Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cazárez created Desserto, the first brand to produce leather from prickly pear, with respect for animals and the environment.
"If prickly pear is good for the skin, why not use it to create leather?" That is the question Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cazárez started from to create what has become an eco-sustainable and ethical alternative to animal leather. Both from Guadalajara, Mexico, the two young entrepreneurs founded Desserto, the brand that uses cactus leaves to create leather without resorting to synthetic materials such as plastic. It took two years of study and experimentation, but in October 2019, for the first time, Velarde and Cazárez presented their creations in Milan at Lineapelle, the most important international trade fair dedicated to leather.
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The idea came about almost by chance: the two drew inspiration from similar ventures producing leather alternatives from apple peel and pineapple. But it was the world of cosmetics that sparked the idea. Prickly pear has various properties that are exploited in cosmetic products, from shampoo to creams: the connection was automatic. What is more, cactus is very widespread in Mexico; it is almost a symbol of the country.
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"Many people accused us of being crazy," Velarde recounts. "Even engineers told us our idea was unworkable. We replied: 'What do you mean? We're in Mexico, we're Mexican — what raw material is abundant here? Cactus. It grows on its own and without needing large quantities of water.' That's where we started testing prickly pear and, after several attempts, we were able to produce a durable material."
The leather produced on their cactus plantations is not only sustainable but also biodegradable, long-lasting and high quality. At present it is used mainly for luggage, but the material has enormous potential for use in other clothing items, accessories, furnishings and even car interiors. "A garment, a bag, a belt, a watch strap, a small bookcase, an armchair," Cazárez explains. "Any leather can be replaced by this fabric. Animal leather or synthetic leather can be replaced by plant-based leathers, to the benefit of the environment."
Desserto's new vegan leather, priced at around 25 dollars per metre, is far more eco-friendly than alternatives that use synthetic materials composed of toxic chemical agents, such as bisphenol A and phthalates. The two best-known examples are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PU (polyurethane), often used as substitutes for animal leather. The problem is that they are not biodegradable and the production process is decidedly polluting. As is that of natural leather production — not to mention the ethical issues: raising livestock is costly, consumes a large amount of resources and pollutes air and soil. Moreover, organic materials of animal origin are no longer biodegradable after exposure to chemical agents such as formaldehyde and chromium.
Desserto, for its part, does not want to create finished products, but to sell its materials to fashion houses, stylists and designers. And, of course, to raise awareness. But there is more. Velarde and Cazárez, as well as having realised a dream, are also doing good — for the environment and for people. "All of this has a greater meaning for us," Velarde concludes. "Of course, we help fashion and the environment, but in some way we also help the job market." Mexico and the rest of the world are grateful.