When it comes to constructing a product for maximum longevity; the materials matter. These raw components are what take an item from zero to hero, so to speak. You need to use the best of the best, if you want something to last the trials and tribulations life will throw at it.
A lot items that are labelled 'Leather Wallet' or 'Leather Bag' or 'Real Leather', more often than not have more of a different material making it up, than Leather itself. Many well known manufactures use fabric/plastic liners when making their products. This is detrimental to the environment as it will not decompose properly, even if it is mixed with a bio-product, such as cotton/canvas.
When it comes to my products, I only construct them using a 100% Leather build. This helps with the overall longevity and the environment, which I will get into. Using materials that are part plastic, part plant based is not helpful to the environment.
So supporting companies that use 'Vegan Leather' or any other clever play on words, is a bad move on your behalf. Unless you can clearly see the transparency of the material in question, then you're never sure if it really made entirely from plant matter, or plastic.
More often than not, these 'vegan leathers' have some kind of PU (polyurethane) or plastic substance infused into the bio product. This changes the product from being 'circular' too being 'linear'. You can learn more about what this means, here.
This is why it is best to support materials that can be reused, repurposed and recycled back into the world we all love and use.
Leather is one of these items.