Desserto is a company paving the way for an alternative solution to making leather. This brand was started in Mexico by Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, they fortunately brought their product to Milan, Italy in October 2019 to display their invention.
So, what is Desserto?
It’s an alternative vegan leather made from the cactus called: nopal.
How cool is that?! When one of my coworkers was telling me of this brand, I knew I had to learn more about it!
After realizing how much waste is produced from leather made from animals, most likely cows, Adrían and Marte knew they had to create a more sustainable option.
On their website, you can learn that cows drink about 1,800 gallons of water each year, and once the leather is retrieved from them it is put through an extensive cycling process with more water waste and harmful chemicals for the environment, making animal leather not biodegradable.
With Adrían and Marte’s background in the car and fashion leather industry, they both wanted to team up and find another solution. Also, with cactus being one of the most plentiful plants in Mexico that doesn’t require a lot of water and is better for your skin, it is the perfect material for a vegan leather.
At Desserto they have never had to fully cut down a cactus because cactus are a perennial plant that will last for around 8 years.
Cactus also takes in carbon dioxide, which helps the planet. Once you cut part of a cactus they explain in a video on their website that, “It’s just like a haircut.” The cactus grows right back.
During the leather making process, they cut the matured leaves (harvesting every 6-8 months), wash them, mash it, and let it sit for three days, mix it with non-toxic chemicals, and then the makers are able to shape it into any form.
The best part is that the price of this leather is no more than your average cost of animal leather. I was surprised by this, thinking it would be more, but luckily many people can get their hands on a product of theirs if they wanted to.
Viola, then you have an organic, biodegradable, and lastly leather for up to 10 years. The whole plan is to use this leather in the fashion industry, furniture, and car industry.
After researching this brand, this is a genius solution for the high demanding markets for vegan leather, and the makers are the first to do it.
Benefits Desserto Has On the Environment
This process is such a better alternative for the environment and animals. It is said that 72 billion animals are slaughtered every year. But, with Desserto no animals are used in the making of the leather.
The nopal cactus has so many more benefits as well than what has already been said. This type of cactus can grow in the ground where other crops cannot prosper, and cactus can naturally restore the ground.
Other facts include:
- Cactus is a carbon sinker
- 3 leaves of cactus can produce one meter of Desserto
- Desserto is USDA certified
- Cactus is a very adaptable plant
All their leather is put through the E-LCA process: Early Life Cycle Assessment to make sure their products are dependable from the start, which I thought was an intensive process needed for the product.
You can learn so much more by going to their website to read more in depth information about this process.
Desserto in the Fashion Industry
A shoe company called CLAE Los Angeles, has collaborated with Desserto leather for their sneakers. In their everyday, basic shoes design they have three colors available from their leather: white, green, and black; all made with cactus leather.
After two years of Adrían and Marte’s journey to create this product, it is so cool to see it being used in clothing and fashion brands already.
If you liked learning about this vegan leather brand and want to see more, check out our home page here.
