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“Aulive came into being because, in a world where technology has evolved so much, I could not wrap my head around the loss of animal life for fashion,” Wamika Shekhawat stresses. This is the reason she co-founded Aulive with her husband, Yashraj V. Rathor. Launched in July 2017, Aulive currently has a limited selection of vegan, cruelty-free leather products including weekender bags, laptop sleeves, tan backpacks and gorgeous trunks in bright, happy colours that we’re itching to get our hands on. Retailing primarily through Instagram and their website, the brand has a two-fold, overarching vision–to offer an alternative to conscious consumers, while simultaneously raising awareness about artificial, ethical leather.
An MBA-turned-entrepreneur, Wamika has always been fascinated by the look and feel of genuine leather, but, she says with a shudder that’s perceptible even over a phone call, it only takes a couple of YouTube videos to question the production process. While the debate over the use of artificial leather versus PU leather (or pleather) has picked up steam over the last few years, choosing one over the other is about perspective according to Wamika. Still, a quick look-see at their Instagram handle, that is peppered with both research-found facts and aesthetic shots of their product range, makes it abundantly clear that as far as appearance goes, the differences are barely visible.
The future of leather is definitely evolving and in case you’re going “Pfft” because you’ve been on board the pleather train for a while, mushroom leather (Muskin) has already been discovered and is produced in small quantities. Keep in mind, though, that it may be a while before you can throw a Muskin backpack over your shoulder. In the meantime, it’s worth looking into Aulive if you’re trying to make more ethical shopping decisions.
Their sturdy laptop sleeves start at INR 1,000.
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