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Mexcian entrepreneurs Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, aka the duo behind the sustainable vegan leather made from cactus plants, have been nominated* for an environmental award.
The pair, who created the brand Desserto, are now in the run for scooping Germany’s Green Product Award 2020 – which honors the ‘best innovative and sustainable products and services once a year’.
Desserto’s vegan leather, which is made without toxic chemicals, phthalates, or PVC, debuted back in October 2019 at the International Leather Fair Lineapell – where the pair described the interest levels at the event as ‘overwhelming’.
‘Suitable material’
“The idea of using this raw material was conceived because this plant does not need any water to grow, and there is plenty of it throughout the Mexican Republic,” Velarde and Cázarez told Fashion United.
“Also, symbolically, it represents all of us Mexicans and everybody knows it. Besides, to be able to incorporate this material to various industries, it is essential to count on a stable, abundant supply of raw material.
“After two years of research and development, we managed to produce a suitable material that complies with the features and technical/mechanical specifications required by those industries that use animal or synthetic leather.”
The winner of the Green Product Award will be announced on March 11 at an awards ceremony in Germany
