Desserto Agave, a limited edition alt leather made from agave fibers

Image credit: Desserto

Leather Alternatives

Desserto Unveils ‘Desserto Agave’, Upcycling Tequila Waste Into Sustainable Leather

Cactus-based biomaterials company, Desserto, has revealed Desserto Agave, a limited edition alt leather made from agave fibers, a waste product of Mexico’s tequila industry.  Agave, a sweet succulent plant, matures in the field for six to seven years before it is harvested and distilled into the famous liquor. In the process, agave fibers result in a waste by-product that can be collected and transformed into sustainable materials. “Through this project, the agave-tequila production chain has the opportunity to join the fashion industry in a sustainable and responsible way,” says Desserto in the announcement. Sustainability principles According to Adriano Di Marti, the company behind the Desserto brand, involving the tequila chain in the biomaterial industry generates economic benefits and creates opportunities for economic growth while respecting the …

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Vegan Cactus Leather Shoes

©G.H. Bass

Fashion, Design & Beauty

G.H. Bass Launches First Vegan Weejun Loafers with Desserto Cactus Leather

American footwear brand G.H. Bass, known for introducing the first penny loafers in 1936, announces it is releasing two vegan versions of its classic Weejun Loafer made from Desserto cactus leather.   “Cutting-edge” sustainability Launching for Fall/ Winter 2022, the new Cactus Leather Weejun Loafers feature alternative leather developed from nopal cactus leaves, and are available in Green, Burgundy and Black colorways. The Loafers include cactus leather soft liners and insoles, waxy threaded stitched seams and traditonal Weejuns lightweight outsoles.  The Cactus Leather Loafers are available on the G.H. Bass website and retail for $202. Attractive alt-leather Founded by Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, Desserto’s award-winning cactus leather quickly broke into sustainable fashion world as an attractive, toxin- and cruelty-free alternative to leather.  Following its …

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© A Big Indian Story

Leather Alternatives

ABIS Raises Pre-Series A Funding to “Pioneer the Sustainable Fashion Movement in India” With Piñatex And Desserto Leather

A Big Indian Story recently announced the completion of its pre-series A funding round. The company is the first Indian fashion brand to launch a vegan collection featuring Piñatex and Desserto leather and aims to “pioneer the sustainable fashion movement in India.” A Big Indian Story (ABIS), a Pune-based D2C sustainable fashion firm, has closed its pre-series A round, co-led by startup-investor Bestvantage Investments and other angel investors. The company aims to become an Indian leader in sustainable fashion by maximizing impact through ethical production and the introduction of better materials. Piñatex and Desserto Pinatex and Desserto are among the first sustainable leather alternatives to become available at scale and pioneered the sustainable fashion movement by introducing plant-based biomaterials made from upcycled pineapple leaves and …

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Givenchy X Desserto

© Givenchy / Desserto

Company News

Desserto Announces New Collabs With Major Brands Inc Givenchy, Karl Lagerfeld and Everlane

Mexican startup Desserto, the cactus-based biomaterial alternative to animal skin, continues to expand and score wins in international markets. The fast-growing alt leather producer has announced a new collaboration with Givenchy Parfums, part of the LMVH group, with its first marbled liquid lip balm Couture Rose Perfecto in a vegan cactus-based case developed through a unique partnership between the two brands. Karl Lagerfeld, meanwhile, announces his second collaboration with sustainability ambassador Amber Valletta. The new collection includes a selection of ready-to-wear garments and exclusive accessories made from sustainable materials, such as organic cotton made without harmful chemicals, recycled fibres, as well as cactus-derived leather designed by Desserto. In the US, Everlane has also launched a special collection based on the popular cactus leather. According to …

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DESSERTO Adidas

©Adidas

Leather Alternatives

Mexico’s DESSERTO Cactus Alt Leather Gets V-Label Certification, Launches Boxing Gloves with Adidas

