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Living Green in the Suburbs

Posted on May 26, 2023 by dishanth

Living green in the suburbs is gaining interest from all over the US. Today, 8 of every 10 Americans live in the suburbs. Suburbs are areas within a metropolitan area that are primarily residential. They are not as densely populated as the inner city and are generally a separate political entity of the city. In many suburban areas, a car is required to get around the area and enter the main city or downtown core. In America, the suburbs are responsible for 50% of carbon emissions due to car dependence.

Moreover, these homes conserve less energy as they are required to heat and cool larger houses. Many suburban homes have lawns which require water and maintenance. Over 3 trillion gallons of water a year across 40 million acres of lawn is used in the US. Lawns are also one of the nation’s largest sources of pollution due to the chemical runoff from pesticides and fertilizers that make their way into waterways. Suburban lawns have been known to contaminate swimming and drinking water and harm local fish.

Living Green in the suburbs is simple (and fun).

But it doesn’t all have to be bad. Many environmentally friendly solutions exist to help make living green in the suburbs easier. Front or backyards could be transformed into wildflower meadows or rain gardens. Wildflower meadows mainly contain native plants and are a perfect habitat for pollinators like bees, butterflies and birds. Rain gardens are filled with plants and native grasses that collect storm water runoff from roofs, driveways and streets and are ways to protect the aquatic ecosystem.

Another lawn alternative is planting ground covers that require no mowing and little fertilizer and water. Food scaping is also growing in popularity as a lawn replacement as it enables sustainable edible landscapes. The plants can be edible, which will help contribute to food security, or ornamental, providing an aesthetically pleasing landscape with little planning.

Another way for suburbanites to reduce their environmental impact is by harvesting rainwater from runoff surfaces. The water can be used for irrigation and toilet flushing. It also reduces energy use and carbon emissions from water treatment industries that treat and transfer water.

Reducing energy consumption while living green in the suburbs includes buying more energy-efficient light bulbs, installing insulation and storm windows, purchasing Energy Star Label appliances and choosing renewable energy. Within these suburban communities, a community solar project may allow homeowners to buy into a collectively owned energy project.

Here is an easy-to-follow checklist for living green in the suburbs.

1. Reduce, reuse, and recycle: Practice the three R’s of sustainability by reducing your disposable consumption, reusing items as much as possible, and recycling materials such as paper, plastics, and glass.

2. Compost: Start a compost pile to reduce organic waste and produce nutrient-rich soil for gardening.

3. Install energy-efficient appliances: Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models to reduce energy consumption and save money on utility bills.

4. Use public transportation or carpool: Use public transportation whenever possible or carpool with others to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles.

5. Plant native species in your yard: Planting native species can help support biodiversity and provide habitats for local wildlife.

6. Conserve water: Install low-flow showerheads and toilets, and limit outdoor watering to reduce water usage.

7. Use eco-friendly cleaning products: Switch to environmentally friendly cleaning products that use natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals.

8. Support local farmers and businesses: Buy produce and products from local farmers and businesses to reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping and distribution.

9. Use solar power: Install solar panels on your property to produce clean energy and reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

10. Participate in community-wide sustainability initiatives: Join community groups or organizations that promote green living and participate in local sustainability programs or events.

Just because you live in the suburbs, it doesn’t mean you get a free pass to environmental damage. Suburban living can be environmentally damaging, but many opportunities exist to reduce your impact. By simply converting your lawn, you can protect local wildlife and ecosystems. Finding ways to reduce your energy consumption, installing compost bins and piles, and even choosing to eat locally and seasonally will all positively impact how you live, no matter where you live and soon you will find your own family living green in the suburbs.

Source Happy Eco News

Composting Your Clothing – it’s Being Done in Australia

Posted on May 9, 2023May 9, 2023 by dishanth

The average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago, and over 92 million tonnes of what is purchased gets thrown away – usually into a landfill. Another problem is the fabric from which our clothing is made. Around 70 percent of the clothing market is made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic, all made from non-renewable sources such as oil and natural gas.

These synthetics can’t biodegrade, meaning they sit in landfills for hundreds of years. Because so many different materials can go into making a single garment, they are hard to separate so they can be recycled properly. Sorting different fibres and materials by hand is extremely labour intensive, slow, and requires a skilled workforce that doesn’t seem to exist in many countries.

