Learning
About Vegea®
VEGEA® grape leather is an innovative material characterized by the high content of renewable and recycled raw materials, including: grape leftovers from winemaking, vegetable oils and natural fibers from agriculture.
About VEGEA®
VEGEA company was established in Milan in 2016, with the aim to promote the integration between chemistry and agriculture through the development of new eco-sustainable products. VEGEA develops plant-based alternatives to fully synthetic, oil-derived materials. The name VEGEA comes from the combination of VEG (Vegan) and GEA (Mother Earth), aiming to identify next generation of alternatives to totally oil-based and animal-derived materials.
Why Grapes
Grapes are chosen for alternative leather production because they offer a more environmentally friendly and ethical option for producing leather-like materials.
VEGEA’s® grape leather is typically made from the leftovers of winemaking, including grape skins, seeds, and stalks that are often discarded as waste. These grape byproducts are abundant in the wine industry and would otherwise contribute to landfill waste or require disposal.
Using grapes for leather production not only repurposes these waste materials but also reduces the environmental impact associated with traditional leather production, which can be resource-intensive and have ethical concerns related to animal welfare.
Furthermore, grapes are a renewable resource, and their use in leather production aligns with sustainability goals, reducing reliance on synthetic materials.
Production Process
- Collecting Winemaking Waste: Grape leather production begins with the collection of grape waste from various wineries. This waste includes grape skins, seeds, and stalks, which are leftover after the grapes have been used to produce wine.
- Bio-Oil Extraction: The collected grape waste is then processed to extract bio-oils contained within grape seeds. These bio-oils are typically dehydrated, and the extracts are ground into fine particles.
- Adding Natural Fibers: The extracted bio-oils are combined with other natural fabrics and binding materials to create a plant-based fabric that mimics the qualities of traditional leather.
- Coating and Finishing: The coated fabric is then subjected to various treatments, including embossing, dyeing, and finishing, to achieve the desired appearance and texture.
- Cutting and Design: Once the grape leather material is prepared, it can be cut and designed into a variety of items, such as fashion accessories, footwear, handbags, interiors, and even automotive components.
Award-Winning Product
VEGEA, known for its innovative grape leather, has received several awards recognizing its contribution to sustainable material innovation and eco-friendly fashion. Some of the notable awards won by VEGEA include:
- H&M Foundation's Global Change Award (2017): VEGEA was one of the winners of the Global Change Award in 2017, an innovation challenge initiated by the H&M Foundation. This award aims to support early-stage ideas that have the potential to make the fashion industry circular and sustainable.
- Recognition by PETA: While not a formal award, VEGEA's grape leather has been recognized by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for being a cruelty-free and animal-friendly alternative to traditional leather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Desserto® cactus leather is a highly durable material, and can last for up to 10 years.
When cleaning cactus leather, use only water base adhesives, do not use solvents. For the material to maintain a good appearance, use a mild soap solution and remove it completely using white cotton cloth dampened in water.
Do NOT clean with solvents such as alcohol, acetone, paint thinner, bleach, oils, vinegars, waxes, etc. as these causes permanent damage in the material.
Brands Using VEGEA® Grape Leather
Moleskine
Moleskine collaborated with VEGEA® for their Moleskine Precious & Ethical Collection to make luxurious notebooks hand-bound with attention to detail in both design and craftsmanship.
GeoX
The GEOX-VEGEA® collaboration emphasizes the use of sustainable materials in fashion, aligning with growing consumer demand for environmentally responsible product.
Bentley
Bentley's adoption of VEGEA's eco-friendly grape leather material underlines the growing trend of sustainable practices in luxury car manufacturing.