I've embraced meat-free meals and cleaned up my beauty routine; now it may be time to go vegan with my fashion accessories, says style director Louise Hilsz. Read on to find out more.
Deadly Ponies Mr Mini Leopard Cactus, $569.
Vegan leather has hit the mainstream in 2020, thanks to brands like Stella McCartney and Matt & Nat now one of NZ's luxe accessory brands Deadly Ponies is using plant-based organic vegan leather in a new collection. Two-years in the making, Deadly Ponies' designer and creative director Liam Bowden says the latest range is made from one of our favourite house plants, cactus. Crafted from the prickly pear cactus, this new product "the leather" of nopal, uses only rainfall and the sun, as energy sources for its growth. Its quality is such that it can be used to manufacture clothing, shoes, wallets and now handbags as well as furniture, and in the automotive industry. This cactus leather can be made in different thicknesses and textures, it has high resistance and brilliant flexibility. "Customers have been asking us for a while to create a vegan product. It's something we have wanted to achieve, but have faced challenges finding a sustainable leather alternative. Most vegan leathers are produced using synthetic materials that don't biodegrade, they are produced with toxic chemicals and require higher water consumption in manufacturing,” says Bowden.
Deadly Ponies Mr Mini Chain Mail Cactus, $649.
Entering into the project Bowden said there was much to consider. The brand worked closely with the supplier in Mexico, to produce this plant-based leather that met our strict design and manufacturing specifications to ensure the cactus bag you buy has the same heavenly look and feel, as the leather accessories the brand is famous for. "This new material had to be sustainable, but also achieve a similar look and feel to our more classic leather finishes that our products are known for. It took another year of development to achieve the perfect composition."
Made in Mexico, and sourced from an organic cactus plantation, the mature cactus leaves are used in the making of these bags to ensure sustainable plant regeneration, while the pulp, a by-product is used for medicinal purposes. The nopal cactus leaves are sun-dried before being processed into the innovative, organic cactus leather. So, if you have been searching for vegan leather, it could be worth saving up for one of these to do your bit to help save our planet.
Deadly Ponies Mr Siamese Cactus, $449.
Handcrafted by Deadly Ponies, the inaugural Cactus collection is available from Wednesday 29th July exclusively online and in Deadly Ponies' stores, in the brand’s classics including Mr Siamese, Mr Mini Leopard and Mr Mini Chain Mail.