22 March 2023
What is apple leather?
Despite the word “leather”, it is not actually made from animal skin. Apple leather is an innovative vegan material designed to replace leather and falls under the “vegan leather” category. It is a bio-based material invented in Northern Italy, one of the largest apple producing regions in the world. It is made using the leftover skin and pulp from apples used to make juices, jams, and other foods. The material is naturally thick, making it well-suited for bags and shoes.
Leather alternatives have been growing in popularity due to increasing consumer sentiment of wanting to avoid using animal by-products. However, the majority of vegan or bio-based leather is made from petroleum-based plastics, such as polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Even corn leather, mushroom leather, cactus leather, or pineapple leather requires the addition of plastics to improve durability.
One issue around apple leather, and vegan leather more broadly, is the hype and consumer misinformation on the positive environmental impact, creating a serious risk for greenwashing. Apple leather is still 50% fossil fuel-derived (made using 50% apple waste and 50% PU), and not biodegradable. We are also concerned about the relative contribution to innovation in the circular fashion economy space. If bags, shoes, or wallets made out of apple leather cannot be recycled or are not biodegradable, they eventually become pollutive waste, just like other materials.
What makes apple leather special is that it is made from a renewable resource that comes from a natural waste stream. Moreover, the apple pulp produced in the industry is typically classified as "special waste" and in most cases ends up in landfill or is burned. We support innovation and see tremendous potential for repurposing materials and upcycling waste into fabrics, particularly in the luxury fashion space. Despite apple leather being a synthetic material made in some capacity using plastic, there is potential in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food waste.
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