For Sandor, the quality and look of alternative leather is essential when considering the longevity of Nanushka’s pieces going forward. “If you’re looking at sustainability, it’s crucial to not compromise on beauty and aesthetics,” she says. “We have investigated several [other] alternatives, from pineapple-plant fibres to bio-based solutions, and actually a lot of these solutions still require some petroleum-based products to hold the fibres together.”
Indeed, even the most innovative of materials, including Mylo, made from mycelium – aka mushroom roots – contain some synthetics. The few leather alternatives that are plastic-free – such as MycoWorks’s Reishi material, also made from mycelium, and Natural Fiber Welding’s plant-based Mirum are still in the process of scaling.
While Okobor is an improvement on the wholly virgin-based vegan leather Nanuskha has used to date, Sandor is clear that the innovation is just the beginning for the brand. “We believe that this represents the first step,” the designer comments. “We will keep on researching new solutions that will allow us to further reduce the impact of our alternative leathers.”
In the meantime, Nanushka’s new material is in keeping with the brand’s wider sustainability strategy, which includes working towards a more circular business model. Last year, it began introducing regenerated leather into its collections, as well as teaming up with Rent The Runway and Hurr to rent out its pieces. The brand also offers a repair service, as well as selling deadstock items via its Retrospective outlet store. “We’re definitely having conversations about [how we can expand rental and resale],” Sandor says. “Moving to a circular business model is essential – it can allow the industry to decouple economic growth from the use of natural resources.”
Given the fact that its new vegan leather isn’t currently recyclable, extending the life cycle of Nansuhka’s garments is crucial from an environmental perspective. With this in mind, is vegan leather truly a more sustainable alternative to conventional leather? Sandor certainly thinks so. And with so much innovation taking place at the moment, alt-leathers are only likely to get more and more sustainable moving forward. Watch this space.