Yes — cactus leather has already been used by major global fashion and accessories brands, not just niche eco-labels. H&M featured Desserto® cactus leather in its 2021 "Science Story" collection, and Fossil built an entire tote-bag line, the Kier Cactus Leather Tote, from the same material that same year. It's the identical Desserto® material — made by Adriano Di Marti in Zacatecas, Mexico — that Coneli uses in its Fanny Pack, three Belt colors, and Tote Green edition, all handmade in Portugal.
Fast Facts
- H&M "Science Story" — sold in stores March 18–April 1, 2021; featured Desserto cactus-leather heeled sandals.
- Fossil "Kier Cactus Leather Tote" — launched April 12, 2021 for Earth Month, in moss, wine, black, and brown; part of Fossil's "Make Time For Good" initiative.
- PETA gave Desserto's founder, Adriano Di Marti, a Compassionate Business Award following the H&M partnership.
- Desserto also has a documented automotive track record (BMW Startup Garage 2021, Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX 2022) — see our separate piece on that.
- Coneli uses the same Desserto® cactus leather in the Fanny Pack (all 3 colors), three Belt colors (Black, Beige, Green), and the Tote Green edition.
H&M's Science Story: Cactus-Leather Heeled Sandals (2021)
In March 2021, H&M — one of the world's largest fashion retailers — released "Science Story," a limited sustainability-focused collection sold in select stores from March 18 through April 1. Alongside recycled and bio-based fabrics, the collection included heeled sandals made with Desserto's cactus leather. Coverage at the time (Sourcing Journal, Retail Dive, Green Queen, Vegan Food & Living, Plant Based News) confirmed the material and the partnership. Following the launch, PETA presented Desserto founder Adriano Di Marti with a Compassionate Business Award, with PETA's Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman noting that "trailblazers like Adriano Di Marti show just how much the fashion world has grown."
The same Desserto® cactus leather used by H&M and Fossil is what Coneli's Fanny Pack — shown here in black — is made from. In stock.
Fossil's Kier Cactus Leather Tote (2021)
A month later, watch and accessories brand Fossil launched the Kier Cactus Leather Tote for Earth Month, on April 12, 2021, in four colors: moss, wine, black, and brown. Fossil said each bag saved roughly 7.5 liters of water compared to conventional leather production, and positioned the launch as part of its ongoing "Make Time For Good" sustainability program, with men's cactus-leather pieces planned for that autumn. Independent coverage from Forbes, VegNews, and Fossil's own press materials confirmed the collection and its Desserto sourcing.
Not Just Fashion: The Automotive Precedent
Fashion isn't the only industry that has put Desserto cactus leather through its paces — BMW piloted it through its Startup Garage program in 2021, and Mercedes-Benz used it in the Vision EQXX concept car interior in 2022. We've covered that automotive story, with its own sourcing and caveats, in a separate article: Is Cactus Leather Legit? Ask BMW and Mercedes. This piece focuses specifically on fashion and accessories brands, which is different ground.
Cactus Leather's Brand Adoption, at a Glance
| Brand | Product | Year | Notable fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&M | Science Story heeled sandals | 2021 | PETA Compassionate Business Award to Desserto's founder |
| Fossil | Kier Cactus Leather Tote | 2021 | ~7.5L water saved per bag vs. conventional leather |
| BMW | Startup Garage pilot | 2021 | Covered separately — automotive, not fashion |
| Mercedes-Benz | Vision EQXX concept interior | 2022 | Covered separately — automotive, not fashion |
| Coneli | Fanny Pack, Belt (3 colors), Tote Green | Ongoing | Handmade in Portugal |
Where This Material Shows Up in Coneli's Own Bags
Coneli's Desserto cactus leather appears across three product lines, and we'll say plainly where stock is tight rather than push a "shop now" on something that isn't available:
- The Fanny Pack — 100% cactus leather, three colors. Black and Beige are both well stocked; Green is down to just 2 units.
- The Belt — cactus leather in Black, Beige, and Green (the other four colors are OLEATEX® olive leather). Beige and Green are currently in stock; Black is completely out of stock in both buckle styles as of this article.
- The Tote — Edition Green — cactus leather; only 1 unit remains in stock. (The Tote's Black edition, also cactus leather, is currently out of stock; the Camel edition is corn leather, not cactus.)
The Belt in Beige — cactus leather, currently in stock.
The Belt in Green — cactus leather, currently in stock.
The Tote — Edition Green, cactus leather. Only 1 unit currently in stock.
Is This Still Happening Today?
To be precise about what this evidence does and doesn't show: the H&M and Fossil collections described above were both 2021 limited/seasonal releases, not standing product lines — we found no evidence either retailer currently sells the exact cactus-leather items described here. What the record does show is that, as of their respective launches, two major, mainstream fashion and accessories brands each independently chose to build real, shipped products from Desserto cactus leather — which is a meaningfully higher bar than a niche brand experimenting with a sample. Coneli has no affiliation, partnership, or business relationship with H&M or Fossil — we simply use the same raw material from the same manufacturer.
FAQ
Is the cactus leather H&M and Fossil used the same as Coneli's?
Yes — both were Desserto® cactus leather, made by Adriano Di Marti in Zacatecas, Mexico. It's the same maker and material Coneli uses in its Fanny Pack, three Belt colors, and Tote Green edition.
Is Coneli affiliated with H&M or Fossil?
No. Coneli has no partnership or business relationship with either brand. We're a separate, independent, Portugal-based manufacturer that happens to source the same material.
Are the H&M and Fossil cactus-leather products still available to buy?
Not that we could confirm. Both were 2021 limited or seasonal collections; we found no evidence they're still in production or for sale today. Coneli's cactus-leather pieces, by contrast, are part of our ongoing collection — subject to the real-time stock noted above.
Does cactus leather from Desserto feel or perform differently from cow leather?
We haven't tested H&M's or Fossil's specific products ourselves, so we can't speak to those directly. For how Desserto cactus leather performs in Coneli's own bags — durability, care, and water resistance — see our care guide and our material water-resistance comparison.
Why doesn't this article cover the BMW and Mercedes-Benz cactus leather story?
We already have — see Is Cactus Leather Legit? Ask BMW and Mercedes. This article deliberately covers different ground: fashion and accessories brands, not automotive.
Last updated: September 28, 2026.
Methodology & Sources
Brand-adoption facts were independently corroborated across multiple outlets before publishing, per our standing accuracy policy: H&M/Science Story via Sourcing Journal, Retail Dive, and Plant Based News (PETA award); Fossil/Kier Tote via Forbes and VegNews. Coneli product, material, and stock facts pulled live from Coneli's own Shopify catalog on the publish date above.