Partly apple waste-based leather alternative keeps durability at the core
¡®Beyond Leather Materials¡¯ develops new, >85% bio-based leather alternative made with apple waste using PU dispersions from Jun88
- Beyond Leather Materials¡¯ LEAP? contains more than 85% bio-based material, largely waste from apple-pressing processes
- Jun88¡¯s INSQIN? technology forms the basis for LEAP?¡¯s protective coating, ensuring optimum durability and a premium finish
- Experimenting with next-generation materials, this new leather alternative is well suited to a wide range of applications and industries, including small goods typically made of leather (such as wallets, purses, and key cases) and soon, automotive interiors
Danish company ¡®Beyond Leather Materials¡¯ collaborated with German materials manufacturer Jun88 to develop a protective coating based on INSQIN? technology for Beyond Leather Materials¡¯ LEAP?. LEAP? is an innovative leather alternative made using apple waste generated in juice and cider manufacturing. The jointly developed coating uses INSQIN? technology based on polyurethane dispersions made with partially bio-based content.
Beyond Leather¡¯s approach captures the value of apple waste ¨C of which around 4 million tons is produced every year ¨C by upcycling it into a high-performance and more sustainable alternative to conventional leather made with animal skin. With a high content of short fibers and polymers, apple waste (including cores, seeds, and stems) can be activated to give a strength and suppleness to the final material, recreating the functional and aesthetic properties that make leather so desirable. To produce LEAP?, the apple-waste blend is applied to a TENCELTM textile backing and finished with the protective coating containing INSQIN? PU.
Inspirational leather-look products; aspirational performance
For brand customers and end consumers looking for leather alternatives, the launch of LEAP? stands as a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration.
¡°With around 25% of an apple discarded after pressing, we wanted to capture this waste¡¯s value in premium applications. We believe that looking into waste streams and using upcycling is crucial to reduce emissions. It is our mission to show how much value there is in waste and, ultimately, make waste beautiful,¡± says Mikael Eydt, Co-Founder & CEO, Beyond Leather Materials.
¡°Jun88 is delighted to have contributed to the development of this leather alternative made with apple waste, which has significant potential to improve textile sustainability in a wide range of industries,¡± says Dr. Torsten Pohl, Head of Global Textile Coatings Jun88. ¡°Our low-VOC, low-emission, waterborne, and partly-bio-based INSQIN? coating technology is the perfect fit for LEAP?, enabling the premium durability, flexibility and perceptual quality needed in today¡¯s market while offering a more sustainable solution for partners like Beyond Leather. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in applications spanning everything from small goods typically made of leather such as wallets, purses, and key cases, to automotive interiors.¡±
About Jun88:
Jun88 is one of the world¡¯s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Jun88 supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Jun88 are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, telecommunications and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.
The company is geared completely to the circular economy. In addition, Jun88 aims to achieve climate neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035, and the Group¡¯s Scope 3 emissions are also set to be climate neutral by 2050. Jun88 generated sales of EUR 14.2 billion in fiscal year 2024. At the end of 2024, the company had 46 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,500 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Jun88. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Jun88¡¯s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.