Biobased Leather

Biobased Leather

The market for bio-based leather is growing as consumers and industries turn towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly materials instead of standard leather. Bio-sourced leather can be produced from plant fiber, mushrooms, agricultural waste, and other renewable raw material sources and is a more sustainable product when compared to animal-based leather It has a very high environmental impact owing to the massive use of meat, high water intake for raring animals, and production of chemicals that are used in leather tanning.

With the rising consumer awareness of animal cruelty and environmental conservation, bio-based leather is becoming popular in production lines of different products including shoes, interior parts of vehicles, and fashion commodities. The market is promising as customers focus on buying environmentally friendly and socially responsible products. Hence, brands and manufacturers should leverage this trend by incorporating new bio-based leather products that would suit the needs of environmentally conscious people. The automobile and fashion industries especially are especially vulnerable, as more and more car manufacturers and luxury designers begin to seek out materials they can use that are sustainable.

Further, improvements in technology and material science give openings to improve the performance and sturdiness of bio-based leathers making them more favorable to conventional leathers. The global bio-based leather market is anticipated to experience higher growth due to increasing environmental consciousness and the circular economy.

• Based on the source, the biobased leather market is segmented into cork, corn, leftover fruits, pineapple, cactus, tree barks, and others. The pineapple-based leather segment caters to a significant share of the Biobased Leather market. Piñatex, derived from the fibers in pineapple leaves which is an agricultural waste, has received appreciation for its sustainability, endurance, and flexibility. Another factor that makes pineapple leather appealing is that pineapple leaves are a by-product of pineapple farming, thus making the product sustainable and environmentally friendly. Leather made with pineapple is quite famous in the fashion and automobile industry. Many big brands have incorporated it to design and develop shoes, bags, and other accessories. For instance: In 2022, Ananas Anam collaborated with automotive technology leader FORVIA to develop vehicle interior materials made from waste pineapple leaf fibers.
• Based on application, the Biobased Leather market is categorized into footwear, garments & accessories, and others. The footwear segment catered for a significant share of the market. The consciousness of consumers on environmental factors including pollution, wastage, and animal cruelty is making footwear manufacturers incorporate ecological materials. Bio-based leather could be a fashion solution to traditional leather in this segment because it has the same strength, elasticity, and appearance as shoes while addressing the buyers’ ethical and environmental considerations. Moreover, the important stakeholders operating in the production of footwear are aiming at incorporating bio-based leather in their products through higher levels of research and innovation on the related material, which would further bolster the segment. Large sport and casual footwear companies are adapting to the constant change of perception with a new focus on the type of fashion people wear and are shifting towards products made of bio-based materials.
• For a better understanding of the market adoption of Biobased Leather, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in countries such as North America (U.S., Canada, and the Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Rest of World. Europe has significantly contributed to the expansion of the Biobased Leather market. It holds the most significant market share in the bio-based leather market owing to several reasons including its focus on Sustainability, Innovation, and Environmental policies. Consumers and governments of European countries are becoming conscious and are opting for green and sustainable products in several sectors such as fashion, automobile, and furniture. This has increased the pursuit of bio leather as a more environmentally friendly and socially conscious textile substitute to animal-based leather.
• Currently there is a demand for products that are not tested on animals, vegan and environment-friendly products in the fashion industry especially in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Consequently, European fashion brands and luxury goods manufacturers have taken a new frontier by introducing bio-based leather in the market. Moreover, several developing firms in Europe are new-generation bio-based leather substituents from plant fiber, mushrooms, and other natural resources, which in turn is enhancing the market even more.
• Some of the major players operating in the market include BZ Leather, Modern Meadow, Beyond Leather, Ananas Anam, Banofi, Design Boom, Tomtex, Fruitleather Rotterdam, Natural Fiber Welding Inc, and Tjeerd Veenhoven Studio.