Best Conditioner for Vegan Leather

[afadeev]

there won't be surplus cow hides - especially as high end automotive leather is near purpose bred (no barbed wires, no mosquito/ fly bites/ scars) and a big $$$ maker for certain ranchers. nearly as much as meat. if leather demand goes down - it changes the economics and less cattle is bred.

Not sure I buy that argument.
The meat from the "leather bread" cows is not thrown out, it still goes into the food supply chain. As long as the food portion of demand on cows exceeds leather economy demand, limiting application of leather surfaces will have no impact on cow breeding economy. It might move the cow breeding from leather focused (more expensive) to meat focused (cheaper), but the meat will still be produced to match the demand.

Refusing to use leather for car seats doesn't save any cows, but it does make your butt sweat and slide more.
And it allows Elon to look pretty with PETA, at the expense of your comfort.

Enjoy! (since you don't have any choice)

a

 

[TarmacSurfer]

All You Need To Know About Vegan Leather

Incredibly biased source. I like the vegan leather because don’t like the idea of animals being slaughtered to be used as a product. It’s a revolting idea. Sure, vegan leather isn’t environmentally perfect (what is?) but it’s far, far more humane.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

Not sure I buy that argument.
The meat from the "leather bread" cows is not thrown out, it still goes into the food supply chain. As long as the food portion of demand on cows exceeds leather economy demand, limiting application of leather surfaces will have no impact on cow breeding economy. It might move the cow breeding from leather focused (more expensive) to meat focused (cheaper), but the meat will still be produced to match the demand.

Refusing to use leather for car seats doesn't save any cows, but it does make your butt sweat and slide more.
And it allows Elon to look pretty with PETA, at the expense of your comfort.

Enjoy! (since you don't have any choice)

a

what doesn't make your butt sweat and slide are vented seats... not leather or "vegan leather".

automotive leather at the "Tesla level" (and below) is very very rarely fine and uncoated leather (which does require a lot of maintenance and conditioning to keep it from cracking/ discoloring etc.) Typically it's a thin layer of leather *heavily* coated with some kind of polymer to make it durable and maintenance free. you will sweat on that leather just as nice as on "vegan leather".

 

[afadeev]

what doesn't make your butt sweat and slide are vented seats... not leather or "vegan leather".

In my experience, leather seats grip and breath better than cheap-o plastic alternatives.
Same goes for leather steer wheels.

Vented seats also work great. The combination of the two would be ideal. Either 1 of the 2 would be an improvement over what we get from Tesla.

automotive leather at the "Tesla level"

To be clear "Tesla level" plastic / PU / vinyl seats are the very bottom of material food chain when it comes to automotive surfaces.

is very very rarely fine and uncoated leather (which does require a lot of maintenance and conditioning to keep it from cracking/ discoloring etc.) Typically it's a thin layer of leather *heavily* coated with some kind of polymer to make it durable and maintenance free.

Types of leather is a very interesting subject, indeed.
There are LOTs of leather sources (calves, lambs, kid goats, pigs, bison, buffalo ... to name but a few) and variations: natural grain or full-grain, processing, tanning, pigmentation, and embossing variations in the market. If one is curious, this is a good place to peruse:

Car leather - www.leather-dictionary.com - The Leather Dictionary

www.leather-dictionary.com

I have leather in all my other current cars, and all the cars I've had since the college days (cloth seats in that car). Never EVER had a cheap plastic surfaces on my seats until I got a Tesla. Sadly, it's inferior.

My current oldest car is 2015 MY (2014 calendar) F80 M3. It has real, quality Merino leather, not some veneer, as you suggested.
Leather surfaces get rudimentary cleaning and conditioning every other year, nothing more. I spend <5% of the time on cleaning and maintaining the interior vs. exterior of the car. The leather seats are superbly supportive, comfortable, and show zero signs of wear after 8 years in service.

Leather surfaces can be done well, and it can be done right.
Tesla doesn't bother.

you will sweat on that leather just as nice as on "vegan leather".

That's not been my experience. Quiet the opposite - leather breathes better than plastic fantastic cheap-o surfaces.
And it's not "vegan leather".
It's PU plastic *sugar*.

