apple leather

Briefly, apple leather is made from the cores, skins and pulp of apples discarded from the food and juice industry. Yes, they actually use leftover apples! 

They are first puréed and then, they are spread on a sheet and left to be dehydrated. This is when the magic happens. When most of the moisture disappears, it becomes a leathery sheet that is quite flexible. 

Then, it is usually combined with polyurethane, and coated onto cotton and polyester canvas. This is to ensure that it all holds together. The result is, drum rolls please, apple leather!

No, apple leather is not 'real' leather. In other words, apple leather is not made of animal skin. But that's a good thing! Actually, apple leather can have various structures and colors. And it can mimic snakes' and crocodiles' skin very well. 

So, you might not even tell the difference between animal and apple leather. Visually speaking, of course. The difference in the production of apple leather is quite noticeable. After all, the animal leather industry is very unethical and unsustainable. 

Prepare yourself for some Italian vibes because apple leather is manufactured by Mabel SRL in Florence, Italy. But it was actually created by a company called Frumat. That is why sometimes, AppleSkin™ might be referred to as Frumat.

Bolzano, a region in northern Italy, is one of the biggest producers of apple products in the world. Think of apple jams, juices and other yummy products. (We do apologize if we made you hungry. 😛) So, it makes sense that it's home to apple leather production too.
 

Well, apple leather is more sustainable than animal leather and fully synthetic PU vegan leather. How come? 

To produce apple leather, apples that would otherwise be thrown away are used. This way, the waste is not burnt which reduces polluting emissions. 

Also, no apples are needed to plant or harvest. This also means that thanks to using waste, the farmers have the opportunity to generate another stream of income.

The use of polyurethane (PU) and polyester in apple leather production might be a red flag for you. It's true that apple leather is not biodegradable. At least for now. Luckily, the future of apple leather looks brighter – and more sustainable.

There is an attempt to develop enzymes that would help polyester to degrade. And also, the goal is to develop natural fibers that would have similar properties to petroleum-based yarns. 

In the meantime, apple leather can become more sustainable if the apple proportion is increased. So, we will definitely stay tuned for updates on this vegan leather.

We can describe apple leather as a high-quality and durable material. It is also breathable, water-resistant and versatile. It can have a grainy texture to mimic specific animal skin (which it does very well). Or, it can be super soft like vegan butter. These qualities made apple leather quite popular in the fashion industry.

Apple leather is mostly used for shoes, bags and accessories like wallets, belts and even watches. For women, we offer stylish bags & purses, beautiful shoes and wallets in apple leather. Or how about a nice pair of men’s sneakers? 

But if for some reason, apple leather doesn't do it for you, don't give up just yet. There are plenty of vegan plant leather alternatives available.

The main difference between apple leather and animal leather is the fact that no animals are used in the production of apple leather. But it doesn't end there. Actually, apple leather is also more sustainable than animal leather. So, the winner here is quite obvious. You know what they say, right? Apple a day keeps the animal leather away!

When it comes to sustainability, apple leather is more eco-friendly than synthetic (PU) vegan leather. 

You might be thinking – but polyurethane (PU) is also used in apple leather. That's true. But the amount is much lower than in fully synthetic vegan leather. 

Both apple leather and fully synthetic (PU) leather are vegan and ethical alternatives to animal leather. So, it's not like we're comparing apples and oranges. 🍎