Ohoskin
Useful information
- Team members
- Adriana Santanocito Alessia Giusto Sara Parisi Alessandro Scuderi Roberto Merighi
- Country
- Italy
- Keywords
- circular economy bio-based material vegan leather oranges cacti leather alternative
Short Description
Ohoskin is a vegan, made in Italy quality leather alternative made with oranges and cacti.
Detailed Description
Ohoskin is a vegan, made in Italy luxury leather alternative. Our sustainable process uses the byproducts of oranges and cactuses and triggers a circular economy. The result is a quality skin alternative whose features make it perfect for the luxury fashion, interior design, and automotive industries.
Consumers of luxury goods feel torn between enjoying what they love and living a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle. It is especially true for what concerns leather: the chemicals used in its production impact workers’ health and the environment. Also, it consumes nonrenewable energy sources and water, has a huge carbon footprint, and kills animals.
Consumers are aware of this and are putting pressure on brands to switch to vegan leather, so they won’t have to choose between what is right and what feels good.
With Ohoskin, people can keep enjoying what they love without feeling guilty.
Project Details
- Does your design take social and cultural challenges and human wellbeing into consideration?
First of all, the leather tanning industry damages its workers' health and all those who live in its surroundings, devastating the ecosystems.
Secondly, thanks to our circular economy process we give waste another life and value, so farmers can profit from them. Also, our production process takes place into an economically depressed area, in a former petrochemical plant, creating new jobs.
Finally, as far as cultural challenges are concerned, our women-led company is redefining the very concept of luxury, from something for the few to enjoy to a socially responsible industry that benefits everyone.
- Does your design support sustainable production, embodying circular or regenerative design practices?
We made the first vegan alternative to leather with oranges and cacti that boosts a circular economy.
Our secret is in the process
First, we collect the waste from oranges and cacti from the agricultural and cosmetic industries.
Then, thanks to Sicilbiotech, an alliance we formed with companies in the system design, agrotech and chemical industries, we transform the waste into our proprietary bio polymer.
After that, we send the bio polymer to Lombardy, to Novartiplast’s plants. Novartiplast is a giant in the production of synthetic leather and can cover our three years worth of production in just 12 days. On the other hand, it cannot reproduce our bio polymer because it is protected by a patent.
Finally, we’ll use Novartiplast’s sales network to sell our plant-based leather like material to luxury brands.
ocess.So we turn a waste into the seed of a new luxury, closing a circular economy.
- Does your design promote awareness of responsible design and consumption?
We advocate responsible luxury, making people aware of the damages of traditional leather tanning and giving them the perfect, sustainable alternative without making them giving up on what they love.
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