Commitment to vegan leather
What is vegan leather?
Vegan leather refers toartificial leather made without animal-derived raw materials, and includes synthetic and man-made leather made from traditional petroleum-derived raw materials. In recent years, vegan leather, which utilizes raw materials derived from plants, has been attracting attention.
In the following, we will distinguish these from "plant-derived vegan leather" among vegan leathers.
Misconceptions about plant-based vegan leather
Nearly all plant-derived vegan leather currently available is made by synthesizing a polyurethane resin from plant-derived raw materials. Developments around the world have introduced numerous varieties, including pineapple leaves, mushrooms, cactus, apple, and coffee beans. There are three main methods of production.
- Dried and broken down into particles, mixed with resin, and processed into sheets
- Fibrous material is processed into a non-woven substrate and coated with resin
- Mycelia are cultured, compressed, and coated with a resin layer
It is important to note that the ingredients include a small amount of resin such as polyurethane. Synthetic and man-made leathers are more accurately defined as leathers in which some of the components have been replaced by naturally occurring materials.
This shift from conventional synthetic/artificial leather to natural leather is a sustainable and desirable trend.
However, because the surface layer is a resin layer, its durability, appearance, and texture are almost the same as those of conventional synthetic and artificial leather. Biodegradability, which has a significant impact on marine pollution, also remains an issue.
For this reason, SYRINX has not adopted plant-derived vegan leather until now.
100% naturally derived vegan leather
If the base material is characterized by its plant ingredients, is there any material with an expression that conveys its individuality?
The photo at the beginning of this article shows vegan leather that we sourced from around the world in our search for such a material.
- Carob bean and natural rubber sheet from Portugal
- Rubugo (fig bark) from Uganda
- Cultivated mycelium, processed into sheets and tanned
- Found in subtropical zones Mesima kob (large mushroom) Cultivated and tanned at
All of these products do not contain any resin components such as polyurethane, and are made of 100% natural raw materials only. Each has its own unique expression.
SYRINX's first vegan leather product is finally ready for release!
We will soon be releasing SYRINX products that are made of 100% natural vegan leather, and that make the most of the unique texture of the material.
