Leather: exploring alternatives.

#materials #ecofriendly #sustainable #leather #alternatives #cactuskeather #pineappleleather #grapesleather #bananaleather #culture #knoeledge #fashion

All material are amazing, have pros and cons some of leather options:

Mushroom Leather: To make this material, example Mylo (Bolttreads), they process to grow mycelium 100% renewable energy and transformed it into a material that looks and feels like animal leather. Mushrooms are the fruit of mycelium, which is a sprawling, infinitely renewable, interlaced web that threads through soil, plants, and other trees.

ADVANTAGES: Soft, supple, and less harmful to the environment, strong and abration resistant, no animal, grow in matter of weeks, low cost compare others. Mylo is everything you love about leather, without everything you don’t" they said and I think they are the most transparent in how say about mterial you want know more check the website.

WHO MADE: BOLTTTREADS, MYKOWORKS, MUSHROOMLEATHERSUPPLY

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: You need to throw in the textiles garbage, then anybody knows whats going to happen, how separate, maybe send again with the company, or what?. Reality we need to be concsious is our responsability too.

Cactus Leather: made base plant and others natural ingredients including PLA (is a type of polyester). made from renewable biomass, typically from fermented plant starch like corn, cassava, sugarcane, product require 65% less energy during the manufacturing process)

ADVANTAGES: low maintenance, waterproof, partially biodegradable (back with poliesyer, cotton or cactus), soft leather, making for fashion, cars and furniture, no animal, they say "Our cactus thrives on rainwater and locally abundant minerals, eliminating the need for an irrigation system"

DURABILITY:The producers of cactus material estimate the longevity of cactus leather to be around 10 years, when cared for properly.

WHO MADE: Desserto

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: You need to throw in the textiles garbage, then anybody knows whats going to happen, how separate, maybe send again with the company, or what?

Grape Leather: To make wine need to recolect the waste of wine productions and then starts by extracting bio-oil from the grape seeds, then the rest of the grape materials dry, to then get polymerized combined all together. The bio-based product is then coated onto organic cotton fabric. The final product is made from 78 percent eco-composite organic cotton and 22 percent water based PU (Polyurethane).

ADVANTAGES: soft, smooth, stable, sustainable the most they can, water resistant and scratch resisitant, and you can remove dirt and residue gently using warm soapy water.

DURABILITY: is hard but we do not find the time (years) can use.

WHO MADE: VEGEA

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: You need to throw in the textiles garbage, then anybody knows whats going to happen, how separate, maybe send again with the company, or what?

Pineapple Leather: plant-based, non-woven material made from pineapple leaf fibre, which offers a sustainable and vegan leather that can be used across a wide range of applications within the footwear, accessories, apparel and interiors industries. 72% pineapple leaf fiber waste is used certificat company, more in the webpage.

ADVANTAGES: soft touch, mostly endure 4 year's, looks with texture really original, not good submerging in water cuase damage, more ethical alternative to tradicional leather. wipe clean only, support sustainable agriculture

DURABILITY: can have a long lifespan, mostly endure 4 year's, when cared for properly.

WHO MADE: ANANAS ANAM

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: You need to throw in the textiles garbage, then anybody knows whats going to happen, how separate, maybe send again with the company, or what?

Banana Leather: Banofi banana crop waste directly from farmers, who would otherwise discard it. From this waste, we extract fibers, which serve as our primary raw material. These fibers are combined with a blend of natural gums and adhesives, and finished with layers of colors and coatings. This material is then coated onto a fabric backing, resulting in a durable and robust material that is 80-90% biobased.

ADVANTAGES: applications across fashion, furniture, automotives and packaging industries, soft and comfortable to wear, alternative animal leather.

DURABILITY: from 2 year's to 4 year's when cared for properly

WHO MADE: BANOFI, BANHIDE,

Apple Leather: also known as AppleSkin, is a bio-based material made using the leftover pomace and peel from the fruit juice and compote industry. The apple leather used in our products is made using 50% apple waste mixed with 50% PU, coated onto a cotton/polyester canvas.

Apple Leather is being used to produce shoes, bags, belts, wallets, accessories, labels, clothes, furniture, decoration automotive and many more…

ADVANTAGE different types of textures, it's vegan, durable, waterproof, eco-friendly (using the waste of apple), no animal.

DURABILITY: 1 year to 2 years when cared properly.

WHO MADE: Apple Leather

Plastic Leather or Vegan Leather: is usually made of PVC sintetic thermoplastic, Faux leather poliester or PU polyurethane. for example convencional polyester is making with crude oil (more natural but more expensive material) but when is a commercial production added ethynele or other chemistry's then damage our skin and the planet.

ADVANTAGE: can be very strong, the price can be affordable, but example when you use for making shoes with the movement of the foot, the plastic structure, since it does not have the molding structure, breaks easily.

DURABILITY: but example when you use for making shoes with the movement of the foot, the plastic structure, since it does not have the molding structure, breaks easily. Leather plastic 1 or 2 year's.

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: most of the plastic can be recycle if doesn't mix with a lot of different plastics but no more than 3 times because lose properties and need to mix with new plastic. There are companies who recycle and convert in material o products again.

Animal Leather: from different animals has different qualities some more hard and others more soft for different uses. the skin used to make leather comes from animals raised for their meat. In that sense, it uses a byproduct from another industry.

ADVANTAGES

Resistance: leathers are very resistant to cuts, breaks, etc., which makes them a material in high demand.

Flexibility: Despite its notorious resistance, leather is a flexible and comfortable material.

Insulating: leather garments offer the advantage that they insulate temperatures.

Malleability: they are excellent to work with as they adopt the desired shapes and cuts.

WHO MADE: can fine several fabrics some with sustainability certification less waste of water, less chemistry's, better conditions for animals, etc.

DURABILITY: Leather pieces can last decades (several generations) in excellent condition.

END OF THE PRODUCT, HOW RECYCLE: You need to throw in the textiles garbage, can be separate and there are companies who check, clean and sale again this magnificent material, so you can use again.

Every material is exceptional, regardless of the current challenges like overpopulation leading to excessive demand. Whether derived from animals, plants, synthetics, or artificial sources, they all have the potential to cause harm if not appreciated, cherished, and respected. It is crucial to shift our mindset from blaming materials to taking responsibility for our actions.

I greatly appreciate all the companies producing these materials as they play a crucial role in job creation and providing us with a variety of options. A designer's primary duty is to craft exceptional products, while it is the responsibility of the consumer to ensure proper care of the product and where going to end.