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The vegetarian accessory brand Matt + Nat recently launched its first handbag collection, which contains a new bio-based vegetarian leather made from waste recycled by the juice industry. "After a lot of research, sweat and tears, it's finally here... a collection of all series... unique and will surprise you," Matt + Nat President and CEO Manny Kohli (Manny Kohli) on Instagram Said on the post. "Discover a series that breaks all boundaries and elevate'an apple a day' to a whole new level."
This vegan leather called AppleSkin is an innovative material patented by the Italian company Frumat. AppleSkin is made in Italy from apples grown in the northern Italian city of Bolzano. It is produced by recycling the mushy pulp (composed of cellulose fibers in the peel and core) and discarded.
Although the precise process of making AppleSkin is a trade secret, we do know that cellulose is made into powder and used to reduce the amount of raw materials required to make vegan leather. The resulting AppleSkin is about 20% to 30% apples. Fewer raw materials means fewer natural resources extracted from the earth, and lower emissions and energy consumption throughout the supply chain.
Matt + Nat collaborated with Frumat to create a new Studio 901 series, in which the handbag adopts an AppleSkin shell and, like all Matt + Nat bags, the inner lining is made of 100% recycled water bottles. The series contains 12 handbags, including backpacks, mini satchels, bucket bags and handbags in black, brown and green tones, as well as gold details such as chain shoulder straps and V-shaped closures.
In recent years, more and more fashion and furniture brands have strengthened their sustainable development efforts by using textiles made from upgraded or recycled plants and materials. Although the company is using plant-based options for cacti, pineapples and mushrooms, apple-based vegan leather is a versatile material that has been used in many industries.
Last year, Canadian furniture designer Gus* Modern introduced sofas and recliners made from the innovative vegan AppleSkin in its Fall 2020 collection. "This new bio-based material prevents apple peels and pits from entering landfills, and is a harmony of our other environmentally friendly options [e.g.] Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood and cushion filling made from recycled plastic bottles Added," Anthony Santino Gus* Design Group vice president of sales said in a statement.
In the same year, actress and vegetarian Pamela Anderson collaborated with French fashion brand Ashoka Paris to release a series of handbags in various colors and styles made of AppleSkin. The series was conceived by Anderson and designer David Mateo for 16 months. Each bag is embossed with a message that reads: "Resistance! (Resistance). Every beautiful person has a desire in his heart Activist who defends the earth."
In addition, in 2019, the German automobile company Volkswagen announced an electric SUV concept car with a leather interior made of 100% vegan apples. The full-size zero-emission ID Roomzz, which is expected to be sold in China, made its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show.
For more information on sustainable fashion, please read: Louis Vuitton's first sustainable shoe made from vegan corn husks, the Vegan Mushroom leather handbag debuts on the runway, Old Navy is making plant-based sandals from sugar cane
Nicole Axworthy is the news editor of VegNews and the author of the cookbook DIY Vegan.
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