LEATHER
1: INVASIVE LIONFISH LEATHER
Invasive Lionfish Leather | Inversa Leathers
Leather made from lionfish, an invasive species of fish in the Gulf of Mexico, Lionfish pose a significant threat to coral reefs, causing an 80% decrease in native baby fish populations. Invasive Lionfish Leather creates a stronger market for typically low-value lionfish, which has increased removal efforts by fishermen. The leather is suitable for apparel products and other textile applications.
CMF: human health, ecosystem health, circularity
2. INVASIVE DRAGONFIN LEATHER
Invasive Dragonfin Leather | Inversa Leathers
Leather made from dragonfin, an invasive species of fish in the Mississippi River and Great Lakes. Flooding in the 1990s facilitated its spread from contained ponds. Dragonfin outcompetes native species and negatively impacts water quality by eliminating sensitive organisms. Invasive Dragonfin Leather encourages the removal of this invasive species from ecosystems. The dried and treated skin creates a leather product that can be used for apparel products and other textile applications.
CMF: human health, ecosystem health, circularity
2. APPLE LEATHER
Leap | Beyond Leather
A plant-based alternative leather which looks and feels like traditional leather. Using waste from the Danish apple cider and juice industry, Leap is a more sustainable alternative to traditional leather. Its manufacturing process reduces water usage by 99% and carbon dioxide emissions by 85%, and it is designed for easy disassembly at the end of its life cycle. Like traditional leather, it can be used in fashion and other textile applications.
CMF: human health, climate health, ecosystem health, circularity
4: MANGO LEATHER
Fruitleather | Fruitleather Rotterdam
Leather alternative made from mango byproduct. The mango goes through dehydration and processing to make thin, flexible sheets comparable to traditional leather. Through this process, Fruitleather aims to combat waste in the food industry; currently 40% of harvested food is not available to consumers. Based on ripeness and processing techniques, the product is available in various colors and textures. Applications include use in apparel, accessories, and packaging.
CMF: human health, climate health, ecosystem health, circularity
5: CACTUS LEATHER
Desserto® | Desserto
Alternative leather made of nopal (prickly pear), an especially hardy species of cacti that is used to restore degraded land. Desserto is produced on an organic ranch in central Mexico, without the use of herbicides, pesticides or irrigation. Raw material is sourced from mature cactus leaves harvested every 6 - 8 months, minimizing the impact on the plants. The leaves dry in a solarium for three days, requiring minimal energy consumption. Surplus cactus material repurposed in the food industry.
CMF: human health, climate health, ecosystem health, circularity
6. PINEAPPLE LEATHER
Piñatex | Ananas Anam
A leather alternative derived from cellulose fibers found in pineapple leaves, an agricultural byproduct. A proprietary method transforms these fibers into a non-woven textile without bleaching, pulping, or dyeing. Long fibers are collected from the leaves in a mechanical process, then purified through an enzymatic process. The fluffy material produced is then mixed with PLA (a polymer derived from corn starch) in an 4:1 ratio to create a non-woven mesh called Piñafelt. It is then shipped from the Philippines to Spain or Italy for finishing. A polyurethane resin coating accounts for 10% of the total composition.
CMF: human health, climate health, ecosystem health, circularity
7: MUSHROOM SUEDE
Amadou Mushroom | Fomesfomentarius
This spongy suede alternative is derived from the fungi Fomes fomentarius which grows on tree trunks in Eurasia and North America. Amadou-making is a traditional craft that is now limited to a small community in Korond, Transylvania. To prepare this material for use, it must be removed from the inner layer of the fungi, stretched, soaked, and pounded repeatedly. The result is remarkably soft and pliable. Amadou is suitable for use in apparel and decorative elements.
CMF: human health, ecosystem health, circularity
8. WOOD LEATHER
NUO | Schorn & Groh Gmbh
Leather-like textile made with wood veneer. The wood is finely engraved and attached to a fabric backing, giving it flexibility. The wood is sustainably sourced, and can be used for a variety of applications including interiors, automotives, and fashion.
CMF: human health, climate health, circularity
9: CORK LEATHER
Cork 'n Roll | JPS Cork Group
A flexible, leather-like textile made from the bark of cork oaks. Cork harvesting is a delicate process, occuring only once per decade over the tree's productive period of two to five hundred years. To create cork leather, cork is hand cut from the tree in planks, dried for six months, boiled in water, flattened and pressed into sheets. A fabric backing is then pressed to the cork layer, bonded by a naturally occurring adhesive present in the cork called suberin. The resulting product is flexible, soft and strong.
CMF: human health, climate health, circularity
The Common Materials Framework (CMF) organizes sustainability factors into five industry-standard categories: human health; climate health; ecosystem health; social health & equity; and circularity.