What is the solution to reducing textile waste? Consumers can buy less, repair, donate, rent, and organize clothing swaps with friends. Some clothing brands are taking the issue further by creating garments that can be composted after they can no longer be used. Based in Australia, the Very Good Bra has created bras and undergarments made from 100% botanically sourced materials that can be composted, worm-farmed or buried in the soil at the end of their life.

The company uses no spandex, polyester or nylon – even in sewing, thread, elastic and labelling. This means that their products are 100% plastic-free. Their elastics are made from natural tree rubber knitted into organic cotton. Their hooks for bras are made from 100% organic cotton and Tencel sewing thread. Everything has been designed to be put in the soil as is.

The company has worked with sustainability experts, academics and industry to create a proposal for Standards Australia to create standards for compostable textiles. This standard would allow garments to be disposed of in commercial composters and would guarantee that the clothes would compost safely. The proposal was approved by Standards Australia and will enter a development phase to determine the criteria clothing will have to meet so that the compost would not be affected by dyes or flame-retardant coatings. For this to work, more brands must actively participate and consider using more than just natural fibres to ensure their clothing is truly compostable, such as nuts or bio elastics buttons to replace zippers.

If more clothing brands think about making their clothing compostable, we can enter a circular economy and reduce our landfill waste and impact on the planet.

Source Happy Eco News

Sustainable Housing that can be Recycled

Posted on May 4, 2023May 4, 2023 by dishanth

Building a house from the ground up can be environmentally damaging. Buildings have a significant carbon footprint, with over 41% of global energy consumption attributed to buildings and structures. Buildings and materials also produce dangerous emissions that pollute our air, and the construction industry alone generates more than 170 tons of debris annually. There is also the issue of landfill waste, excessive use of water and noise pollution caused by the construction of buildings and houses.

SPEE Architecten, an architecture firm in the Netherlands, may have found a sustainable solution for building houses. Their projects focus on innovation and sustainability and creating healthy elements for both the residents and the environment. The architects created their newest project Speehuis House to create a site that minimally impacts the surrounding trees and wetlands with a structure that could be dismantled and recycled.

The house was built in a wooded area adjacent to a wetland area. The house’s form, size and layout are tailored to the needs of a family with three and adjoins SPEE Architects’ office premises. Large, strategically-placed windows offer a lot of natural light to the inner spaces and views of the outdoors. The entire house is made of circular and biobased materials. For example, the exterior walls and sloping roofs are made from untreated, high-density, biobased bamboo slats.

The team used Bamboo X-treme beams which consist of more than 90% of thermally modified bamboo strips. Bamboo absorbs a lot of CO2 during its growth, which remains stored throughout the product’s lifespan. Bamboo X-treme is extremely durable, dimensionally stable, and harder than most types of wood. When the bamboo fibers and resin are compressed at high temperatures, the natural sugar in the bamboo caramelizes, rendering it rot-resistant. These materials can be conveniently dismantled, adapted and recycled as need be.

Most of the home’s shell, including the stairs, interior doors, desks and cabinets, is made from cross-laminated timber that was chosen to avoid using concrete. The entire shell was prefabricated in less than a week. The wood was sourced from responsibly managed forests and was selected to create a natural and healthy indoor environment and a carbon sink. The architecture team estimates that over 93 000 kg of CO2 is stored within the building. In comparison, the same building built in concrete would produce 46,694 kg of CO2.

The home that SPEE Architecten has built shows us a future of what the construction industry can look like and how we can live more sustainably. The design is spacious and tasteful and allows for comfortable living without causing harm to the environment. If more architecture firms transitioned to building homes like the Speehuis House, the environmental impact from the construction industry would decrease substantially.

Source Happy Eco News

Unleashing the Power of AI to Protect Coral Reefs

Posted on April 22, 2023 by dishanth

Unlocking the Secrets of the Underwater World: Mapping Coral Reefs with AI

Understanding coral reefs’ intricate structure and biodiversity is paramount to their conservation and restoration. Traditional methods of mapping coral reefs can be laborious and limited by the challenges of underwater habitats. Enter machine learning, the cutting-edge technology that can revolutionize coral reef mapping.

Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from diverse sources such as satellite imagery, underwater cameras, and environmental sensors to create high-resolution maps of coral reefs with unprecedented accuracy and detail. These maps provide valuable insights into coral reefs’ health, distribution, and vulnerability, empowering marine scientists, policymakers, and conservation organizations to make informed decisions and prioritize conservation efforts.

Using AI to Protect Coral Reefs: Early Detection and Rapid Response

AI can also play a pivotal role in early detection and rapid response to environmental threats faced by coral reefs. Climate change can cause coral bleaching, disease outbreaks, and species composition shifts; detecting these threats early and responding promptly is critical for effective management.

Real-time data analysis using machine learning algorithms can detect environmental changes that may indicate the onset of stress or bleaching events. For instance, machine learning models can analyze sea surface temperature data, water quality parameters, and other environmental variables to identify areas where corals are at high risk of bleaching. This early warning system enables scientists and managers to take timely action, such as implementing restoration measures, reducing local stressors, or implementing temporary fishing bans to safeguard vulnerable coral populations.

AI can also predict the spread and impact of coral diseases, which can spread rapidly and devastate entire coral reef ecosystems. By analyzing patterns in disease outbreaks, machine learning algorithms can identify potential disease vectors, environmental factors that may promote disease transmission, and the genetic makeup of coral populations that may affect their susceptibility to diseases. This information can aid in developing effective disease management strategies, preventing the further spread of diseases on coral reefs.

Using AI to Help Restore Coral Reefs

Restoring degraded coral reefs is complex and daunting, but machine learning offers innovative and efficient solutions for effective strategies.

One promising application of machine learning in coral reef restoration is the development of predictive models for coral survival and growth. These models can analyze a wide range of factors, such as the type of coral, water quality, temperature, light, and nutrient levels, to predict the optimal conditions for coral survival and growth. This knowledge can inform restoration efforts, such as selecting suitable sites for coral planting, optimizing coral nurseries, and implementing targeted interventions to maximize the success of restoration projects.

Machine learning can also aid in developing sustainable coral reef management strategies. By analyzing data on fishing practices, tourism activities, and other human impacts on coral reefs, it can provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop effective conservation and management plans that ensure the long-term health and resilience of coral reef ecosystems.

The potential of machine learning in enhancing coral reef protection and restoration efforts is immense. From mapping coral reefs with unprecedented accuracy to early detection and rapid response to environmental threats, and from predicting coral survival and growth to informing sustainable management strategies, machine learning is a game-changer in the field of coral reef conservation. As we continue to harness the power of AI and machine learning, we can strive toward a brighter future for these invaluable and highly biodiverse parts of our planet.

Source Happy Eco News

Zara launched pre-owned service for shoppers to resell, repair or donate items

Posted on November 23, 2022November 23, 2022 by dishanth

Zara launched a pre-owned service that will let UK customers resell, repair or donate clothing from the brand.

The Spanish fashion giant, owned by Inditex, launched Zara Pre-Owned on 3 November as part of its environmental sustainability commitments.

Shoppers can post second-hand Zara items for sale through the service, as well as book repairs and donate unwanted items online or through a store.

The platform will be hosted on Zara’s website and app, with transactions going through the Stripe system.

Similar to existing resale apps like Vinted, shopper can upload pictures of their items with detailed product information. The buyers’ details will be passed on to the seller once a sale is made so the goods can be posted.

If customers are seeking to repair their Zara clothes, they can book a wide range of options from replacing buttons and zippers to fixing seams.

Customers can also request for unwanted clothing to be collected from their home for donation.

Paula Ampuero, head of sustainability at Zara, said that Zara Pre-Owned is not expected to be profitable in its early stages.

“At this stage, this platform is exclusively conceived as a tool to help customers extend the lifetime of their clothing and take a more circular approach.”

Fast fashion brands have come under mounting pressure to tackle the industry’s high carbon footprint and introduce more sustainable practices instead of encouraging “throwaway” culture.

Several retailers, including Zara and H&M, currently run recycling schemes that allows shoppers to give them unwanted textiles that can be sorted and recycled to make into new clothes and fabrics.

Earlier this year, Marks & Spencer said it became the first major high street brand to enter the resale market when it announced a trial partnership with the Dotte Resale Collective.

Dotte is a fully circular childrenswear resale marketplace that lets parents with young children buy, sell, donate, and recycle clothes they have outgrown.

