Two Mexican entrepreneurs have produced vegan leather from cactus leaves

As we venture afar, two Mexican entrepreneurs greet us. Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez are said to be the first people to produce vegan leather from cactus leaves. They create this leather from a species of cactus known scientifically as Opuntia, which we call “kaynanadili” (mother-in-law’s tongue) in Turkish. They don’t use toxic chemicals, phthalates, or PVC in the design process.

This vegan leather is partially biodegradable. It’s flexible and breathable, with a lifespan of at least 10 years. When touched, it feels like animal-based leather, they say. It can be used in furniture, cars, leather accessories, and clothing.

Environmental concerns were the driving motivation behind López Velarde and Cázarez’s decision to create cruelty-free leather. López Velarde expressed their thoughts to FashionUnited, saying, “We realized that pollution of nature is a serious problem.”

Whether for food or leather production, livestock farming generates a large amount of emissions. Livestock accounts for 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

The two entrepreneurs chose the cactus plant for its sustainability. López Velarde explained, “The idea to use cactus as raw material developed because this plant doesn’t need water to grow. Additionally, there is an abundance of it in Mexico. Symbolically, it represents all of us, Mexicans, and everyone knows this.”

Companies incorporating plant-based leather into their products can reduce water consumption by 20%. Vegan leather also helps reduce plastic waste by 32% to 42%. Mexican researcher Sandra Pascoe Ortiz had also discovered a way to make biodegradable plastic from cactus juice. Could the cactus be more sacred than we imagined? What do you think?

Vegan Leather Alternatives
Although there isn’t much variety in our country, other nations around the world continue to experiment with different alternatives. Whether it’s for awareness or capitalism, companies are increasingly producing vegan alternatives to their products. For instance, shoe brand No Saints transforms food waste into vegan leather sneakers. The company uses plant-based leather made from pineapple leaf fibers (called Piñatex) and apple peels.