MMHG ZeroWaste Prize / Quelle Pomme (Bonne) Idée Prize / An Apple A Day Prize
Leap
Beyond Leather Materials
Description
We created a next-gen leather alternative called Leap. Leap is produced in Denmark, based on upcycled leftover apples, a waste product from the local juice and cider industry. It is a cruelty-free material with an 80% bio-based composition that doesn’t require harmful chemicals or complex tanning processes.
Detailed explanation of the submitted project or idea.
Leather and alternatives are unsustainable and heavily polluting. Leather production is resource-intensive and requires harmful chemicals, while alternatives contribute to the plastic problem at the end of their lives. We’ve created a sustainable leather alternative called Leap which is based on leftover apples, a waste product from the juice and cider industry. Our product is cruelty-free, doesn’t require harmful chemicals, or complex tanning processes, and therefore can be produced in just one day. To create 1 square meter of Leap we only require 5 kg of apple waste and there are an estimated 3 000 000 000 tons of leftover apples available worldwide every year. This leads us to the conviction that Leap can replace leather everywhere.
The most unique aspect of Leap, besides using apple waste as the main raw material is that it was created with disassembly and recyclability in mind. Due to its 3-layered structure of an organic textile backing, a 100% plastic and petrochemical-free apple waste blend, and a fossil fuel-based coating, Leap has the potential to be separated at the end of its life. Our goal is to develop the material to a level when the individual layers can be biodegraded and/or recycled according to their respective categories.
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Comments from Judges
Richie Lin
Founder & CEO at MUME Hospitality Group, Head Chef of MUME
MMHG ZeroWaste Prize
This project presents a creative solution based on a zero-waste solution with a high potential for adaptation & application. I love the idea of using upcycled leftover apples, or waste products from the local juice and cider industries to create a new alternative material for leather that can be used in both our work and daily products.
Lingchih Yang
FabCafe Toulouse Co-founder
Quelle Pomme (Bonne) Idée Prize
Apple is a worldwide plant fruit, and Leap adds even more value to it. Leap presents not only a new product and decreases the waste resulting from the manufacturing process, but also helps create more job opportunities. We love fashion, but it shouldn't be based on the sacrifice of other creatures. When we have an alternative choice, why don't we choose the one that is more friendly to our environment and our animal friends?
Jérémie Bellot
Architect / Digital artist and founder of AV Extended / Owner and Creative Director of Château de Beaugency
An Apple A Day Prize
Finding new type of leather based on vegetables is a good way to upcycle production's waste in Europe. Nice colors, nice textures.
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