fossil fuels as fashion. Not because it’s better. But because it feels better. And while we’re celebrating the end of the plastic straw, we’re spending hundreds on petrochemical-based products that are being sold to us as “kind” and “conscious” but actually tear apart the environment on a much grander scale.

This is the greenwashing paradox we’re living in.

Meanwhile, there’s been perfectly good material here the whole time:

• Natural
• Durable
• Biodegradable
• A byproduct of the food industry

It’s called 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 – not a marketing gimmick, not a trend, and definitely not something that needs glitter to be special.

Leather is what sustainability actually looks like:

• It uses what already exists.
• It diverts waste from landfill.
• It lasts for decades, not just seasons.
• It grows more beautiful with age (which is more than we can say for most things in our closets).

And yet, it’s being vilified under the guise of “animal-free” labeling — as if throwing hides away is somehow more ethical.

So yes, please keep skipping the plastic straw in your cocktail. But maybe pause before buying a handbag made of the same material — and calling it sustainable.

Because real eco-consciousness doesn’t come from catchy tags or guilt-free marketing. It comes from honest choices.