<p>Shivamogga: If things go as planned, the world’s first biodegradable vegan leather products made in India will soon be available in the European market.</p><p>Shivamogga-based progressive areca grower-turned-entrepreneur Suresh S R has been asked to send samples of clutches for women made from areca fibre vegan leather to a merchant based in Belgium and is hopeful of striking a trade deal.</p><p>In the meantime, Suresh is busy making designer vegan leather clutches as per the preferences of European women.</p><p>Suresh told DH that he has been preparing around 10 pieces of clutches that can hold mobile phones and other valuables. Each clutch costs him around Rs 2,500 and is being prepared with the help of women self-help groups in Bharamasagar in Chitradurga district and skilled workers in Tamil Nadu.</p><p>He said the women self-help groups in Bharamasagar have been asked to provide areca fibre from areca sheath. Later, it will be processed into a non-woven form containing 30% cotton. The non-woven sheet is then dipped into the patented gum and is placed into a tray of Mangle machine to form leather sheets of 8 ft by 2 ft dimension. These vegan leather sheets are then sent to skilled workers in Chennai to prepare clutches with a locking system.</p><p>“The Belgian merchant has specified colours and designs. They will be ready in about 20 days. The final products will be sent to Belgium by port in Chennai,” Suresh added.</p><p>Explaining bio-degradable vegan leather, Suresh said vegan leather currently available in the market is prepared using pineapple fibre, orange peel and cactus but polyurethane is the base for it and is not biodegradable. But vegan leather prepares is biodegradable.</p><p>On the benefits of areca fibre leather, he said it consumes less water during manufacture. Making one square metre of animal skin leather needs 24,000 litres of water, whereas areca fibre leather needs just 250 lites of water and has zero carbon emission.</p><p>Suresh said some fashion houses in Bengaluru have approved the samples sent by him and he will be meeting them shortly to discuss the orders. He will sell vegan leather sheets to them, and they will turn them into a variety of bags, footwear and many products. He is also planning to make vegan leather files that can be used in government departments.</p>
<p>Shivamogga: If things go as planned, the world’s first biodegradable vegan leather products made in India will soon be available in the European market.</p><p>Shivamogga-based progressive areca grower-turned-entrepreneur Suresh S R has been asked to send samples of clutches for women made from areca fibre vegan leather to a merchant based in Belgium and is hopeful of striking a trade deal.</p><p>In the meantime, Suresh is busy making designer vegan leather clutches as per the preferences of European women.</p><p>Suresh told DH that he has been preparing around 10 pieces of clutches that can hold mobile phones and other valuables. Each clutch costs him around Rs 2,500 and is being prepared with the help of women self-help groups in Bharamasagar in Chitradurga district and skilled workers in Tamil Nadu.</p><p>He said the women self-help groups in Bharamasagar have been asked to provide areca fibre from areca sheath. Later, it will be processed into a non-woven form containing 30% cotton. The non-woven sheet is then dipped into the patented gum and is placed into a tray of Mangle machine to form leather sheets of 8 ft by 2 ft dimension. These vegan leather sheets are then sent to skilled workers in Chennai to prepare clutches with a locking system.</p><p>“The Belgian merchant has specified colours and designs. They will be ready in about 20 days. The final products will be sent to Belgium by port in Chennai,” Suresh added.</p><p>Explaining bio-degradable vegan leather, Suresh said vegan leather currently available in the market is prepared using pineapple fibre, orange peel and cactus but polyurethane is the base for it and is not biodegradable. But vegan leather prepares is biodegradable.</p><p>On the benefits of areca fibre leather, he said it consumes less water during manufacture. Making one square metre of animal skin leather needs 24,000 litres of water, whereas areca fibre leather needs just 250 lites of water and has zero carbon emission.</p><p>Suresh said some fashion houses in Bengaluru have approved the samples sent by him and he will be meeting them shortly to discuss the orders. He will sell vegan leather sheets to them, and they will turn them into a variety of bags, footwear and many products. He is also planning to make vegan leather files that can be used in government departments.</p>