Fruit leathers

As an unprecedented transition to more ethical fashion takes place, new materials are being developed. Indeed, the development of plant-based transformation processes offers a real opportunity. On the one hand, this offers an alternative to animal leather and, on the other, reduces the environmental impact of the textile industry. Find out more about these vegan materials that are gaining momentum on the market.

The potential of fruit leathers towards a circular economy

Right now, the textile industry has never been so polluting. Producers and consumers are therefore changing their habits. While consumers are expressing a desire to consume sustainably, producers are looking for ecological alternatives to meet environmental challenges.

Animal leather is therefore being debated. Animal cruelty, deforestation and the overuse of water and chemicals are all factors that point to the harmful consequences of leather production.

In order to offer a cruelty-free alternative, brands are looking at an unusual solution: a vegan leather-like material made from fruit. Today, nearly 10 million tons of food are thrown away in France every year. And nearly ⅔ of this waste is fruit and vegetables. This disastrous observation is even pushing the food industry to turn to textile production from its waste. Thus, these materials, in addition to being innovative, come out on top by participating in the circular economy. A real leap forward for a sustainable ecological transition.

Examples of fruit leathers

Today, there are many fruit leathers available on the market. They can be found in the form of jackets or even shoes: the possibilities are endless. Like any other innovative fabric of this kind, fabrics made from plant fibres can even be printed in order to meet trends. Here are some examples of these environmentally friendly biomaterials.

Apple leather

Apple leather is made from waste materials that are turned into pulp and then into a product. With a quarter of its production wasted by the food industry, apples can be used to create a strong, easy to work with vegan fabric. From stiff to very flexible, several effects are also possible. Silky or rough, apple leather is an eco-responsible alternative that is aesthetically similar to faux leather. The Apple Girl brand has made it a powerful value proposition.

Grape leather

Odourless, wine textile is obtained from the processing of lignocellulose and oils contained in grape marc. It is a fully plant-based material that is compatible with all fashion and design applications and can be dyed. This nonwoven represents a real market opportunity with a potential annual production possibility of 3 billion square metres due to the large global wine production. This is an innovative and responsible business model.

Thus, fruit leathers represent a small revolution in the textile industry. Fruitleather or pineapple leather are materials to keep an eye on for tomorrow’s wardrobe.

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