About Polyurethane

We only incorporate polyurethane into our collections if it is recycled, closed loop, certifiable in some way, or only makes up a very small component of the product.

Polyurethane (otherwise known as PU) is a vegan leather alternative to both traditional leather and PVC. Polyurethane is durable and takes significantly less resources to process than leather, but it has drawbacks, especially when it is not used responsibly. It's made from oil, it does not biodegrade and can often be processed with harmful chemicals.

We have a separate materials guide for Recycled Polyurethane (GRS Certified).

Shop brands responsibly working with Polyurethane

The brands on Ethos working with polyurethane have displayed their commitment to responsibly working with this material.
Initiatives include repair programs, certifications against the use of harmful chemicals, or having end of life programs.
Sort by
  • Featured
  • Best selling
  • Alphabetically, A-Z
  • Alphabetically, Z-A
  • Price, low to high
  • Price, high to low
  • Date, old to new
  • Date, new to old