The price per yard of suede fabric varies based on the production method and quality of this kind of natural material. But the typical price range for real suede fabric is $30–40 per yard.
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The key factor contributing to the popularity of synthetic suede is its much lower cost compared to genuine suede. Since several varieties of synthetic suede range in price from $8 to $12 per yard, small clothing and accessory makers without access to large working capital sources may now more easily afford suede replacements like Ultrasuede and Alcantara.
Which Kinds of Suede Fabric Are Available?
Although there is only one kind of genuine suede, there are a few substitute fabrics that can be called suede in specific situations.
1. Suede
Even though there are a lot of suede substitutes available, only diaper leather made from animal tallow is truly suede.
2. Ultrasuede
One of the earliest suede substitutes to hit the market was ultrasuede. The majority of Ultrasuede variants, created in 1970 by Japanese scientist Miyoshi Okamoto, are made of 80% polyester microfibre and 20% polyurethane plastic. In contrast to suede derived from animals, Ultrasuede is machine-washable and tumble-dried.
3. Alcântara
Ultrasuede is also sold under the trade name Alcantara. It was created as a joint venture between the Italian company Alcantara and the Japanese company Toray Industries. Alcantara is machine-washable, much as this comparable synthetic fabric, and it is nearly equal to Ultrasuede. Alcantara is more frequently seen in high-end car interiors and the linings of designer handbags, whereas Ultrasuede is more frequently employed in commercial and general consumer applications.
4. Silk Suede
Silk could theoretically be chemically treated to give it a suede-like texture. All the advantages of silk are present in sueded silk, and unlike regular suede, sueded silk may be machine washed.
5. Cotton Suede
Sueded cotton, like sueded silk, is treated with a chemical technique that gives its outer surface a rougher, suede-like appearance. It is possible to machine wash this kind of fabric.
What Is the Environmental Impact of Suede Fabric?
In general, suede cloth has very little environmental effect. Because suede is a naturally occurring animal fiber, it decomposes naturally and does not accumulate in the planet’s fragile ecosystems or exacerbate the microfibre epidemic.
Concerns have been expressed, meanwhile, about how the animals used to produce suede fabric are treated by animal rights advocates and other pertinent organizations. For campaigners, the idea that animals must be murdered in order to produce leather materials is especially troubling. When leather is collected, most of the animal’s other parts are also used; but, in extremely rare situations, the remaining portion of the animal is thrown away, which is extremely wasteful.
Only when an animal is exploited in its whole can the production of leather be considered environmentally sustainable. Sheep, cows, and goats—animals raised for leather—consume copious quantities of food and water. Additionally, big animal breeding can negatively impact the soil and adjacent ecosystems if appropriate land management practices are not followed.
Aside from ethical and land-use issues, one of the greenest methods of producing textiles is through the manufacture of leather goods like suede. The growth of plant-based fibers typically needs the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, while the creation of synthetic fibers generally requires the use of fossil fuels, and these fibers are not biodegradable.
As long as appropriate breeding and production practices are followed, animal fibers—like suede—have a negligible environmental impact since they are renewable and biodegradable. Although the manufacture of suede is not naturally ecologically friendly, growers of this fiber must adhere to stringent organic agricultural practices to minimize any unintentional harm to the environment.