John Lewis also launched a rewards scheme for members who bring in five items of clothing to be resold or recycled. The retailer said it launched the scheme because more than 300,000 tonnes of textiles end up in landfill each year.

Source The Independent

Tesco pulls forward target to halve food waste

Posted on October 18, 2022October 18, 2022 by dishanth

Tesco has accelerated its plans for halving food waste in operations, bringing the commitment’s deadline forward from 2030 to 2025.

The supermarket first set the target five years ago, in alignment with target 12.3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs). It set a baseline year of the 2016/17 financial year.

By the end of the 2021/22 financial year, the business had delivered a 45% reduction in operational food waste against this baseline. Given that it was, therefore, on track to exceed the 2030 target, it has pulled the deadline forward to 2025.

Actions which Tesco has already taken to reduce food waste in its operations have included forging partnerships with FareShare and OLIO to divert surplus food to communities; diverting surplus food not fit for human consumption to suppliers that can use it for animal feed; stocking ‘wonky’ produce to help reduce waste on farms and allowing store staff to take home foods approaching their use-by dates for free.

Tesco has been reporting food waste data since 2013 and was the first UK supermarket to do so

Tesco has also moved this week to link executive pay to the delivery of the accelerated target. It had already linked a quarter of the Performance Share Plan awards Executive Directors receive to progress on other key environmental and social targets, including those on emissions and on gender and ethnicity representation. Now, food waste will be added.

Tesco Group’s chief executive Ken Murphy said he hopes that the changes will “drive further transformative change”.

He also called on other businesses to follow suit, and for policymaking to raise the bar across the UK’s grocery sector. Murphy said: “The work we and our suppliers do won’t tackle the issue alone. We have long called for Government to introduce mandatory food waste reporting to help measure and judge if real action is happening. Action must be taken across the whole industry.”

Tesco is notably working with Defra on its ‘Step Up To The Plate’ pledge, which helps businesses and individuals align with SDG 12.3 and provides a platform for Ministers to receive recommendations for targeted policy support.

The pledge requires corporate signatories to adopt WRAP’s food waste reduction roadmap. The framework, built in partnership with charity IGD, sets out how organisations can measure and act on wastage levels across a “farm-to-fork” approach.

But, as Murphy said, the business wants the UK Government to go further and mandate that supermarkets publicly publish their food waste data in a uniform fashion.

Source edie

The bo e-scooter and docking station is a reinvention of a troubled e-thing

Posted on September 28, 2022September 29, 2022 by dishanth

E-scooters are an interesting form of “e-thing,” our term for the devices that are popping up in our Cambrian explosion of micromobility options and devices. As one reader noted recently, “Long live the eThings! This is a wonderful period of exploration.” The Bo e-scooter is a very different beast than the shared e-scooters from Lime and Bird that people complain are begriming sidewalks around the world. Almost all of the problems with e-scooters start with rental e-scooters, where people may not know how to ride them properly and park them anywhere. Nobody who owns a Bo e-scooter is going to abandon it in the middle of the sidewalk—it costs $2,400.

The problems with regular e-scooters are legion: The wheels are small and hard. When I was riding one in Lisbon on their marble sidewalks, I thought my teeth would shake out. Since the rider is standing, the center of gravity is high and this makes them unstable. They are great fun and useful transportation, but it certainly seemed to me that they could be a lot better, and probably a lot safer.

The Bo appears to address many of these problems. According to Bo CEO Oscar Morgan, “We spent 3 years developing the Bo M for everyone who can see the potential of the e-scooter, but who finds today’s scooters too unsafe, impractical for daily use, or simply not well designed.” It has what they call Safesteer, described as “a one-of-a-kind dynamic steering stabilization feature to increase rider safety and enjoyment.” Unusually for an e-scooter, it doesn’t fold.

“Aware that to some it is controversial, we made a conscious decision to eliminate the fold, launching Bo M with an unbroken Monocurve chassis,” said Bo CTO Harry Wills. “Bo M is designed for commuters traveling home to work who value exceptional ride, safety, and reliability above all else. Creating this new category, between a traditional e-scooter and an e-bike, our research discovered that the majority of people seldom or never use the fold. It represented a point of weakness, so that directed us to this final design.”

The Bo has 10-inch pneumatic tires and a special shock-absorbing deck so that it is not teeth-rattling. It has a 31-mile range, a 500-watt motor, regenerative braking, and a top speed of 24 miles per hour, depending on regulation. And of course, there are anti-theft systems and GPS tracking.

