Nopal Leather Created in Mexico

Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, from Jalisco, Mexico, have developed a vegan leather made with nopal, a native cactus. The entrepreneurs’ aim was creating a cruelty-free and sustainable alternative, without toxic chemicals, phthalates or PVC. They have successfully showcased the product in the last edition of the International Leather Fair Lineapelle, which took place in October 2019 in Milan, Italy.

The name of their brand is Adriano Di Marti and the trade name of the nopal vegan leather is Desserto. The product is partially biodegradable and has the technical specifications required by the fashion, furniture and automotive industries. Due to its high resistance and durability of minimum 10 years, this organic nopal leather can replace the use of animal leather and other synthetic materials that are not eco-friendly.

After two years of research and hard work, the creators of Desserto came up with a marketable nopal leather in July 2019. The product has competitive features compared to animal or synthetic leather, like elasticity and the possibility of being customizable. Besides, it is breathable and it offers a touch and softness that is very similar to animal leather.

López Velarde used to work in the furniture and automotive industry, while Cázarez has a background in the fashion industry. They both realized that the problem of environmental pollution is serious. As a consequence of this realization, they were genuinely interested in reducing environmental impact. Therefore, they decided to leave their jobs and start a company that will change the world for the better. 

The idea of using nopal as raw material was conceived because this cactus does not need much water to grow and there is plenty of it throughout Mexico. Symbolically, nopal represents the whole nation. Besides, it allows them to count on a stable, abundant supply of raw material to satisfy the needs of several industries. 

The enthusiasm for Desserto at Lineapelle was overwhelming. The founders of Adriano Di Marti did not expect such interest from so many different industries and designers from around the planet. After the launch in Milan, the entrepreneurs confirmed that the European market is ready to incorporate this material into its production lines. 

Companies in Latin America are also interested in using nopal leather. López Velarde and Cázarez have been in close contact with different high-profile companies in neighboring countries in order to work on very exciting projects. They believe that now is the right time to offer nopal leather as an alternative to other materials because consumer industries are interested in new materials like these and more and more end-consumers are demanding the presence in the market of eco-friendly materials.