Have you ever imagined that something you wore, like clothing, shoes, bag, etc is made by plants? It seems that we have been socialized to believe that leather is of the highest quality, and for many years, we have been in a society in which the great majority of our footwear, belts, and bags are crafted from the skins of various animals.
The vast majority of people are unaware that vegan leather can actually be made from plants. Similarly, clothing can be made partly from plants too. There is a company called Fioboc, that take the initiative to use sustainable Sorona fabric which is partly extricated from corn fiber. That's really awesome. It brings fashion to another level.
People who are conscientious about the clothes they wear and want to avoid supporting industries that exploit animals are beginning to make the move.
Cork Leather
Craftspeople in Portugal, a country that is home to some of the most impressive cork forests in the world and has a long history of producing leather items using cork, are re-inventing themselves as experts in the processing of a lightweight alternative to traditional animal hides.
The bark of the cork oak tree, which is native mostly to locations in and around the Mediterranean Sea, is where the cork material originates from.
The tree's bark is peeled off every so often, and after around nine years, the tree grows new bark in its place. It is important to point out that stripping the tree of its bark does not do any harm to the plant.
The process of collecting cork is beneficial to the environment since it results in a reduction of greenhouse emissions due to the bark's ability to take in a significant quantity of carbon dioxide from the air as it regrows. It concludes vegan leather vs real leather.
Pineapple-Textile
Imagine what your life would be like if the leaves of your favorite fruit could be used to make all sorts of items, including clothes and accessories, out of the material that they produce.
When the Spanish businesswoman Dr. Carmen Hijosa invented Piatex, she had this goal in mind.
Piatex is a fabric manufactured from the fibers of pineapple leaves that have the appearance of leather but is far more eco-friendly leather than traditional hides or synthetics.
She was able to get this knowledge as a result of her time spent in the Philippines in the 1990s, when she witnessed villagers fashioning garments from the fibers of pineapple leaves.
Because of this, Carmen had the bright idea that she could also use those fibers to create a textile that was non-woven and resembled leather.
Cactus-Leather
Adrian Lopez Velarde and Marte Cazarez, both of Mexico, collaborated to develop an organic leather substitute using prickly pear cactus.
When compared to the other alternatives that are now available, it has the smallest carbon impact, which gives it the most potential to take the place of animal leather.
Desserto was introduced to the rest of the globe for the first time in 2017 during the International Leather Fair Lineapelle held in Milan, Italy. In order to complete the procedure, you will need to use either the prickly pear cactus's newer, younger leaves or its older, more mature leaves.
After being washed and crushed, the leaves are then exposed to the sun for three days so that they can dry completely before being processed.
The plant's development is not inhibited in any way by the removal of the leaves, which may also be properly replaced after a few months.
In the year 2021 alone, the fashion and watch brand Fossil introduced its first product line made from Desserto cactus leather; the Karl Lagerfeld brand and actress Amber Valletta collaborated to release an eco-friendly accessory collection made with Desserto cactus leather; and H&M partnered with them for their "Science Story Collection," which advocated for a future of sustainable fashion by the year 2030.
Wine-Leather
Vegea is an Italian technological business that was founded by the architect Gianpiero Tessitore.
Vegea is responsible for the production of wine leather, which is also referred to as grape leather. It is a leather alternative that is completely free of animal products and recyclable in every way. Its primary market is the Italian fashion industry.
This leather is extremely supple and pleasant to the touch, plus it is recyclable. Waste materials from the manufacture of Italian wine, known as core and shell, are the primary component of wine leather.
These waste products are put through a chemical process that was invented by Vegea, which ultimately results in the wine leather's basis. After that, it is processed using their exclusive, patent-protected procedures.
Surprisingly, not a single drop of additional water is used throughout the whole manufacturing process.
Additionally, its rich burgundy color is entirely derived from natural sources; in fact, it is the color of grapes. Vegea was selected by Bentley in 2019 to supply environmentally friendly interiors for the company's next EXP 100 GT vehicle.It is the best leather substitute.
Conclusion
Fioboc was founded with the intention of employing science and technology in order to produce garments that are not only environmentally friendly but also long-lasting.
They are intent on making a positive impact on the general public, and as a consequence, they are successful in establishing a line of luxury apparel that has innovative materials, premium quality, and prices that are within reasonable ranges.