I have been following a vegan diet for many years. However, Dolfie's collections include leather shoes—a contradiction I have reflected on deeply and about which I am frequently asked questions.
Not everyone may agree with my answer. As long as the food industry exists, leather will continue to be one of its byproducts. The leather we use at Dolfie comes from this source, and we choose to work with it because of its quality, durability, and ability to last for years.
Many alternatives marketed as “plant-based leather” are made from apples, grapes, cacti, corn, or other plant-based ingredients. These are interesting innovations, but some require synthetic components, such as polyurethane, to achieve the necessary strength and flexibility. Therefore, just because a material is plant-based does not necessarily mean it is plastic-free or that its environmental impact is lower.
This does not mean that we reject alternatives to leather. At Dolfie, we continue to research natural and recycled materials that can offer the quality, functionality, and durability we seek.
Our "Save the Ocean" project grew out of that research, using a fabric made from recovered plastic to give existing waste a new purpose.
For us, sustainability isn't about choosing a label. It's about understanding where each material comes from, how it's made, how long it will last, and what happens to it at the end of its useful life.
We continue to learn and look for better alternatives, even though there isn't a perfect solution yet.
– Bárbara de Assis, Co-founder of Dolfie
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