Antolin, a global provider of automotive interior technology solutions, has announced the launch of persiSKIN AUTO®, a leather made mostly from kaki waste, co-developed with Spanish startup PersiSKIN, which aims to offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional animal and synthetic leather coverings.
Javier Villacampa, Innovation & Sustainability Director at Antolin, and Jaime Sanfelix, CEO of PersiSKIN.
After almost two years of intense collaboration, persiSKIN AUTO® has emerged as a pioneering product made mostly from kaki waste. Kaki production generates a lot of waste (around 50% of the harvest is not used), and this waste is converted into a material that has up to 80% biological content and can be customized in terms of feel, roughness, embossing, gloss and color, and can be marked, sewn or laser-engraved according to customer specifications.
PersiSKIN was created in the Valencian Community, the region which accounts for around 85% of the Spanish kaki production. The director of PersiSkin and Laser Food, Jaime Sanfélix, who is also a kaki producer, mentioned how the impact of pests and diseases that are difficult to control leads to half of the production ending up not being marketed. "The main goal with the creation of this textile product is the setting up of a new industrial sector that will allow the use of all the waste and surplus generated in kaki production and give them a new life," says Jaime Sanfelix.
Sport shoes made with persiSkin.
This innovation will allow car brands to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional interior coverings made from synthetic leather or animal skin, while reducing the use of chemicals and water consumption. In 2025, when the latest functional validation tests required are completed, persiSKIN AUTO® will be ready for application in door panels, instrument panels, consoles and even seats.
Although kakis are a seasonal product, the residue can be stored, so raw materials will be available all year round. The producers involved in this type of farming can actually make a profit by taking part in the project to produce the material.
Several vehicle manufacturers have shown great interest in persiSKIN AUTO®. Antolin is currently collaborating with the design team of a major European brand to include it in the interior of a new vehicle scheduled for launch in 2028. Efforts are also being made to improve the formula of the material and increase the residue content.
"The work we have been doing since the creation of Persiskin and striking this agreement is a dynamizing factor for the kaki sector in our region, as the automotive sector produces some 85 million vehicles per year and Antolin has 25% of the market share. Thanks to this project, a considerable part of the kaki waste will be used and the economy of the region will be revitalized," says Jaime Sanfelix.
For more information:
Stéphane Mérit
PersiSkin
Tel.: +34 673991461
[email protected]
persiskin.com