Kerala-based companyis producing a bio-composite material from coconut water

This wonder product by Malai Biomaterials Design Pvt Ltd, a PETA-approved company, takes only 90-150 days to decompose!

Most of us are aware of the benefits of coconut for skin, body, and health. The fragrant drupe (a fruit with an inner flesh and a seed surrounded by a hard shell) has healing properties, provides nutrition and quenches thirst.   

But did you know that coconut water has the potential to protect animals and can be a substitute for leather? 

Yes. Your read that right! A Kerala-based company, Malai Biomaterials Design Pvt Ltd, is producing a bio-composite material from coconut water that has the look and feel of leather.  

“This flexible biocomposite material has a circular life cycle. We use raw materials like waste coconut, banana stem, sisal fibre and hemp fibre that do not require any use of energy or chemicals. The final product is biodegradable that can decompose within 150 days. Our product is vegan and environment-friendly,” Zuzana Gombosova, co-founder of the company, tells The Better India (TBI). 

Malai uses bacterial cellulose in coconut water to make leather alternative 

Zuzana is a designer from Slovakia based in India, who developed the material along with Susmith C Suseelan, an engineer from Kerala. A shared passion for the fashion industry and deep-rooted concern for the environment drove the duo toward investing almost a year to perfect the product and launch the company. 

At present, the company’s major clients are based across Europe and the US. They are supplying their product to prestigious companies like Crafting Plastics, TON, Ma-tt-er, Kazeto which is then changed to utility sling bags, tote bags, laptop bags, belted bags, wallets, mini backpacks and more.