#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2024-09-19

‘Beyond Leather Materials’ develops new, >85% bio-based leather alternative made with apple waste

Danish company ‘Beyond Leather Materials’ collaborated with German materials manufacturer Covestro to develop a protective coating based on INSQIN® technology for Beyond Leather Materials’ LEAP®. LEAP® is an innovative leather alternative made using apple waste generated in juice and cider manufacturing. The jointly developed coating uses INSQIN® technology based on polyurethane dispersions made with partially bio-based content.

Combining low-VOC, partly bio-based INSQIN® technology with inventive materials like apple waste makes for innovative leather alternatives. © Covestro

Partly apple waste-based leather alternative keeps durability at the core

Beyond Leather’s approach captures the value of apple waste – of which around 4 million tons is produced every year – by upcycling it into a high-performance and more sustainable alternative to conventional leather made with animal skin. With a high content of short fibers and polymers, apple waste (including cores, seeds, and stems) can be activated to give a strength and suppleness to the final material, recreating the functional and aesthetic properties that make leather so desirable. To produce LEAP®, the apple-waste blend is applied to a TENCELTM textile backing and finished with the protective coating containing INSQIN® PU.

Inspirational leather-look products; aspirational performance

For brand customers and end consumers looking for leather alternatives, the launch of LEAP® stands as a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration.

“With around 25% of an apple discarded after pressing, we wanted to capture this waste’s value in premium applications. We believe that looking into waste streams and using upcycling is crucial to reduce emissions. It is our mission to show how much value there is in waste and, ultimately, make waste beautiful,” says Mikael Eydt, Co-Founder & CEO, Beyond Leather Materials.

“Covestro is delighted to have contributed to the development of this leather alternative made with apple waste, which has significant potential to improve textile sustainability in a wide range of industries,” says Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings Covestro. “Our low-VOC, low-emission, waterborne, and partly-bio-based INSQIN® coating technology is the perfect fit for LEAP®, enabling the premium durability, flexibility and perceptual quality needed in today’s market while offering a more sustainable solution for partners like Beyond Leather. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in applications spanning everything from small goods typically made of leather such as wallets, purses, and key cases, to automotive interiors.”