Kerala Daily

After a school project resulted in the design of a new leather alternative created from rice, Asif Ali Gohar has been growing leather one harvest at a time. Rather than sourcing his leather and other raw materials from the farm animals that are traditionally used, he has created a new process that allows him to grow all the resources that he needs, or to purchase it from nearby rice farmers. By switching to this plant based material, the community is watching their next leather piece of clothing grow around them.

The main ingredient in rice leather is the rice itself. This is locally sourced from farmers in both his home village and those surrounding it. Having lower transportation costs and shorter distances also helps to reduce the carbon footprint that is caused by the creation of the leather. It is comparable to other vegan leathers and can compete with them both in terms of durability and cost, making it a good option for many brands and products. As the fields are harvested the rice is separated into that which will be shipped out for food processing and that which will be shipped to the factory for manufacturing into leather.

Upon arrival at the facility, the rice is stored and then prepared for the next steps. As it is processed, it will follow the same steps each time, and once it has been completely processed, coloured, and transformed into material it is then cut into the needed lengths and rolls for shipping to the end customer. It is purchased in two manners, both as a material that is used for creating new designs, and as a finished product that has been made within the manufacturing facility and will be shipped out for final sale to the consumer. 

Rice is a food source that is easily grown in many areas of the world, and not only helps to feed millions of people but also can be harvested frequently. The large amount of raw material that is available and the ability to increase the amount that is planted and grown, keeps it both accessible and affordable for anyone. As all of the raw materials are safe and not harmful to the environment, the waste that is created will not cause damage to the ground, water, or air in the area or to the surrounding community and can be safely disposed of through recycling or filtration and used again.

Watching rice grow and knowing that it will become a vegan leather that is seen walking the fashion runways, being used in sporting goods and tools, and then located in stores around the country, has changed how the fashion industry views rice. Once it has been processed it creates a versitile, affordable, and accessible material for hundreds of uses.

Media Contact
Company Name: Asif Ali Gohar
Contact Person: Media Relations
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Country: Germany
Website: https://www.star2.com/rise-of-vegan-leather-alternatives