In India, a Gen Z entrepreneur is converting India’s copious amount of tomato waste into a renewable alternative to animal leather. Just 26 years old, Pritesh Mistry created Bioleather as his final year for Thadomal Shahani Engineering College’s biotechnology program. He has since founded The Bio Company to commercialize the material.
He chose tomato waste as feedstock because it is full of pectin, a natural polymer that boosts Bioleather’s flexibility and strength, and contains natural oils that create a leather-like texture.
Tomato waste is also abundantly available. “India, being the second-largest producer of tomatoes with about 44 million tons produced annually, faces the challenge of 30-35% of it going to waste,” Mistry tells The Better India. “This waste, primarily in the form of skin and seeds, provides a sustainable raw material for Bioleather.”
Bioleather is already gaining traction, having won the Best Innovation in Textile at the PETA Vegan Fashion Awards in 2021. Mistry also reports interest from automotive brands for interiors.