#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2024-09-19

‘Beyond Leather Materials’ develops new, >85% bio-based leather alternative made with apple waste

Danish company ‘Beyond Leather Materials’ collaborated with German materials manufacturer Covestro 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.

Combining low-VOC, partly bio-based INSQIN® technology with inventive materials like apple waste makes for innovative leather alternatives. © Covestro

Partly apple waste-based leather alternative keeps durability at the core

Beyond Leather’s approach captures the value of apple waste – of which around 4 million tons is produced every year – 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.

“Covestro 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 Covestro. “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.”

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

Covestro celebrates decade of innovation and sustainable growth

Covestro celebrates its 10-year anniversary today. Since its carve-out from Bayer in 2015, the company has developed into a global leader in high-performance polymer materials and a pioneer in circular economy solutions. With a strong focus on innovation and sustainability, Covestro’s materials are now embedded in countless applications worldwide – from mobility and construction to electronics, healthcare, and consumer goods.

YKK launches “YZiP® Light” aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has launched YZiP® Light, a lightweight aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants, with sales beginning in late March. The introduction of YZiP® Light expands YKK’s zipper portfolio—led by the flagship YZiP® copper alloy zipper—providing customers with greater flexibility to meet diverse garment needs.

Coats to showcase innovative reinforcement and filler materials for leather goods and accessories at APLF 2026

Coats, a world-class Tier 2 manufacturer and trusted partner for the apparel and footwear industries, will be promoting four advanced materials from its ‘Lifestyle Solutions’ portfolio at APLF 2026 in Hong Kong in March. Each innovation has been specifically engineered to help luxury and premium brands elevate the craft, durability, sustainability and creative expression required in the manufacturing of handbags, purses, and other high-end designer accessories.

Design, innovation and sustainability propel VIATT 2026’s expanding role in ASEAN textile sourcing

At its third edition, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles, and Textile Technologies (VIATT) further reinforced its role as a key sourcing and business platform for ASEAN’s textile industry. The three-day fair welcomed over 17,000 visits from 54 countries and regions, and featured over 460 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions across 18,000 sqm. The 2026 edition was marked by the introduction of new international pavilions and zones, broadening the fair’s sourcing scope across new geographies and product categories. The fringe programme, headlined by the debut Trend Forum, further distinguished VIATT as the region’s most integrated textile trade platform – uniquely spanning the entire value chain.

VANDEWIELE Group at Techtextil 2026 – Textile innovations together

The VANDEWIELEGroup will showcase its latest technologies for technical textiles at Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt from April 21–24 (Hall 12.0, Stand C21). As a global leader in textile machinery, the group brings together specialised brands to support the evolving demands of high-performance textile applications. Visitors will discover solutions in laboratory testing, yarn joining, yarn feeding and thread tension monitoring, designed to create measurable value across the textile value chain.