One of the big benefits of e-scooters is they are light and fold up, so you can take them wherever you go. The Bo does not fold and it weighs 40 pounds, which makes it a different kind of e-thing. So the company has also designed a different kind of storage. It’s a docking station with a monolithic, vertically integrated solar PV panel that charges an internal 2-kilowatt-hour battery in the day and charges the Bo M at night.

Morgan commented in a statement: “An essential feature of the Bo team is that we are scooter users, as well as designers and engineers. When we compared car ownership to life with the Bo M, security and ease of charging stood out as areas of opportunity to build a great rider experience. Bo M is highly efficient, with energy consumption as low as 15Wh per mile. This opened up the potential for a compact, stand-alone charge and security solution which could deliver meaningful range.”

My first reaction was that this is silly. If you have an e-thing that only consumes 15-watt-hours per mile and “can consume less energy in a week of commuting than a single hot shower,” then why bother? I really don’t think it makes much sense to park a scooter out in the rain on an expensive docking station when it is in front of a house with a big garage where you could plug it into a small charger.

However, the docking station doesn’t need an electric outlet so it can be put anywhere. One can imagine many places where this might be useful, including commuter train stations and office buildings that now have vast concrete parking garages. Cities and employers would be better off just giving people these instead of building those lots.

Perhaps the more important feature is the security technology, which is impressive. A secure place to park is one of the three pillars of the e-revolution. The security system is based on its own three pillars: mechanical, e-secure, and service-secure:

Mechanical-secure: Inaccessible, high-tensile steel pins deploy through the Bo M, fixing it securely to the base plate of the Bo E.
E-secure: Tamper sensors trigger high decibel audio alarm, camera filming, and live playback along with 4G notification to your smartphone. This is all synced with Bo M’s onboard alarm, GPS tracking, and audio alarms.
Service Secure: Bo is building the specification for an insurance product that reflects the increased safety of the vehicle when secured with Bo E.
E-scooters are an interesting niche. It is clear we have to separate the issues that come with shared scooters compared to privately owned units. A Swiss study found that shared e-scooters do not replace cars, but trips taken by foot, bike, or public transport. It also found that privately owned scooters last much longer and have a much lower carbon footprint. The Bo E is a very different e-thing.

We have noted before that e-bikes and e-scooters are climate action, and welcome the Bo to the party.

Source Treehugger

Sweat Success: A Sustainable Approach to Honey Production

Posted on September 27, 2022September 28, 2022 by dishanth

Located in the picturesque Marovo lagoon, honey producers in the Malemale community have created a sustainable beekeeping model that produces high profits but at the same time allows the environment around it to flourish.

With funding support from UNDPs Small Grants Programme (SGP) through the Global Environment Fund (GEF) Mr Calvin Charles’ has been working with the Malemale community to develop this new beekeeping model, and in a short time has proved successful.

“The honeybees collect nectar from flowers, but then we found that the kerosene wood tree flowers provide one of the best nectar for the honeybees. When I saw that I thought that this two project can go together,” said Calvin, the project coordinator.

“This has become our sweet success. As from the first five hives we received as part of the SGP support, we’re working to increase the number of colonies up to 50.”

Jesina Moses is one of the project members and together with other women in her family are involved in looking after and replanting the kerosene wood tree.

“So we come and work on Malemale, work such as cleaning, brushing and weeding in areas involved in the project.

“Main thing also is we manage the nursery then afterwards we transfer them to polyethylene bags then after 3 weeks we plant them,” said Jesina, as she transferred plants that are ready to be planted.

The support from UNDP’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) has helped the group purchase tools and equipment to turn their beekeeping plan into reality.

“If we manage this well it will help to improve the livelihoods of those in our community,” Calvin said.

Source Solomon Times

The world’s first biodegradable sneakers are here

Posted on September 16, 2022September 16, 2022 by dishanth

Blueview sneakers are the first biodegradable sneakers in the world. These sneakers are made entirely out of plant-based materials, which means we can make anything sustainable if we’re bold enough.

According to Inhabitat, these sneakers will completely break down when they’re exposed to air. Scientists worked for over six years to come up with a formula that uses plants to create a knitted upper material that can work on shoes.

