Shivamogga grower, Dutchman create palm leather

ARECA innovation

An alternative to animal, plastic and rubber faux leathers is here, with sandals, diary covers, floor mats and handbags made of areca palm leather likely to hit the market, much to the joy of the green brigade.

Areca palm leather is an innovation by 50-year-old areca grower Suresh S R from Shivamogga, in association with his business partner Tjeerd Veenhoven, a product designer based in the Netherlands.

It’s a passion for Veenhoven to try out new products from naturally available materials. The duo produced leather out of areca palm leaf in 2018.

Suresh applied for patent for the technique six months ago with the Indian Patent Office in Mumbai and it has been approved. Only the patent certificate is awaited.

Samples of 50 areca palm leather sandals and 250 diaries in palm leather have been sent to many companies in India, Sweden, the UK, the US and Switzerland to explore production opportunities.

Talks with a company in Sweden are in final stages.

Suresh, a BSc graduate, told DH: “In 2016, I wanted to manufacture a durable product from areca palm. So, I was searching on Google for new production techniques. I got the email address of Veenhoven. I shared my idea of inventing something new from areca palm leaf with him. In 15 minutes, Veenhoven responded and showed interest in it. Some areca sheaths were sent to him by courier.

After constant efforts, he transformed areca palm into leather by adding some chemicals. It was a collective effort and he asked me to apply for patent in India.” He said the response from the people has been good. Yuvaraj, the special officer in charge of the Start-up India scheme in Tamil Nadu, has shown interest in areca palm leather products. The officer has invited Suresh for talks.

Suresh says these sandals are meant to be used indoors. “A wildlife sanctuary resort in Maharashtra has sought sandals from me, so that they can be given to tourists. Sandals are gaining huge demand overseas and the diaries, handbags in India.” Suresh said he requires three areca sheaths (14 inches long & 15 inches wide) to prepare a pair of sandals and one sheath for a diary cover. Palm leather contains an anti-fungal element. So, users need not worry about durability.

Six persons work with Suresh to prepare various products in his company named Bhoomi Agri Ventures. Some of the sandal works are outsourced. His spouse Mythili monitors production affairs. The sandals are priced Rs 250 a pair, while a diary with palm leather cover costs Rs 300. A handbag comes for Rs 1,000. The price of a areca floor mat is around Rs 9,000 as it involves huge manual labour.

Farmer and development journalist Shree Padre, from Kerala, told DH that retired scientist, the late S R K Menon, had prepared sandals out of areca leaf in the 1980s for the first time. But areca palm leather is a new concept, he said. Prof Shashidhar K C of the Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences told DH that the university helped Suresh get a one-time fund of Rs 25 lakh from the Centre under Start-up India scheme. “Suresh has to promote his products aggressively. Vegan leather (made from non-animal sources) is popular in Western countries. So, these products have good demand,” he said. This new processing technology is expected to help expand the areca sheath products’ industry in the coastal and Malnad districts of Karnataka where areca nut is a major crop.

Veenhoven, in an email response to DH, said palm leather makes for an innovative alternative to conventional animal leather as well as plastic and rubber faux-leathers. It does not contain harmful or toxic chemicals and no animals are harmed in its production. It is fully biodegradable, he said.