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From pomace to bioleather

04/02/2025

Madeleine Royère-Koonings
India,
PacificAsia
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An Indian start-up, The Bio Company, won the Best Innovation in Textile at the PETA Vegan Fashion Awards for its Bioleather. 

Pritesh Mistry, founder of The Bio Company (TBC), created a sustainable process to turn tomato waste into bioleather. He developed this process while still in college and has since patented the process and its technology. His inspiration came from witnessing the environmental pollution caused by the leather tanning industry, as well as the significant amount of food waste – and particularly tomato – in India.
 
TBC uses tomato waste, primarily skins and seeds, from local processing units and farms in India. It is then combined with biopolymers, plant-based binders, and natural fibers, undergoing a process that includes blending and non-toxic curing to create a durable and leather-like material. The resulting product is a vegan, carbon-neutral, and biodegradable alternative to traditional leather, dyed with natural materials. It is PU and PVC free, unlike conventional faux leathers.
 
Bioleather has already been adopted in fashion, accessories and automotive sectors.
The company currently produces around 5,000 meters per month at its facility. “This production capacity is scalable, and as demand increases, we are working to expand our output while ensuring the quality and sustainability of the material remain top priorities,” says Mistry.

Sources: The Better India, www.bioleather.in