Enjoy! (since you don't have any choice)

 

[afadeev]

Incredibly biased source.

Really, how so?
Because their information doesn't align with your political agenda?

I like the vegan leather because don’t like the idea of animals being slaughtered to be used as a product. It’s a revolting idea.

Leather is natural, and renewable. As are plants.
Oil is not. Neither are oil-derived products, like PU/"vegan leather".

It sure make for a fascinating study in hypocrisy, when a person who promotes EV adoption for transportation is simultaneously promoting adoption of non-renewable oil-based materials to go into those EVs,


a

 

[stopcrazypp]

Really, how so?
Because their information doesn't align with your political agenda?



Leather is natural, and renewable. As are plants.
Oil is not. Neither are oil-derived products, like PU/"vegan leather".

It sure make for a fascinating study in hypocrisy, when a person who promotes EV adoption for transportation is simultaneously promoting adoption of non-renewable oil-based materials to go into those EVs,

Leather isn't exactly environmentally friendly or necessarily sustainable either (depends on chemicals used, or if really the meat cattle is enough to supply all leather supply or if there are cattle bred specifically or primarily for the leather that otherwise would not be bred).
Leather - Wikipedia
Leather production processes - Wikipedia

I personally have nothing against either (either pales in comparison to burning gasoline to drive).

 

[TarmacSurfer]

Just because something is “renewable” doesn’t mean it’s a perfect choice. The best choices (to me anyway) are those that minimize cost to the world using overall environmental impact, net energy use and creation or elimination of suffering as their currencies.

Anything humans do - any choice we make - will always have an impact. There will be some cost. That’s a given. That said, we should strive to make the best choices we can, which is why I’m vegan and also why I don’t support the exploitation of animals or their treatment as “products”. IMO we humans are horrible in the way we treat animals, rationalizing barbarism and cruelty (meat production) because of mindless convention and because a multi-billion-dollar industry has brainwashed us into thinking its somehow healthy, desirable and necessary for our survival (it’s not).

I didn’t buy a Tesla because it’s zero impact - I bought it because it’s LESS impact, and selfishly because I wanted to get rid of my gasoline car once I foresaw gas prices going through the roof with the election of a Democratic administration in 2020 (which they of course now have). I also like Tesla as a company (American manufacturer, forward-thinking, etc.). I’m unapologetically a shareholder who sees Tesla as an innovative and pretty smart company that’s trying to upend an industry (car manufacturing) that has become very stodgy and set in its ways. I love that they do 100% online ordering without a need for conventional “dealerships”, that they don’t rely on commissioned salespeople, that they actually listen to their engineers over bean counters for decisions, etc. These are all very positive and refreshing things to see (on top of having something actually being made here now - in America, by Americans).

If Tesla was REALLY concerned about making the most environmentally friendly product they could, they would provide cloth / textile seats, not even vegan leather. Im sure this is a choice driven by identity / image (cloth seats are stigmatized as “cheap” rightly or wrongly and knowing they’re delivering cars with price tags north of $50k means they know that customers will expect something that looks higher-end, not econo-box-ish). Given a choice of a petrochemical based synthetic and the skin of some animal who was likely treated horribly its entire life and then dragged into a slaughterhouse to be killed so it could have the skin peeled from its body, I’ll take the synthetic six days a week and twice on Sunday.

Is vegan leather a perfect solution? Of course not. It’s simply better because it’s more humane and overall decreases the amount of suffering and misery in the world. That’s a good thing.

 

[JetDriver05]

Can I just use baby wipes to wipe down the seats and trim? Since the seats are not leather, I don’t think there’s a need to use a for leather product, but I’m a new owner so I’m not sure.

Will wipes protect and preserve the interior better or equal to some of the products mentioned here?

 

[dmurphy]

Can I just use baby wipes to wipe down the seats and trim? Since the seats are not leather, I don’t think there’s a need to use a for leather product, but I’m a new owner so I’m not sure.

Will wipes protect and preserve the interior better or equal to some of the products mentioned here?

