At Coneli, we have made a deliberate choice from the very beginning: every collection introduces our community to the most innovative plant-based leathers in the world. Not because it makes for a good story — though we think it does — but because we genuinely believe in the diversity and ingenuity of what plant-based innovation can achieve.
We currently work with three materials: Desserto® cactus leather, Viridis® corn leather, and OLEATEX® olive leather. All of them carry at least 65% plant-based content and are USDA Certified Biobased. But they are not the same — each has its own character, its own origin story, and its own strengths.
Here is what you need to know about each one.
Cactus Leather (Desserto®)
Used for: The Coneli Fanny Pack (Green + Black) and the limited-edition Coneli Tote (Green + Black)
Where it comes from
Desserto® cactus leather is made from the nopal cactus — prickly pear — grown on a plantation in Zacatecas, Mexico. Only mature leaves are harvested; the plant continues to grow and regenerate. No irrigation is required beyond natural rainfall. The plantation absorbs approximately 8,100 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
How it feels
Soft, smooth, and supple. It has the closest feel to premium animal leather of any plant-based material we have worked with — flexible, structured, and beautifully tactile.
Why we love it
Cactus leather was the material that started Coneli. When we first held a piece of Desserto®, we knew immediately. It felt like a genuine answer — not a compromise. The environmental credentials are exceptional, the quality is extraordinary, and the story of the plant itself — thriving in arid conditions, absorbing carbon, requiring nothing extra from the earth — felt completely aligned with what we stand for.
Care tip: Avoid prolonged sun exposure and contact with water, grease, and perfumes. Store in its dust bag when not in use.
Corn Leather
Used for: The Coneli Tote (Camel edition — our main, ongoing collection)
Where it comes from
Corn leather is made from corn-based biopolymers — plant-derived materials from renewable agricultural sources. Like cactus leather, it is USDA Certified Biobased with a minimum of 65% plant-based content.
How it feels
Smooth and refined with a slightly more structured hand than cactus leather. The camel edition of the Coneli Tote has a warm, premium feel that has been consistently described by our customers as genuinely luxurious.
Why we love it
Corn leather introduced us to a different register of plant-based materials — warmer in tone, slightly more structured in body, ideal for a bag designed to carry everything from a 14” laptop to personal items and hold its shape beautifully through a long day. The camel colourway was a natural match — warm, versatile, timeless.
Care tip: Keep away from prolonged heat and direct sunlight. Clean gently with a damp cloth.
Olive Leather
Used for: The Coneli Wallet and Bucket Bag
Where it comes from
Olive leather is one of the most exciting frontiers in plant-based materials — crafted from the waste products of olive oil production. The Mediterranean olive industry produces significant agricultural byproduct; olive leather transforms what would otherwise go to waste into a beautiful, workable material. It is a genuinely circular material story.
How it feels
Rich and characterful — slightly more textured than our other materials, with a depth that develops beautifully over time and use.
Why we love it
Olive leather represents exactly the kind of material innovation that gets us excited about the future of fashion. It is waste-derived, regionally produced (the Mediterranean is at the heart of European olive culture), and it has a quality that feels genuinely premium. We introduced it through our wallet and bucket bag because these are pieces you hold close — you feel the material every time you reach for them.
What They Have in Common
Every material Coneli uses shares the same non-negotiable standards:
- Minimum 65% plant-based content — independently certified
- USDA Certified Biobased — not a marketing claim, a verified standard
- No animal products — 100% vegan
- Chosen for quality as much as sustainability — because we believe these are not in conflict
We see each collection as a chapter in a longer story about what plant-based materials can become. Cactus. Corn. Olive. What comes next, we are still discovering — but we will always tell you exactly what it is and where it comes from.
Because that is what honesty looks like in fashion.