German materials manufacturer Covestro has partnered with Beyond Leather Materials to develop Leap – a bio-based leather alternative. It contains 85% biomaterials and is made using apple waste generated from juice and cider manufacturing.
Leap uses Insqin technology that is based on polyurethane dispersions made with partially bio-based content. Around four million tons of apple waste is produced every year – Beyond Leather’s approach reuses this waste to make a leather alternative.
Apple waste contains high content of short fibers and polymers, which can be activated to give a strength and suppleness to the final material, recreating the functional and aesthetic properties of leather. The-waste blend is applied to a Tencel textile backing and finished with the protective coating containing Insqin to make Leap.
“With around 25% of an apple discarded after pressing, we wanted to capture this waste’s value in premium applications. We believe that looking into waste streams and using upcycling is crucial to reduce emissions. It is our mission to show how much value there is in waste and, ultimately, make waste beautiful,” said Mikael Eydt, co-founder and CEO, Beyond Leather Materials.
Dr. Torsten Pohl, head of global textile coatings, Covestro, added, “Our low-VOC, low-emission, waterborne, and partly-bio-based Insqin coating technology is the perfect fit for Leap, enabling the premium durability, flexibility and perceptual quality needed in today’s market while offering a more sustainable solution for partners like Beyond Leather.”
