Going Vegan With My Guitar Straps
Published On: 11-09-2011 04:36pm
Comments: 0 - Hits: 63
This is the first year anyone has ever asked me to customize their guitar strap by making it "vegan." I have been aware that there's a trend toward vegan everything, including guitar straps, but have resisted until this year, preferring real leather, with a special affection for suede because it is so darn tough and looks so good. But, as the old saying goes, "You snooze, you lose," so when I received the request, I went off to research my options.
My greatest concern was the durability of synthetic substitutes. My guitar straps are not cheap and they absolutely have to last. Aside from any artistic considerations, the most important thing to me when I make and sell a guitar strap is that the buyer gets their money's worth, and that is especially important with the leather tabs. A pulled thread is one thing but a torn tab renders the strap useless, and that is completely unacceptable.
So, I started doing my research and Heaven knows there's a lot on the market but it's aimed primarily at the furniture industry. I got a lot of samples, did a lot of testing, and settled on what I think is the most durable material. Here are the problems that have to be overcome with synthetic tabs.
First, because they are "furniture" based, they have an elasticity that just won't do for a guitar strap. When people are sitting on furniture, you want the fabric to give a little. If it doesn't, it will eventually tear. That is not the case with a strap tab. If it stretches, you run the risk of it slipping off the strap button, even if you use strap locks. So, an elastic guitar tab is not going to work over time. The second problem is tensile strength. How much tension can it take before it tears? The punched hole of a guitar strap takes a lot of downward weight from the instrument and from the person pushing on the instrument while playing it. If it can't take the weight and pressure, it will tear, and that's the end of your guitar strap. The aesthetics are also a consideration. When leather is stained, the dye goes all the way through the leather layer. Synthetic materials have a stained layer but is subject to color damage from rubbing, so they undergo a "rub test" to assess how much use it can take before any damage becomes apparent. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, how much does it cost? Can I make an equally good strap for the same price or less? If I can't, how much more is a person willing to pay to have a vegan strap?
In the end, I found a material that I think serves my purpose well. It's tensile strength is rated "Excellent" and the rub test was over 100,000. It is also the least elastic synthetic I could find. Just to be on the safe side, I reinforce it with a cross piece inside the tab because I still don't trust it. As I get feedback from customers who have one of my vegan straps, maybe I will be more at ease with vegan straps. I don't know if vegan is a trend or a flash in the pan and I'm not ready to sink a lot of money into it just yet. But, at least I have now entered the 21st century in terms of offering what people want to buy, and making it the best possible product I can offer, and I do feel pretty good about that.