The majority of shoes are made of petroleum-based plastics that don’t degrade even after hundreds of years. But, every single part of Blueview sneakers is completely compostable.

Most importantly, the sneakers provide comfortable wear thanks to the soft and flexible knitted uppers. The insole is contoured to soften the steps, which all results in a comfortable fit.

The sneaker design is simple and elegant. These sneakers can be worn everywhere, from a restaurant to a sailboat. Plus, 5% is donated to support ocean conservation efforts for every pair bought.

Source Green citizen

Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet

Posted on September 13, 2022 by dishanth

LOS ANGELES – Pineapples aren’t just for piña coladas anymore.

As fashion looks to become more sustainable, designers are trying unusual materials – such as pineapple, cactus and cork – to create handbags and other apparel traditionally made of vinyl or leather.

Instead of relying on petroleum-based synthetic fabrics that dominate fashion, Remington Reble and other designers use vegan textiles intended to help heal the environment.

“Concern for the environment is increasing. And so with that comes those conscious choices to change how you live and consume,” said Reble, an Arizona State University fashion graduate who makes handbags from cactus.

Purveyors of plant-based leather alternatives tout their products as good for the environment because they don’t have toxic chemicals and, of course, don’t involve animal cruelty.

The trend delights animal-rights activists.

Plant-based leather is a “better option because it doesn’t involve factory farming, which is what animal leather is coming out of,” said Ashley Byrne, spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.

Helga Douglas shows off one of her handbags made from leather substitutes. She uses such materials as pineapple and cork for her Los Angeles fashion brand Svala. (Photo courtesy of Helga Douglas)

Helga Douglas, creator of the Los Angeles fashion brand Svala, makes handbags out of pineapple and cork.

“I was always looking for handbags and accessories that were made from more sustainable, animal-friendly fabric,” said Douglas, who sells her bags online. “And I couldn’t really find exactly what I was looking for. So that’s why I created Svala.”

Her handbags are made of a leatherlike material called Piñatex, which is derived from pineapple leaf fibers collected by farming cooperatives in the Philippines. The processing is finished in Spain.

Because Piñatex is a byproduct of pineapple harvest and doesn’t require any extra land water or fertilizer, its manufacturer says on its website that it is one of the most sustainable textiles on the market.

She said customers are always curious about Piñatex, but she assures them they won’t smell like a tropical cocktail. The product holds up if taken care of properly, Douglas said.

Helga Douglas shows off one of her handbags made from leather substitutes. She uses such materials as pineapple and cork for her Los Angeles fashion brand Svala. (Photo courtesy of Helga Douglas

“It really does require some maintenance in the same way that you would care for leather,” like occasional waxing and buffing, she said.

Svala’s cork bags also are popular, Douglas said. In contrast to the stoppers in wine bottles, the cork is finished in a way that makes it smooth to the touch with a glossy finish.

Adding to its sustainability, cork bark can be harvested without killing the tree; the bark just grows back. Douglas said Svala has associated itself with a nonprofit organization that helps plant trees.

In Arizona, Reble recently started his brand Ribellè to market his cactus handbags. The project ties into his upbringing as a native Arizonan.

“My mom … sent me an article about cactus leather,” he said. “And then that combined with living my entire life in Arizona. It just immediately clicked.”

He obtains his cactus leather from a company called Desserto, based in the Mexican state of Jalisco. On its website, Desserto says the material is made with the pads of nopal cactus.

Desserto says it grows its cactus without irrigation. The pads are harvested every six to eight months, then cleaned, mashed and dried for three days. Non-toxic chemicals are mixed with the organic raw material to produce a leather substitute. Because the spines are removed during processing, wearers needn’t worry about being pricked.

Reble said the cactus leather substitute feels the same as traditional leather. Other businesses are using cactus for jackets and automobile seats.

For instance, Mercedes-Benz says its new Vision EQXX electric car “is made with animal-free textiles – like cactus fibers, mushrooms and vegan silk – that provide a luxurious finish from upholstery to door handles.”

Vegan leather substitutes are somewhat less durable than animal leather because they’re thinner and more sensitive to cracks and tears. However, careful use can extend a product’s lifespan up to 10 years, Reble said.

Like Reble, Douglas is enthusiastic about these materials.

“I think that it’s really great to have a fabric that is very sustainable and eco-friendly,” Douglas said.

Source – Cronkite News