Is it leather? Writes on LinkedIn: What we call “affordable luxury” is rarely either. It’s fast, fleeting, and destined for the one place it does last: the landfill.

Picture an hourglass—not filled with sand, but with jackets, handbags, and boots made from “vegan leather,” “bio-based PU,” or some other rebranded form of plastic.

As time passes, those items fall. And as they do, they crack, peel, and disintegrate—leaving behind nothing but microplastic dust and waste.

This is what happens to limited, low-quality “luxury.” It doesn’t age. It doesn’t endure. It doesn’t get passed down. It doesn’t get repaired. It gets replaced.

And here’s the twist: many of these items are marketed as “sustainable alternatives” – with sleek fonts, recycled hangtags, and lofty promises. But peel back the label, and what you’re left with is a disposable product made from petroleum that can’t be recycled, composted, or even meaningfully reused.

We’ve confused “conscious consumerism” with clever marketing.

True sustainability doesn’t come from faster trends or cheaper materials. It comes from designing for the long haul. From using what already exists. From making less, and making it last.

A real leather jacket can last 20, 30, even 50 years. A fake one? Maybe two seasons, if you’re lucky – and then it starts flaking like pastry.

So if you’re going to spend your money on anything, fashion or otherwise, ask yourself: Does this last beyond the moment?
Or will it crumble and pass quickly like the sands of time?