DESSERTO, the biomaterial made from cactus from Mexico, has obtained the V-Label certification, the most internationally recognized mark for the labeling of vegan and vegetarian products and services. The alt leather brand has also announced a new line of boxing gloves made with Adidas.  The V-Label seal has become the most widely used vegan symbol worldwide with more than 40,000 certified vegan-friendly products. The certification guarantees that the product is totally free of ingredients of animal origin. DESSERTO has been proving the versatility of the biomaterial recently, collaborating with BMW and H&M amongst others, while also winning awards from PETA.  The certification coincides with the launch of the new Tilt 350 boxing gloves made with DESSERTO in partnership with multinational Adidas Boxing. The boxing glove …

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BMW X Desserto

© BMW X Desserto

Company News

Desserto Cactus Leather Announces BMW Collaboration

The Mexican firm Desserto, creator of sustainable vegan cactus leather, makes its debut in the automotive industry with its new Deserttex material at the IAA Mobility Expo in Munich, Germany. Mexican company Adriano Di Marti, an international multi-award winner for Desserto, presented its new automotive-grade material Deserttex hand in hand with the BMW Startup Garage program. With this innovative technology, the company aims to make significant sustainable contributions to BMW Group vehicles. Through a statement, the cactus leather company expressed that “it is an honor to be part of this important event in partnership with BMW. We are convinced that our cactus-based vegan biomaterials will significantly contribute to sustainability in the automotive industry by offering an alternative to replace traditional leather with sustainable, animal cruelty-free …

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Mexico vegan

© nik0.0kin - stock.adobe.com

Market & Trends

Vegan Economy Thriving in Mexico Due to Consumer Shifts, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Last year excelsior.com reported that 20% of Mexicans are already vegan or vegetarian. Although some dispute this figure, the trend is clear: consumer habits in Mexico are shifting towards animal-free products, for a variety of reasons including health, the environment and animal welfare. This transformation has been more pronounced in Mexico than in many countries in The Americas thanks to the drive for entrepreneurship and innovation. Mexican vegan companies continue to emerge and grow, for example, Delike, which was founded in Mexico City in 2019 and this year launched its first Veggie Bites, continuing its presence on the shelves of supermarkets and restaurants in the country. Mexican plant-based food company Heartbest Foods, which distributes its products around the country, announced this year the launch of …

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Marte Cázarez y Adrián López Velarde © Desserto

Marte Cázarez y Adrián López Velarde © Desserto

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Mexico’s Cactus Leather Brand Desserto Receives Another PETA Award in UK

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), once again recognizes Desserto, the Mexican biomaterial made from cactus, at its fifth annual PETA Vegan Homeware Awards in the UK, which recognizes designers and brands that meet the growing demand for sustainable and compassionate décor. This time the Mexican brand, from Adriano Di Marti Company, was honored by PETA in the materials category. Aline Dürr’s practical guide Vegan Interior Design took home the Essential Reading Award, while the Innovation Award went to Gus*Modern for its luxurious recycled apple skin and apple peel designs. This award brings Desserto’s total number of international awards to 8: Material ConneXion 2020 in New York, USA Green Product Award 2020 in Germany Monte Carlo Fashion Week 2020 in Monaco Good Design …

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Marte Cázarez y Adrián López Velarde © Desserto

Marte Cázarez y Adrián López Velarde © Desserto

Fashion, Design & Beauty

DESSERTO’s Cactus Leather Will Be Sold at H&M, Putting Mexico at the Centre of Sustainable Fashion

Mexican cactus-based leather company, DESSERTO®, announces a distribution agreement with H&M, among the world’s largest clothing chains with 4700 shops in 69 countries. Founders Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez state they are proud to put Mexico at the centre of the global sustainable fashion industry.

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Bohemia group shot

©Bohemia Clothing

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Bohema Clothing Uses Pineapple, Cactus and Apple Leather For New Dystopian Collection

Streetwear brand Bohema Clothing uses vegan materials such as ecological silicone, and makes sweatshirts made of organic cotton and wallets made of apple leather. Bohema states to vegconomist that it was the first brand in the world to offer shoes made of the cactus leather Desserto, and the first on the Polish market to produce shoes made pineapple and apple leather from Pinatex.

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