Ethical fashion: here is Vegea, shoes, bags and clothes made from grape waste

The first Made in Italy collection centered on pomace-based vegan material has been presented.

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Ecological and sustainable fashion from the recycling of waste from the winemaking process. From the biomaterial derived from grapes in fact the the world's first fashion collection. The credit goes to Vegea, animal-free producer of biomaterial derived from wine, who recently presented his collection centered on vegan material based on grape marc.

Relying on this project to the direction of the eco-designer and now famous "nature stylist" Tiziano Guardini, Vegea is not new in this environment. In fact, it was founded as a manufacturer of organic materials used in the fashion and design sectors, and has settled in Progetto Manifattura, a so-called “clean tech” incubator and pole of the circular economy.

The purpose? That of propose alternatives to materials of fossil origin non-renewable and all materials of animal origin.

Hence the work of the two founders, Gianpiero Tessitore, architect, and Francesco Merlino, industrial chemist, who, with the help of research centers specialized in the synthesis of macromolecules, have carried out a study on different plant matrices of theagroindustry, to create “biobased” materials from renewable plant sources, in line with the basic principles ofcircular economy.

And this is how an investigation was then carried out on derivatives of winemaking, marc, that is, that set of grape seeds and skins that are obtained during the production of wine, such as ideal raw material, and containing polyfunctional compounds that constitute the "optimal basis for the creation of eco-sustainable technical fabrics".

And in the Vegea production process, these organic derivatives are transformed into a biomaterial with a high added value, with a very simple ratio: from every 10 liters of wine produced, 2,5 kg of marc is obtained, with which 1 square meter of Vegea can be produced.

“Vegea was born as an alternative to non-renewable fossil materials and materials of animal origin. We firmly believe that the time has come to study, create and propose valid alternatives that are animal-friendly and eco-sustainable ", say the two founders.

“The fashion industry in particular - says Gianpiero Tessitore - is one of the most polluting sectors in the world, if we consider the entire production chain, starting from the acquisition of raw materials, up to the disposal of products. The idea of ​​deepening research and starting specific collaborations was born precisely from the need to find sustainable solutions to the problems that this and other sectors generate, meeting the needs of consumers who are more informed and sensitive to environmental issues ".

How does the production process work? The wineries are responsible for pressing the grapes and separating the marc, which are then dried in such a way that they do not biodegrade and can be used even three years after the date of drying. Thanks to this procedure, the raw material it is always available for production without having to wait for the harvest period every year.

Then patented treatments are performed and a mixture is created which is spread, until sheets are created. The production process ends with the specific finish, in such a way as to give different shades of weight, thickness, elasticity, embossing and color according to the different applications.

The added value of this new material lies in the possibility of recycle waste from the winemaking process, which each year amount to 13 million tons, also destined to reach the aquifers. This quantity of marc is able to supply 3 billion square meters of sheets without wasting a drop of water. A fine example of ethical fashion!

Germana Carillo