For too long, when fashion consumers asked for an alternative to leather, the industry replied with “vegan leather”—oil-derived toxic materials made from plastics like PVC and PU. These limited options compromised not only the quality of the products but also the future of the planet. An up-and-coming Canadian luxury brand has found a solution that’s just as stylish as it is sustainable. This week, Poppy Barley unveiled a new line of plant-based accessories made from Laguaro, an eco-conscious cactus leather ???? Electric Runway had the opportunity to learn all about this new innovative material and see it up close.
The Laguaro collection includes a backpack, a belt bag, and a cardholder. Each PB PLNT accessory is made from harvested Mexican cactus leaves, leaving the rest of the cactus intact. With cacti being one of Mexico’s most abundant plants requiring little water, this new material just might be the most sustainable plant-based leather on the planet. PB PLNT parallels the luxurious look and feel of leather without the harm to animals.
“Our customers have been asking for a leather alternative since day one, but there was never an option that we could stand behind—until now,” says the brand’s co-founder, Justine Barber. “After years of researching and testing, we discovered cactus leather basically next door to our manufacturing facility in Mexico. We finally found a leather alternative that wouldn’t compromise quality or our values when it comes to environmental impact. We believe the future of fashion has no choice but to consider the Earth and humanity, and we want to lead the way.”
In addition to the cactus, the bags are lined with a cotton canvas grown, milled, and woven in Mexico. The final PB PLNT fashions are ethically crafted in solar-powered, family-owned Mexican factories that have been vetted and audited by Poppy Barley’s Code of Conduct for ethical working conditions. Poppy Barley is also a Certified B-Corporation, meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Handling the cactus leather, it is indistinguishable from the real thing. It even smells like leather (a much better smell than vegan alternatives on the market, which stink of gas). The brand says it plans to expand into other product offerings in the near future.
To learn more about Poppy Barley’s PBPLNT, follow the link
