The materials used when manufacturing fashion products matter a lot as they highly influence the quality and durability of these products.
Luxury fashion brands like Prada are only known to use materials of the highest quality, from the fabric to the hardware and even down to the zippers, which is why their products are so expensive.
Just by looking at a Prada bag, you’d know right off the bat that it is well-made and would last long.
Let’s check out the materials that Prada uses:
Here’s What Prada Uses In Their Products:
Most of the materials that Prada uses are faux fur, leather, gold, and even sheepskin. Prada manufactures other materials themselves to ensure consistency in quality. Although there are some materials that Prada sources from other manufacturers, they ensure materials are durable and of high quality.
Does Prada Still Use Real Fur?
Back then, fashion companies used real animal fur in different products made by luxury designer brands.
Why did high-end designer brands prefer real animal fur? This is because real fur provides incredible warmth without feeling too bulky or heavy. Plus, clothes made from real fur can look very luxurious.
Now, Prada no longer uses real fur.
This applies to all brands in the Prada Group. The brand has not used real animal fur in its products since the release of the 2020 Spring Summer women’s collection.
Prada’s only current animal products for its designs are leather and material left over from the meat trade. Examples of this are calfskins and sheepskins from animals used for meat products.
All existing products in the inventory made from real fur will be sold until those materials run out.
CEO Miuccia Prada said, “The Prada Group is committed to innovation and social responsibility. Our fur-free policy – reached following a positive dialogue with the Fur Free Alliance, in particular with LAV and the Humane Society of the United States – is an extension of this engagement.”
She also said that the company aims to use innovative materials that allow them to explore new boundaries of creative fashion design while meeting the demand for more sustainable and ethical products.
Does Prada Use Vegan Leather?
Since it started as a luxury leather goods company, Prada has been known for its leather products. Founder Mario Prada even invented and patented a type of leather exclusively used by Prada for its bags and shoes.
Prada currently does not use vegan leather.
For its leather products, Prada mainly uses Saffiano leather which is made from calf and is characterized by a cross-hatch pattern. It is also one of the most durable types of leather out there, as it was treated with wax to make it scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and easy to clean.
Even though Prada stopped using exotic animal skins and fur, they have not yet found any vegan alternative for leather without compromising the quality of their products.
Besides Saffiano leather, Prada also uses full-grain leather, commonly derived from cows, although it can also be derived from lambs and goats. Prada also uses suede for its other products.
Before, Prada used different types of leather and animal products considered exotic. Some examples of these materials include buffalo leather, wild boar skin, crocodile, ostrich, deerskin, and lizard skin.
Since the Spring Summer women’s collection of 2020, Prada has stopped using these materials.
While Prada is not a vegan company, it has some accidentally vegan products, like those bags made from Re-Nylon.
Does Prada Use Real Gold?
If you go on the Prada website, you’d see that the brand also sells fine jewelry like earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and other fashion accessories.
When it comes to jewelry, Prada uses real gold.
Prada offers a good selection of gold and white-gold jewelry for both men and women. These products have an exquisite style and are crafted using only the finest materials.
Gold jewelry by Prada is made using 18-carat gold and diamonds supplied by companies with Responsible Jewelry Council (RJC) certification.
The RJC is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2015. It aims to promote ethical and socially responsible practices in handling precious metals and stones.
The gold hardware on Prada bags is mostly made from metal plated with gold unless otherwise stated.
Does Prada Use Velcro?
For Prada bags, the most common type of closure used are zippers and buckles. It is not very common for Prada bags to have velcro closures.
However, Prada does use velcro in a few items.
One example is the Prada bag with sections, which was once popular. This bag allows customers to purchase velcro patches used to customize the bag. It’s a cool feature because the velcro patches come in many fun and colorful designs.
You can get velcro patches featuring the Prada logo, letters, and icons like rabbits, rockets, hearts, and robots. There was even an ‘I Love Prada’ patch.
What Zippers Does Prada Use?
Many Prada bags have a zipper closure unless it uses a nylon or leather pull. One way to tell the authenticity of a Prada bag is by looking at the zipper.
Zippers on Prada bags always have the brand name engraved on them. It’s tiny, and you would barely notice it immediately, but you’ll see it if you look closely at the zipper.
Even though Prada manufactures its zipper pulls, the actual zippers are sourced from third-party manufacturers.
Over the years, Prada has sourced its zippers from 5 different manufacturers:
- Lampo, an Italian zipper manufacturer
- YKK, short for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, is a Japanese zipper company
- Riri, a Swiss-based zipper company
- Opti, a British zipper manufacturer
- Ipi, an Italian zipper company
These are the top zipper companies in the world, and they supply zippers for many other luxury brands. These companies only use high-quality hardware made from gold-plated metal or stainless steel.
You would know which company the zipper is sourced from just by looking at the back of the zipper. It may be difficult to read because the letters are tiny, but you’d see it engraved somewhere on the zipper.
Does Prada Use RFID In Their Products?
RFID (radio-frequency identification) is a technology that is used widely for storing and tracking data. You may have heard of this term when shopping for bags.
Some bags have RFID, which is used for security. RFID helps protect you from people who skim bags to obtain information such as your passport details and credit card numbers to steal money from you.
Prada does not sell RFID bags. However, it still uses this technology in Prada stores.
The brand uses RFID smart labels, which are used to identify customers, staff members, and merchandise. This tagging system enhances the service while building customer loyalty to the stores.
This system is also used to identify all the Prada products that the customers bring inside the dressing room.
Stores are equipped with RFID readers to display information about the products on a touch screen display. On the screen, customers can see product specifications, items, and accessories that would go well with the product.
All of this helps a seamless shopping experience for Prada customers, which enhances customer relationship and build customer loyalty.
Check the website if you want to know more about the materials used in a specific Prada product. Prada is quite transparent about its materials, so you’re sure to find that information online.
Sources:
How To Spot Fake Prada Logo Bags: 7 Ways To Tell Real Handbags