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Spotted: Strong, supple and soft to touch, plant-based Desserto leather provides a range of industries with a sustainable alternative to animal leather. Designed to meet the technical requirements of the automotive, fashion and furniture industries, Desserto leather breathes and stretches just like animal leather. Even better, it is partially biodegradable and free from PVC, phthalates and other dangerous chemicals.

Made from prickly pear cactus, the vegan leather requires very little water to produce, and the cactus itself doesn’t need water to grow. The leather’s durability means anything made from it should have a minimum of a 10-year life span. And its innate flexibility should help reduce waste in production in any industry. 

The leather’s name reflects both its material and the heritage of both of its entrepreneurs. The business is based in Guadalajara, Mexico, and sustainability is its main focus. The prickly pear cactus grows across Mexico, and the company already owns additional land in anticipation of increasing production. 

Other sustainable leathers spotted by Springwise include one made from mushrooms and another from sunflowers. As the use of alternative materials becomes more widespread, we expect to see many more environmentally-friendly approaches.