Plant-Based Alternative to Animal Leather in a Single Extrusion Step

Vege Tech, recently developed by Gestion Dryad Inc., in collaboration with Groupe CTT, represents one of the most advanced plant-based alternatives to animal leather. Unlike animal leather, the manufacture of which requires numerous stages known for their environmental impact, Vege Tech is produced in a single extrusion stage. The use of this conventional polymer process facilitates the production of products in different thicknesses and a wide range of colours. Vege Tech offers comfort comparable to that of animal leather and is made from over 80% plant-based materials.

Although the combination of biothermoplastic with an unvulcanized natural elastomer (without a curing agent) may seem unusual, the project aims to establish the production parameters on an industrial scale. This involves granulating the natural rubber to make it compatible with the feed of a twin-screw extruder, and setting the mixing and extrusion parameters.