Genius Natural Vegan Products from Plants
Nowadays many animal and synthetic products can be replaced with plant-based materials, which are produced using less energy and are also sustainable and recyclable. Most important is the fact, that animals no longer need to die for leather products like shoes, belt and bags. Not to harm any beings and producing only items, which are ethical ans sustainable, is part of HOLISTIC LIVING.
The best thing about products from plants is the fact, that they are almost or as robust and durable like real leather. According to Infinium Global Research’s February 2021 market report, the global vegan leather market is expected to reach an annual growth rate of 48.1 percent in 2026. High Fashion Brands like Gucci and Adidas use vegan materials since many years.
Mode aus veganen Leder
Naturally Products from plants: Mushroom Leather
For good leather, we no longer need the skin of animals. There are many producers, who manufacture the finest bags and shoes from vegan leather. A popular source are mushrooms, which grow back within two weeks and are easy to cultivate and process.
Mushroom leather is a genius leather alternative, that is made from Mycelium, the root system of mushrooms. With the right growing conditions and processing, it creates an amazing eco-friendly, petroleum-free, soft, durable leather-like material. Mushroom leather is currently storming the fashion industry, especially when it comes to shoes and bags.
The mycelia of mushrooms grow on agricultural waste. This creates a foam-like surface structure, which gets chemically and mechanically processed into a leather-like material. There are attempts to let the mushrooms grow on cotton to increase the quality of the mushroom leather.
One of the main mushroom leather suppliers is Mushroom Leather Supply Co. The company Tamaris developed a material called HyphaLite™, which is out of mushroom, natural rubber and cellulose fibers, from which they manufacture sandals and other things.
Sustainable Materials for the Benefit of Nature
Natural Vegan Products: Pineapple Leather
Another leather from plants is made from pineapple leaves, which are left overs from harvesting. Wonderful tear-resistant, breathable and soft pineapple leather are produced from the leaves, which has to be coated with polyurethane, to ensure the longevity of the product. The company Ecoalf use pineapple leather for their products.
Natural Vegan Products: Apple Leather
Leather can also be made from apples, using the trester. These are the residues, which are left behind after the production of apple juice. The trester is mixed with polyurethane and applied on cotton. From apple leather, shoes, bags and furniture can be made. The company Beyond Leather works with apple leather under the name LEAP®.
Natural Products from plants: Cactus Leather
Another leather from plants is the breathable and durable cactus leather from the prickly fique cactus in Mexico. The cactus fibers are also mixed with polyurethane for better durability and applied on cotton and other textiles. The advantage of cactus products is, that they can be grown in regions with less water. They also need very little water for their growth. Wallets and belts are made from cactus leather, for example by the company Fossil.
Fashion made from Banana fibers
Since a while it is possible to produce textiles from plant waste, for example from banana fibers. The Swiss company QWSTION developed a robust, tear-resistant and durable material from the fibers of abaca banana plants. The brand name is Bananatex. The plants are growing in the Philippines. The great thing about this is, that the plants can be cultivated in permaculture, which means, they do not require water, fertilizers or pesticides.
Bananatex is a real alternative to synthetic materials. The company itself uses the material for their own bag production and also offer other companies to use it for their products. As part of an open source project, great brands such as Stella McCartney, H&M and MCM Worldwide use Bananatex textiles. The product range extends from shoes, bags to fashion.
Natural Plastic from Plants
We need strong materials, which are vegan, sustainable and easy to recycle. There are straws made from cane sugar or avocado seeds by the company ECOWARE from India. They also produce plates, cutlery and tablets from plant materials.
