Staying In Touch With Nature
Highly Sustainable Alternative To Leather Made From Organic Cactus Leaves
Distinguished by its gentle softness at the touch, cactus is the latest innovation in the luxury and fashion industry. This impressive treasure of nature offers a cruelty-free, sustainable alternative to animal leather without doing any harm to the environment. We are proud to be one of the first few brands in the world to create beautiful design-driven clothing made of Desserto® cactus vegetable leather at the highest standards.
When thinking of soft fabrics, what usually comes to mind is a delicate silk dress gliding over your silhouette or the smooth touch of pure organic cotton on your skin. In a world where the general perception of softness is wrapped around these, cactus falls far from clothing materials that one can imagine soft and comfortable to wear. Yet, with its great performance for a wide variety of applications, cactus has opened new possibilities to sustainability-driven fashion brands, offering a cruelty-free alternative to animal leather. Our goal at Etishe is to be a progressive sustainable fashion brand, using only natural, recycled, environmentally friendly, and ethically sourced fabrics. Vegan cactus leather completes perfectly our approach to the eco-friendly slow fashion industry, and we are intrigued to create timeless clothing pieces that like-minded people can proudly wear.
What is cactus leather exactly?
Without any doubt, leather is still a staple in the fashion industry, but processing it has an extremely harmful impact on the environment, not to mention the cruelty factor. Some brands see faux leather as the solution since it is cruelty-free, but there are serious issues with it that make things even worse. It is treated with toxic chemicals, has cheap quality, and is not biodegradable, just to mention some. Coming from the organic plantations of Mexico, vegan cactus leather represents a brand new perception of sustainable fabrics, creating a very much-needed positive impact on the whole fashion industry. The fabric is 80% made of nopal, also known as prickly pear cactus leaves. Thanks to the great ability of cacti to survive in the desert, there is no need for irrigation, while maintaining the plantation requires minimal energy. Once processed, the result is a highly sustainable vegan material that performs to the highest standards of the industry.
Why vegan leather made of cactus is an eco-friendly option?
The fully organic leather made of cactus can be used for creating pretty much anything: clothing items, accessories, shoes, luxury packaging, etc. But what is even better, cactus leather complies with the most rigorous quality and environmental standards, which makes it an excellent eco-friendly option. Here are some of the key features that make vegan cactus leather a sustainable material that has minimal impact on the environment:
- No irrigation system needed: Since cacti can survive in the desert, plantations don’t need a special irrigation system, which significantly cuts down on natural resource usage.
- Less energy required: Compared to processing animal leather, the whole production of cactus leather requires less energy. Manufacturers use only the mature leaves of the plant which are dried under the sun until they achieve the desired level of humidity.
- No toxic chemicals: While other leather types are treated with toxic chemicals, the cactus remains fully organic. The aim here is to create a sustainable, healthy variant, so no chemicals, phthalates, or PVC are added to the original material.
- If cut will regrow: Cactus plantations are like evergreen forests of the desert. Cutting the mature leaves won’t kill the plant. On the contrary, it helps small leaves grow, then in a matter of months, they can be cut and processed.
- Partially biodegradable: As a sustainability-driven fashion brand, one of our biggest goals is to use only low carbon footprint materials. Luckily, vegan cactus leather is not only a very durable material, but it is partially biodegradable too.
- Cruelty-free: Being 100% vegan and cruelty-free, there is no doubt that Desserto® cactus leather is the best latest innovation of non-animal-based leather materials the fashion industry can only treasure.
Sneak peek in our workshop
The real magic happens between the walls of our small workshop, where this unusual material meets our creativity and imagination. We aim to highlight the unique character of each fabric and this is especially true with cactus leather. We approach the raw material with respect and appreciation, wrapping our minds around its best qualities and using them as pillars when designing a certain creation. Each and every piece of our clothing is 100% handmade, thoughtfully tailored with extra care and attention. Sometimes we rely on the plisseé technique to bring the best out of the cactus leather, other times we focus on the softness and purity of the fabric. We finish the tailored clothes with hand-made accessories that complement them and give a final look that cannot remain unnoticed.
Experience the inspiring touch of nature
Vegan cactus leather opens new doors to those who live for a greener future and offers the eco-friendly alternative to leather we’ve been trying to find for so long. It gives us a sustainable gift and shows us a new type of touch of nature that inspires everyone who comes across this unusual fabric.
And after all, how mind-blowing it is to wear cactus!
