Plant-based leather production: An update

Malabadi, Ravindra B. and Kolkar, Kiran P. and Chalannavar, Raju K. and Baijnath, Himansu (2025) Plant-based leather production: An update. World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 14 (1). 031-059. ISSN 2582-8266

Plant based leather has pretty extraordinary potential to contribute to a climate-friendly, eco-friendly, cruelty-free sustainable fashion industry. Plant-based leather is proving to be a versatile and high-quality material that can be used to create beautiful and fashionable garments. Plant-based leather available in the market can be made using a variety of plants and plant materials for example, Cactus- (Desserto; Mexican), sugarcane bagasse, pineapple (Piñatex; Thailand), mushroom (Mylo), corn leather - Veja (Italian), coconut water (Malai) (Kerala, India), Industrial Cannabis sativa (Fiber): Hemp leather, mango, tomato (Bio-leather), dried waist flowers, oak tree bark and leaf, apple, teak leaf, banana leaf (Banafi), grape, orange peel waste, cork oak trees, (Portugal), jute fibre, brittle leaves of the Areca betel nut tree (palm leather) and coffee husk. Chromium tanning is the most common method, but this produces wastewater with high concentrations of toxic chromium and sulphide, as well as the pesticides that are often used to protect the hide before tanning. These chemicals are harmful as they increase the chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total dissolved solid (TDS) level of water. This hexavalent chrome, Cr6+ is soluble, toxic, mutagenic, tetragenic, and known to have a number of negative effects on human health as a result of its high oxidizing potential. Now a days, consumers have become more aware of these issues, leading to a rising demand for eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Bio-based leather is made from renewable and natural resources such as plants.