In Spain, a startup called Persiskin has developed a new type of vegan leather from waste persimmons.
The plant-based leather was developed at University of Valencia using a €2-million ($2.2-million) investment from la Comunidad Valencia and textile industry research association AITEX. The purpose of the grant was to find a use for the 500 million kg of persimmon waste Valencia produces annually.
“We are located in the cradle of persimmon production in Europe. So we can affirm by having extensive knowledge about this fruit, its cultivation, and its great capabilities that it is an ideal raw material for producing this new vegan leather,” Persiskin told Fashion United.
Jaime Sanfelix, executive director of Persiskin, noted that persimmon cultivation has undergone an “exponential evolution” in the last five years, causing production to increase to “exorbitant” levels. “From this production, currently more than 50% are not marketed surpluses. Our vegan textile that substitutes animal and synthetic leather can solve the surplus of persimmon from the Valencian fields,” he added.