As designers emphasize the need for sustainability and dedicate their time to finding material alternatives to help with a more planet-friendly approach to manufacturing, food waste leathers are gaining in popularity. One such example is Tômtex—a material made from seafood shells and coffee grounds. The innovative textile is developed by Vietnamese designer Uyen Tran who extracts the chitin biopolymer from shrimp, crab, and lobster shells, and combines them with coffee waste. The mixture is then dyed with natural pigments to produce a variety of colors to choose from.
Aside from being sustainable, the food waste leather is also pretty flexible. The bio-material can be easily embossed to sport a variety of patterns, which is beneficial to those who are seeking to replicate the aesthetic of snakeskin, for example.
Innovative Food Waste Leathers
Tômtex is a Material Made Out of Seafood Shells and Coffee Grounds
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Materials - Designers are focusing on developing sustainable materials as alternatives to traditional manufacturing.
2. Food Waste Leather - Food waste leathers are gaining popularity as a sustainable and flexible material for various applications.
3. Chitin Biopolymer - The extraction and utilization of chitin biopolymer from seafood shells for textile production is an innovative approach to sustainability.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - The fashion industry can explore the use of food waste leathers and sustainable materials to create eco-friendly clothing and accessories.
2. Automotive - Car manufacturers can incorporate food waste leathers as a sustainable alternative for interior upholstery and trim.
3. Furniture - The furniture industry can adopt food waste leathers to produce eco-friendly upholstery and home decor items.