Is Cactus Leather The Wave of The Future?

Leather has been a hotly contested topic for decades now. On the one hand, leather is an age-old material humans have used for centuries to make the things we need. On the other hand, though, there’s no arguing that the demand for leather can create abuses and problems within the industry, particularly when it comes to the over-harvesting to increase profits. While it’s possible to make faux leather out of plastic, that creates an entirely separate set of problems that makes that alternative a non-starter as more and more plastic waste piles up around the world.

But what if we could make a fabric that was so similar to leather you couldn’t tell the difference when you looked at it or touched it? A material that breathed the same way as animal leather, which could last for ten years, is biodegradable, and which can be made from plants?

Well, according to Green Matters, that’s exactly what Adrian Lopez Velarde and Marte Cazarez have done. According to the creators, this plant-based leather alternative will last for up to 10 years!

The Nopal cactus, a staple of Mexico, is already grown in vast swaths across the country. Readily available, and used for textiles, personal hygiene products, and food, the new material developed by Desserto could mark yet another use for this plant. Debuted among the fashion elite in Europe, the hope is that this material will be adopted by brands that will prove just how well it can compete with more traditional, animal-based products.

Finding a green, sustainable alternative that actually sucks up CO2 instead of producing it, and which can give us truly cruelty-free, long-lasting leather seemed like a pipe dream just a few years ago. Now it’s a reality and one that could soon become the standard!