Grape Leather - Let's raise a glass
Italian material innovation company Vegea works with multiple winemakers in the industry to collect the waste left over from the process of producing wine (such as skins, stalks and seeds) and transform it into a recyclable, high-performance vegan material.
After being pioneered by Italian couture designer Tiziano Guardini, it's safe to say grape leather is here to stay – its sustainability credentials and its luxe look is guaranteed to keep making waves.
What makes Vegea sustainable, and how is this revolutionary vegan leather made? The wine-grape residue is first dehydrated, then combined with vegetable oil and water-based polyurethane (PUD).
Finally, it is coated in fabric – usually organic cotton.
Containing only minimum amounts of non-toxic chemical reagents, Vegea is made with a process that re-uses any water used in its production.
And unlike animal skins, wine-grape leather is an actual by-product: as a rule, every 10 litres of wine produces 2.5 litres of waste such as shells, cores, skins, and more. So harnessing this waste, and transforming it into a recyclable, eco-conscious material, is a step forward for sustainability in leather.