Tulin Dzhengiz’s Post

It is very sad to see the headlines like this. I believe in the importance of every research however, the generalized contents just cause struggles in biomaterial development. Animal skins can be tanned with fewer chemicals, for sure, but because these processes are very expensive and slow, the mass production industry prefers to use chemicals. The environmental impact of this practice is significant and is well-documented in research that you can find everywhere. In this case, it is crucial to assess the toxicity level of the soil after genuine leather is dissolved. If someone reaches it, please share it with me since I couldn't find it following this article. Biotech is developing every day and most of the new projects do not contain chemicals like polyurethane. However, we also have to fight bias created by generalized headlines and content. I am very respectful of every research, but headlines like this just blame others, and also not correct without knowing all other brands in the industry. I think it shouldn't be the correct aspect to support any kind of initiative. 

This is fascinating, but unsurprising. I’m all for eating less/no meat and using fewer animal products. But not if it means using compounds that can’t be composted or recycled, and actually use petrochemicals. Since most leather comes from existing feed cattle, what would happen to that resource otherwise? (Landfill, producing greenhouse gasses as they decompose.) Given existing meat consumption levels, is there currently a need to get a durable material similar to leather form another source? Data on available hides (at least in the US) suggests not. That said, we should be consuming less beef, and so hopefully down the road we will need alternatives. But by then, we can implement more remaking using existing pre-loved leather sources to make up the difference for some time. This is not to say that we shouldn’t create sustainable alternatives or alternatives that work for vegans and vegetarians, but maybe we don’t need to feel so guilty about buying leather.

The whole alternative leather industry is unfortunately extremely complicated and controversial as there are so many different issues with Vegans, animal welfare activists, businesses that have been set up on the premise that this would be the best solution to the leather industry Unfortunately it’s definitely not as simple as that - there are millions of people out there that were convinced that these alternatives didn’t contain any plastics, including agents for Pinotex and the other brands using Cactus, Mango, Apples etc I called out Mylo for the plastic coating when they were talking to me about working with them, meanwhile they managed to obtain, and spend over €300m investment! They made sure that they kept that part a company secret before they went bankrupt - it has been said that forensic accountants should have investigated who was responsible for that money and how on earth they managed to keep the plastic coating issue out of the equation!! The leather industry is often considered a bi product of the meat industry. Many animal welfare advocates point out that animal cruelty is rife with horrific treatment and abuse in the production of meat and leather. These issues should be addressed and abusive practice held to account - unfortunately we are never going to be able to stop people from eating meat. I don’t believe that science has found a better solution than the biodegradable qualities of any of our natural products - basically the same issues with all materials used in the fashion industry. Biodegradable material is in my opinion the most important factor to consider whilst we work on solutions for the environment and the planet. #leather #leatherindustry #veganleather #vegan #animalrights #animalwelfare #plastic #oil #oilandgas #mylo #compostable #compost #biodegradable #eco #environment #sustainable #sustainability #planet #earth #

The understanding of sustainability has become a matter of perspective, much like religion creating divisions arguing about a singular truth. As my dad would say to his Math students, when in doubt go back to fundamentals, so let's apply that to the leather industry. Leather comes from Cow hide. Which has been for many thousands of years used for clothing, footwear and storage. Cows are not bred and slaughtered only for the sake of their hide. The hide itself is a byproduct of the dairy and meat industry hence not a direct ethical issue that concerns vegans. Their target is inhuman treatment of animals. That sorted, where is the other environmental problem of leather? It's in the tanning. For every tonne of leather produced, about 80 cum of watsewater is generated. "The tanning process also contributes significantly to the pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), and concentrations of T Cr, Cr(III), Cr(VI), Cl−, sulfate, sulfide, and inorganic constituents in the wastewater." (https://lnkd.in/gNub682F) I don't use leather personally but my choice over non compostable plant based leather would be products from Tan and Loom that dyes it's leather with natural dyes and has some upcycled products from regular leather waste. https://lnkd.in/guiKmTky

How important is to be very well informed about the composition of the materials you want to work with. I highly recommend to question your suppliers about the materials they claim to be sustainable, so you can communicate properly to your audience. As consumer, do you review the labels of your products? #beinformed

'VEGAN' LEATHERS FAIL TO DECOMPOSE IN ISO TESTS: New Turkish research found genuine bovine leather composted completely in just over one month while new 'vegan' alternatives failed to decompose at all. The study compared the composting properties of genuine leather with two plant-based alternatives - Piñatex (derived from pineapple leaf fibres) and Desserto (made from cactus fibres). Piñatex, and Desserto showed "no significant signs of decomposition." The study authors attribute this to the presence of non-biodegradable components such as PU and PVC (who would have thought it? 😲). Genuine leathers decomposed in between 21 an 35 days, depending on how they were treated. The fashion industry has sought alternatives to genuine leather in recent years, ostensibly for environmental reasons. However, with the vast majority of these alternatives held together by plastic, considerations about end of life issues must surely come into the equation for brands and retailers. Our story here: https://lnkd.in/eY3APraj

Underlines the importance of a true cradle to grave assessment of ‘sustainable’ materials. Inputs are important and easiest to assess, but the full life cycle can paint a very different picture of how beneficial these products are to reducing environmental impact.

The conventional textile industry relies on synthetic dyes derived from fossil fuels. This uses up to five trillion litres of water every year and is harmful to our skin. (https://lnkd.in/gQPpvt9U) At Jiwya, we believe a shift to plant-based dyes is the solution, where we use a fraction of the water used by conventional dyes. Our founders are textile scientists who have created proprietary formulations of planet-friendly hand-dyeing methods that blend art and science together. Every Jiwya piece gets its colours from purely plant-based dyes that are free from toxic chemicals and good for your skin. Each yarn is dyed using a mix of scientific knowledge and traditional hand-dyeing methods that are in tune with nature. The result? A smooth and radiant finish on our limited edition pieces that outshines synthetic dyes in every aspect. The residual water from the process is later used to nourish our garden soil making the dyeing process zero-waste and zero discharge. This is how we weave sustainability into every yarn at Jiwya. We strive to create fashion that looks good on you and feels good for the planet. Visit jiwya.com to witness the magic of plant-based dyes come alive on our limited-edition pieces. What are some shades you think we need to bring in our plant-based colour palette? #jiwya #plantbasedfashion #sustainablefashion

Three years back I visited the textile industry. I observed the whole process. It was super cool. The cutting section caught my eye. I could see the amount of fabric waste generated in making a single piece. I rushed to learn if there is any sustainable alternative to this. Discovered a technique that would generate 0 fabric waste. We have used this method to manufacture Instarsia knit Tee. This piece is made up of 100% organic cotton and it is super smooth and comfortable to wear in any condition. The story behind these white and black knit tees has made them a best-seller among our products. It’s not just a normal piece. It’s an initiative towards conscious manufacturing. #SustainableManufacturing