Yep, that’ll be fine. No leather products needed - it’s pretty easy to keep clean!

 

[Darmie]

Yep, that’ll be fine. No leather products needed - it’s pretty easy to keep clean!

.. and just like that, we're back on topic.

 

[holmgang]

There is no cow in the world that is bred and used for its hide where its flesh is discarded. It's an absurd notion against all senses that are common. Leather demand lags Meat demand. It's a byproduct. As long as people eat beef, there will be cowhide tanned into leather, and whether or not you participate in leather consumption does not change industrialized cattle production.

Fabric is grippier than any hide but to most people does not elicit a notion of luxury.

 

[holmgang]

there won't be surplus cow hides - especially as high end automotive leather is near purpose bred (no barbed wires, no mosquito/ fly bites/ scars) and a big $$$ maker for certain ranchers. nearly as much as meat. if leather demand goes down - it changes the economics and less cattle is bred.

The volume and economics do not support a 'purpose bred high end' leather cattle. Imagine these special lucky cows -- even humans in Texas aren't free from mosquito bites!!!

Whether for an expensive car or haute couture products, the leather gets treated/corrected such that the imperfections are removed. That's why the surface of a Bentley seat or a Hermes purposes looks perfectly and completely uniform. No cow skins come out that way.

That they're also thin and supple is a clue. The ultrathick stuff used for 'manlier' products like heavy bags and belts will show the imperfections from the hide, because it's the full hide.

 

[Tezzie]

303 cleaner followed by 303 protectant. I just leave the protectant on and don't wipe if off like the directions say.

303 multi surface cleaner or 303 interior cleaner?

 

[metroplex]

I do not recommend Lexol vinyl protectant or 303 protectant on the interior surfaces. They leave it super slick and greasy because of the silicone content (check the MSDS). I normally trust 303 to rubber and plastics though, but don't recommend it on any surfaces where you want some traction.

Some here recommended Meguairs Interior quik detailer, 303 3 in 1 leather, Cockpit Premiu , and I tried them with OK results. No slippery sheen left behind etc

But on my 2017 Ford Fusion I tried my go to Lexol #2 leather conditioner on the steering wheel and seats and could notice a softer feel to the leather along with more grip. As far as I know Ford uses pleather as well. I may try the Lexol conditioner in the Tesla.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Since "vegan leather" is oil based has anyone tried Mobil 1? I figure 5/20 would be the right viscosity for winter, then 20/50 in summer to keep the "vegan leather" pliable

 

[metroplex]

So I gave the Lexol #2 a try on the Tesla interior. None of the surfaces would really take to the Lexol like the Fusion Sport interior. The Lexol would make the Ford leather steering wheel "softer" and tackier/grippier, same with the center console cover and seat bolsters (Ford uses Miko suede inserts on the center panels for the Fusion Sport).

The Meguiar's Quik Interior detailer and 303 Leather 3-in-1 still seems to work best on the Tesla interior.

 

[nicchs]

Not sure if this is a conditioner but will be trying this to see if seats stay clean.

GYEON Quartz LeatherShield​

 

[metroplex]

Not sure if this is a conditioner but will be trying this to see if seats stay clean.

GYEON Quartz LeatherShield​

I used that on the Tesla seats based on online reviews, and used that on my Ford leather/pleather surfaces. Seems to work good but made my Tesla black vegan leather surfaces look "dry". Any body/hand oils would "stain" it. Seems to work very well for the white surfaces though.
It's more of a protectant than a conditioner.

 

[Huskyfan]

What is the best conditioner for the vegan leather seats and also the dash and door panels? I use ONR for cleaning but want something to condition and keep them a dark, deep black. Any recommendations with links would be awesome.

I tried to search but couldn’t find much for this. Thanks!

Best conditioner for vegan leather is to replace it with real soft comfortable and durable real leather. Did that in my 2020 M3P. Best money I’ve ever spent.

 

[Huskyfan]

You need to use humanely sourced vegan Mink oil

I heard the humanely sourced vegan mink oil is milked from the mammary glands of the female mink, then the oil is centerfuged to separate the oil from the mink oil. Is that true?