Something extraordinary is happening in the world of materials.
In laboratories in California, the underground root networks of mushrooms are being harvested and transformed into leather-like panels that major luxury houses are now using for their most coveted bags. In Italy, the skins and seeds left over from wine production are being pressed, dried, and turned into a material soft enough to rival the finest calfskin. In Mexico, the humble nopal cactus — thriving on nothing but rain and sunlight — is being transformed into the material of choice for a new generation of conscious designers.
Fashion's future is being grown, not grazed. And the pace of innovation is breathtaking.
Why 2026 Is a Turning Point
For years, the term "vegan leather" was synonymous with plastic. PVC, PU — petroleum derivatives that offered cruelty-free credentials but came with their own environmental cost. The fashion industry has spent the better part of a decade in this uncomfortable middle ground: ethically better than animal leather, but not environmentally honest.
That is changing. The global vegan leather market is growing rapidly, and the materials driving that growth are no longer plastics — they are plants, fungi, and agricultural byproducts. Bio-based innovation is moving from experimental to commercial at a pace that would have seemed impossible five years ago.
In 2026, the question is no longer whether plant-based leather can match the quality of animal leather. It can. The question is which material tells the most honest, beautiful, and responsible story.
The Materials to Know
Mycelium (Mushroom Leather)
Perhaps the most talked-about material in fashion right now. Mycelium — the underground root network of mushrooms — can be grown in controlled conditions, harvested in as little as nine days, and processed into a material that feels remarkably close to premium calfskin. It is biodegradable, requires no agricultural land in the traditional sense, and leaves an almost negligible footprint. Luxury houses including Hermès have already released pieces made from mycelium leather. The technology is scaling rapidly, and costs are projected to reach parity with conventional leather within a few years.
Desserto® Cactus Leather
The nopal cactus, native to Mexico, grows without irrigation, absorbs CO₂ throughout its life, and can be harvested repeatedly without uprooting the plant. Desserto® — the cactus leather we use at Coneli — is USDA Certified Biobased with a minimum of 65% plant-based content. It is soft, structured, and extraordinarily durable. This is the material that started our journey, and it remains one of the most credible plant-based leathers in the world.
Corn Leather
Made from biopolymers derived from non-food corn crops, corn leather offers a warm, smooth finish with exceptional structure. Solvent-free in production and fully biobased certified, it represents the versatility of agricultural innovation — taking a familiar crop and finding an entirely new application for it.
Grape / Wine Leather (Vegea)
Created by Italian company Vegea from the pomace — skins, seeds, and stalks — left over after wine production, grape leather is one of the most elegantly circular materials in fashion. Every ten litres of wine produces significant waste; Vegea transforms that waste into a flexible, premium material. It is water-resistant, beautifully textured, and a genuine example of the circular economy in action.
Olive Leather
An emerging material derived from the byproducts of olive oil production — one of the Mediterranean's most significant agricultural industries. Olive leather transforms what would otherwise be agricultural waste into a rich, characterful material with a depth that develops beautifully with use. At Coneli, we use olive leather for our wallet and bucket bag — pieces you hold close every day.
Apple Leather (AppleSkin)
Made from the peels and cores left over from apple juice and cider production, apple leather upcycles fruit waste into a durable, stylish alternative. It is already widely used across the industry and is a strong example of how food waste can become fashion innovation.
What They All Have in Common
Every material in this new generation shares a common foundation: they are derived from renewable, plant-based sources. They reduce or eliminate the need for animal hides. They replace petroleum-derived plastics. And the best of them carry independent certification — like USDA Certified Biobased — that verifies their claims rather than just making them.
At Coneli, every material we use meets the same non-negotiable standard: minimum 65% plant-based content, independently certified, chosen for quality as much as sustainability.
The Coneli Approach to Materials
We see each Coneli collection as a chapter in a longer story about what plant-based innovation can achieve. Our cactus leather launched our first collection. Our corn leather expanded our palette. Our olive leather pushed into new creative territory.
What comes next, we are still discovering. But we will always use materials we can be completely transparent about — because we believe the future of fashion should be something you can hold up to the light and feel proud of, in every sense.
Fashion is being grown. And it has never looked more beautiful.