Plant-based leather alternative
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Removing animals and unsustainable processes from the leather industry.
Funding to advance a plant-based leather with breathability equivalent or better than animal leathers
The Opportunity
One of the key challenges in making a sustainable fashion industry is leather. Both the source of the material (cows) and the way it’s processed (tanning) create a large environmental footprint. Many vegan leathers attempt to fill the gap, but the products – primarily a type of plastic derived from fossil fuels – don’t actually help the industry’s get closer to its sustainability goals. Gestion Dryad has developed a unique vegan leather from three plant sources, making it a truly sustainable leather alternative.
The Challenge
Gestion Dryad has created a truly innovative vegan leather using soy, rubber plant and castor oil to create a leather-like material that can be applied to a range of substrates used in the industry. The result is a sustainable and breathable leather alternative suitable for any animal leather applications. The challenge is that this has not been seen anywhere in the world. Gestion Dryad needed to develop the technology to bring it to a commercial scale.
Breathable and waterproof, these are the key characteristics for leather products. Our plant-based alternative has both.
NPC’s Solution
NPC’s Proof of Concept Program provided over $38,000 to support Gestion Dryad’s technology development of the unique manufacturing process needed to commercialize the product. At time of publication, the company was optimizing their formulation to accommodate Canadian production.
NPC is committed to the creation of natural products that are better for people, animals and the planet. We propel early-stage Canadian innovators with the advice, connections and capital they need to develop and de-risk their solutions quickly and efficiently.
Gestion Dryad
Description:
Sector(s):
Packaging, Apparel, BiomaterialsFunding Type:
Proof of ConceptProvince:
QuebecFunding Amount:
$36,738
Year of Funding:
2024Name:
Francois Simard