What is apple leather?
Annually there is an estimated of 30,000 tons of apple waste. It is the remaining residues from the production of fruit juice, compot and jam. Typically, this apple waste is either thermally destroyed or sent to landfill.
Approximately 25-40% of an apple is not useable by food industries and if it were not for innovations such as apple leather, this low value organic waste would be polluting the environment. Apple leather is a vegan leather alternative made with residue from the apple industries in Italy (apple cores, peel, pomace (the pulp) etc.
We are really proud that our collection is made entirely with apple leather.
By creating a leather from them, we are extending the product lifecycle through creating a high value material. The leather we work with is 26% apple, 16% organic cotton (GOTS Certified), 38% PU (water based polyurethane), 20% PL.
How is apple leather made?
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The residues and waste are collected and are dried. The dried apple waste is then milled into a very fine powder.
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The powder is mixed with water-based polyurethane (which is not a petroleum based product). This creates a resin which is applied to a roll of organic cotton fabric, the cotton is certified as GOTS, the Global Organic Textiles Standard.
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We now have a material and next it undergoes washing and heating processes to enhance its flexibility, resistance to weather and overall resilience.
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Lastly, the surface of the material is embossed to create different textures and finishes. The finish we work with is smooth, luxurious and hard wearing.
The production of apple leather uses Italian apples and manufacturing takes place in the north of Italy. The bio-based material is responsibly produced under stringent European protocols and with the added peace of mind that comes with the certifications it holds - certificates include Peta approved vegan, USDA BioPreferred, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Global Recycling Standard.
Find out more about the process via this Youtube video.
If you have any questions about our materials or products, let us know in the comments or email ella@skyloscollective.co.uk
