Desserto leather - Cactus is green and so is the future

FEATURE IMAGE: 

If you’re of the belief that the sustainability landscape is as dry as the desert, cactus may make you think again. Desserto is a vegan leather alternative made from cactus leaves and it’s been taking the fashion world by storm. Desserto is a new-age material designed and created with sustainability at its core. Since its launch in 2019, it has made its mark in the fashion industry and on us too. Soft, durable and high quality, read on to learn more about why we at Beej love working with Desserto. 

How cactus became leather

Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez created Desserto in 2019, after realising the leather industry’s negative impact on the environment. In fact, both of them used to work in the leather industry! They were able to use their expertise to their benefit, which is possibly why Desserto is so close to the real deal.

Adrián and Marte are from Mexico and that’s why the cactus was a natural fit and seemed like a good plant to turn into leather. Cactus is the most abundant plant in Mexico and both Adrián and Marte were familiar with how to grow and harvest it. The crux of the process is this - cactus is a perennial plant, which means that it only needs to be planted once and lives for up to 8 years. Cactus leaves are harvested every 8 to 9 months and they grow back, ready for the next round of harvest. These leaves are mashed and dried under the sun for 3 days (no machinery or electricity involved). Then the leaves are processed using non-toxic chemicals and made into all different colours of the Desserto vegan leather. 

Desserto does more than just offer an alternative to leather. It’s mindfully grown using rainwater harvesting instead of an irrigation system, so that the water consumption is decreased even further. Cacti are carbon sinks and the Desserto process has a very low carbon footprint. The kind of cactus grown to make Desserto is chosen specifically so that the thorns are small and don’t hurt the labourers harvesting it. Finally, the scraps of cactus leftover from harvesting are used by Mexico’s food industries. 

The Desserto vegan leather is breathable, waterproof and flexible. It’s so soft that the next leather industry it’s going to hit is the automobile industry! The material has been designed for use in fashion, accessories, furniture and automobiles as a true alternative to leather. The material is elastic and responds well to water and humidity. It’s amazingly soft and available in multiple colours every season.  

Desserto has many feathers in its cap - it’s vegan, water conscious, grown organically (herbicide and fungicide free) and doesn’t affect the natural environment because it belongs to it! You can see why Beej had to jump on the Desserto bandwagon.

Desserto x Studio Beej

A new material to the fashion, this was first introduced in India by Studio Beej a premium plant-based accessories and lifestyle studio based in Mumbai.

These sustainable products offer the ideal way to be mindful and kind of the environment and yourself.

The Maru clutch made from Desserto is available in three different colours. Black, red and the classic cactus green.

The Samirah Slimfold Wallet is a slim and ultra light bi-fold wallet. It’s available in black and red and closed together with a recycled zipper. 

There you have it! A round-up of what makes this cactus vegan leather sustainability’s new best friend, and the ways you can get your hands on it today.