Gelatex: this leather-like fabric is actually made of low value waste from the livestock industry
Gelatex is an eco-friendly textile made from gelatine, which is derived from the low value waste of the meat and leather industries. The material is structurally similar to leather and meant to be used in similar applications. It is produced using natural, non-toxic substances.
The team behind Gelatex started to work on the idea in Spring 2016 with the aim of making the textile industry more sustainable, meaning eco-friendly materials mass-produced in a fast and cost-effective way.
The idea of using gelatine to produce a leather-like textile grew out of university research. The company Gelatex Technologies was set up in November 2016 by its two Estonian co-founders and the project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme.
- Gelatex gives higher value to waste, and enables up to five times more material to be produced from the same animal
- It is made using natural, non-toxic substances, therefore causing no harm to the environment
- Little water and energy required for production
- 20% less material waste in production of final products compared to use of conventional leather