Introducing Paper Leather
IWe are pleased to introduce our new H21 paper leather, a new material to replace faux (PU) leather as part of our zero carbon sustainable
business strategy and facilitating the global need for eco-friendly materials.
This exciting new product is both lightweight and water resistant, and also has antibacterial properties making it the perfect substitute
for traditional animal and plastic-coated, synthetic leathers.
Our H21 paper leather is washable, tear-proof, won’t easily break under load, looks great, and can be treated with different forms of water-resistance.
Our new material is remarkably strong, with elasticity and tear-resistance thanks to the process by which it’s made, and due to its versatility,
we are able to use it within many of our product ranges.
We have been searching for a replacement for PU leather and are thrilled to introduce our alternative which we are delighted to say is both sustainable and functional.
All of our products using the new H21 paper leather have been certified by Intertek.
Made from a plant-based paper, H21 paper leather is created by combining this with a cotton fabric.
As a result of this, our H21 material is fully biodegrading with the soil once discarded. Paper leather is not extensively bleached, which maintains its strength and decreases
manufacturing costs. And, being a mono-material, paper leather is bio-based and bio-degradable, and is easily recycled.
Most papers are made from wood, although they can be made from other fibers, too. Wood is composed of lignin and cellulose.
Lignin isn’t very good for making paper, so it has to be removed during the paper-making process while the cellulose is preserved.
However, during the H21 paper leather process, the way in which these two are separated is unique and leads to the special properties of the paper.
H21 paper leather begins as long-fibered softwood which is shredded into chips. These wood chips are steamed and then boiled in a mixture of sodium hydroxide
and sodium sulfide which chemically break down the bonds of the wood. Once these bonds are broken, the lignin can be separated from the cellulose.
This particular chemical breakdown is slow enough that it maintains the strength of the wood’s connective fibers and helps to create a very strong
and durable paper at the end of the process.
There has been a large movement towards using ‘vegan leather’ which removes the use of animal skins,
however these materials contain plastics and are therefore bad for the environment - they do not fully biodegrade and also release toxins into the atmosphere.
Consequently, the notion to remove plastic completely has been explored and explains the introduction of H21.
Launching a sustainable product is one small part of a much bigger sustainability process that we run. Everything from our
manufacturing processes, our people, our packaging and our materials are all sustainable. This process allows us to save money that might otherwise
be wasted and it is this unwasted money that we use to give back to local communities and make charitable
donations.
Washable paper leather is greener than vinyl and of course more animal friendly compared to leather. Additionally, the pulp used to manufacture the
washable paper leather is FSC certified, which means that the pulp met the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council.
By using H21 paper leather, we are not only manufacturing and utilising environmentally friendly materials but we also hope
to encourage people to use these products too.
H21 paper leather cruelty free product that is a legitimate substitute to leather which we think you will love as much as we do.
Check out this new material in our Phone Skins, Laptop & Smart device skins, cable & Cord wraps, and coming soon, wallets, passport covers, bags and many more exciting products.
