Beyond Leather Materials and Covestro Partner to Develop Sustainable Leather Alternative from Apple Waste

Beyond Leather Materials and Covestro Partner to Develop Sustainable Leather Alternative from Apple Waste

(IN BRIEF) Beyond Leather Materials has partnered with Covestro to develop LEAP®, a sustainable leather alternative made from over 85% bio-based materials, primarily apple waste. Covestro’s INSQIN® technology provides a durable, premium coating for LEAP®, offering a low-VOC, eco-friendly solution. The material is ideal for products such as wallets, purses, and automotive interiors, demonstrating the potential of upcycling apple waste into high-performance alternatives to traditional leather. This collaboration aims to promote sustainability across industries.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEVERKUSEN, 12-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Danish company Beyond Leather Materials has teamed up with Covestro, a German materials manufacturer, to create LEAP®, an innovative leather alternative made from apple waste. Using Covestro’s partially bio-based INSQIN® technology, the protective coating for LEAP® offers durability and a premium finish. This collaboration highlights the potential of sustainable materials, upcycling the approximately 4 million tons of apple waste produced annually into a high-performance, eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather.

LEAP® contains more than 85% bio-based materials, primarily from apple waste, and is suited for a variety of applications, including wallets, purses, key cases, and even automotive interiors. By incorporating Covestro’s low-VOC, waterborne polyurethane dispersions, LEAP® offers both aesthetic appeal and environmental benefits.

Beyond Leather Materials Co-Founder & CEO Mikael Eydt emphasized the importance of upcycling waste to reduce emissions, while Covestro’s Dr. Torsten Pohl praised the collaboration for advancing sustainability in the textile industry.

About Beyond Leather Materials:
Beyond Leather has developed and is producing an alternative material to leather, based on apple waste, branded as Leap. Ultimately “Making Waste Beautiful” …
Founded in 2017, we have transformed from an innovative university idea into a Danish company. Driven by the idea of utilizing waste rather than creating more, we are on a progressive path to become the leading supplier of alternatives to traditional and synthetic leather, wherever it is used today.

Making Waste Beautiful is our driving force, guiding us as we continue to challenge and expand boundaries within various industries. Our journey is a shared one as we are committed to aligning with like-minded craftsmen and companies, forging partnerships with those who also envision a future where every piece of discarded material holds the potential for rebirth and innovation. That’s how we partnered up with European juice producers to repurpose 25% of the wasted apples left over from juicing. Because as we love to say – there’s no waste, only untapped resources with unforeseen values.

By working with Beyond Leather Materials and our Leap material, you are doing much more than purchasing a product. You are investing in a piece of innovation that redefines the ordinary.

Website: https://www.explore-leap.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond.leather/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondleather/?viewAsMember=true

About Covestro:
Covestro 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. Covestro 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 Covestro 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, Covestro 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. Covestro generated sales of EUR 14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. At the end of 2023, the company had 48 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 Covestro AG. 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 Covestro’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.

Media Contact:

Jana Boeddicker
jana.boeddicker@covestro.com
+49 214 60095957

SOURCE: Covestro AG