BATWATEX
Basic information
Project Title
BATWATEX
Full project title
BATWATEX
Category
Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking
Project Description
BATWATEX is a sustainable vegan leather alternative made from potato leaves fibre, technical hemp, recycled plastic and organic polymer. Technical hemp is mixed with potato leaves fibre to create the material’s base that is a non woven material and looks like a felt. We call this base BATWAFELT. Furthermore, the base is coloured with natural dyes and covered with a layer from organic polymer that gives the material its special texture, and also protects from water and dust.
Geographical Scope
Regional
Project Region
Latvia
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
EU Programme or fund
Yes
Which funds
Horizon2020 / Horizon Europe
Description of the project
Summary
BATWATEX is a sustainable vegan leather alternative made from potato leaves fibre, technical hemp, recycled plastic and organic polymer. Technical hemp is mixed with potato leaves fibre to create the material’s base that is a non woven material and looks like a felt. We call this base BATWAFELT. Furthermore, the base is coloured with natural dyes and covered with a layer from organic polymer that gives the material its special texture, and also protects from water and dust.
Our material is more durable if comparing to other alternatives, that is why it can be used not only for the production of clothes, accessories, bags and footwear, but also for the production of interior pieces and car seats in the future. Our customers (businesses that are working with vegan leathers and other sustainable materials) will benefit from having a sustainable alternative material that will be durable. Moreover, our project addresses the challenge of waste management and especially circulation of plastic waste in the economy.
Our material is more durable if comparing to other alternatives, that is why it can be used not only for the production of clothes, accessories, bags and footwear, but also for the production of interior pieces and car seats in the future. Our customers (businesses that are working with vegan leathers and other sustainable materials) will benefit from having a sustainable alternative material that will be durable. Moreover, our project addresses the challenge of waste management and especially circulation of plastic waste in the economy.
Key objectives for sustainability
There are two issues that we are addressing in terms of sustainability with BATWATEX:
1.First of all, we are recycling such raw material as potato leaves fibre, that is not used in any other value chain. Potato leaves are cut 2-3 weeks before the potatoes are picked up from the ground. These leaves cannot be used as an animal food, because they contain toxic elements, and potato leaves cannot be used a compost, because they degrade in 3 years, while all the other leaves degrade in 1 year. So the leaves are usually thrown away as a waste or burned. In either cases this is either associated with excess waste or CO2 pollution. There are approximately 50,000 tones of potato leaves thrown away yearly in Latvia alone. It is estimated that approximately 1133 kg of CO2 emit in the atmosphere, when burning the leaves. Which means that there is a potential to reduce CO2 emission by 56 650 tones in Latvia yearly.
2.Secondly, we are collecting plastic and putting it into material, which contributes to the circular economy. Moreover, because our leather is plant based, we are reducing the use of PU and PVC in the industry, thus making the industry more environmentally sustainable. There is a total of 71 220 tones of plastic that can be recycled in Latvia yearly. Right now only 1/3 of this amount is recycled.
We have estimated that each meter of batwatex produced offsets 7.76 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.
1.First of all, we are recycling such raw material as potato leaves fibre, that is not used in any other value chain. Potato leaves are cut 2-3 weeks before the potatoes are picked up from the ground. These leaves cannot be used as an animal food, because they contain toxic elements, and potato leaves cannot be used a compost, because they degrade in 3 years, while all the other leaves degrade in 1 year. So the leaves are usually thrown away as a waste or burned. In either cases this is either associated with excess waste or CO2 pollution. There are approximately 50,000 tones of potato leaves thrown away yearly in Latvia alone. It is estimated that approximately 1133 kg of CO2 emit in the atmosphere, when burning the leaves. Which means that there is a potential to reduce CO2 emission by 56 650 tones in Latvia yearly.
2.Secondly, we are collecting plastic and putting it into material, which contributes to the circular economy. Moreover, because our leather is plant based, we are reducing the use of PU and PVC in the industry, thus making the industry more environmentally sustainable. There is a total of 71 220 tones of plastic that can be recycled in Latvia yearly. Right now only 1/3 of this amount is recycled.
We have estimated that each meter of batwatex produced offsets 7.76 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Besides composition and material properties, our material also differs by its appearance. Most of the eco leathers existing on the market imitate the texture of natural leather, which we believe is wrong, because it doesn't add positive emotions to the feelings. That is why our material’s texture looks like a zoomed in leaf – it is made from natural raw materials and it looks respectively. As well as it is coloured with natural dyes only.
Key objectives for inclusion
There are health benefits associated with the implementation of our project that is associated with the decrease of leaves burned yearly, as this process is associated not only with emission of CO2 , but also with emission of heavy metals and other toxic elements in the atmosphere, that consequently cause cancer, allergies and other diseases.
How Citizens benefit
The implementation of our project will also improve living standards of people who are growing potatoes in rural areas, because they will get an additional revenue source. As well as our project will create new work places.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Innovative character
BATWATEX is a unique material, there is no such vegan leather made from similar raw materials. Though, there are various competitors who are making plant based vegan leathers from pineapples, grapes, apples, cactuses, coconuts, mushroom and other plants. However, these materials are not very durable, despite the price that is higher than the price for natural leather. There are also vegan leathers made from PU or PVC, these materials are durable, but their composition and production process is not environmentally sustainable, as well as these synthetic alternatives are not breathable. Our material in turn is as breathable and durable as natural leather, but more sustainable.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
The novelty of the approach in our project focuses on the application of existing technologies of non woven material production, but using alternative raw materials. As well as some parts of material production require an application of a disruptive approach, that was never applied before. More precisely, it concerns the production of the base part of the material that is made from the mix of technical hemp and potato leaves fibres.
How stakeholders are engaged
We engaged local potato farmers in the implementation of the project and right now we have a network of farmers who are ready to sell potato tops once they have it.
Global challenges
Because there is a huge problem with fashion industry. It is estimated that fashion industry generates about 92 mil tons of waste each year. With leather being one of the biggest sources of this pollution. Of course, there are many differrent alternatives. But as a fashion designer myself I worked with different leather substitues and I found out that the more material is natural by composition the less it is durable. This is why I created batwatex. Our material consists of 2 layers - the base that is made from hemp and potato leaves and the upper layer that is made from corn biopolymer. Our solution is more durable than existing alternatives, so it can be used for both fashion and interior industries.
Learning transferred to other parties
The approach to production can be transferred to other region – for example, to produce vegan leather from other raw materials that are currently wasted in the economy.
Keywords
sustainability
circular fashion
vegan leather
recycling
zero waste
