The Indian company Bioleather, which specializes in the development of new fabrics, has launched a new and disruptive material: a new vegan leather made from tomato skin. This new material, which they present as a perfect innovative alternative to traditional animal leather, is 100% biodegradable and free of plastics and chemicals that can harm people and the environment.
Bioleather derived from tomatoes "is a new revolutionary material that offers a viable solution to the environmental impact generated by the production of traditional leather," the Indian company stated. "In 2019, we launched our first product, the Original Bioleather, a new strong, durable, and comfortable fabric obtained from microbes. Manufacturing only requires a small fraction of the land, water, and energy necessary to obtain animal leather," the company based in Mumbai added. "Almost half of the world's land is used to produce animal leather. Animal leather production is responsible for at least 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 25% of the world's freshwater," according to the management of the Indian textile innovation company.
To manufacture this new material based on tomato peels, the Indian company makes use of a patented process, which begins with the extraction of a key element from the tomato peel: lycopene. This component is subsequently combined with other materials of plant origin (50% cotton, 30% organic material from the tomato and its plant, and 20% of a 100% biodegradable biopolymer) to end up creating this flexible, durable and ecological material that, according to Bioleather, can be used to make just about anything; from bags to fashion garments and shoes. In fact, you can already buy them on their website, where you will find everything from loafers to backpacks to go to the gym.
Source: fashionunited.es