05 Aug What apple leather is (and why it doesn’t smell of fruit)
It’s the question I get asked most. And I’m always glad when people ask it.
Does it smell of apple?
No.
Does it rot if it gets wet?
No, either.
Is it actually durable?
Yes.
I get the confusion. When someone hears “apple leather” for the first time, the most natural thing is to imagine something fragile, organic in the most literal sense, maybe with a smell. Something that’s clearly not what you want in a bag you’ll use every day.
But apple leather isn’t that.
Apple leather is a technical material made from the waste left over from processing apples. The skins, the seeds, the pulp the food industry throws away. What normally gets binned.
That waste goes through a transformation process where it’s ground down, mixed with other components, and laminated onto a textile base. The result is a material with properties very similar to conventional leather: strength, flexibility, resistance to moisture.
It doesn’t smell of anything in particular. It doesn’t break down in water. It doesn’t warp with normal everyday heat. And it has a feel that most people can’t identify blind.
I’ve run the test many times. I hand someone the bag without telling them what it’s made of, and ask. The usual answer is: looks like leather, doesn’t it? That’s exactly what I’m going for.
I work with apple leather because it’s the most honest thing I’ve found. A material with the functional properties of leather, that lasts as long as it should, that comes from something that would otherwise be waste, and that hasn’t cost any animal its life.
It’s not an experiment. It’s a solution that already exists, that’s been tested, and that hardly anyone knows about yet. That’s part of what I like too: that there’s still something to explain.
If you’ve got any more questions about the materials, I’m here.
Thanks,
Un abrazo,
Belén
If you’d like to see the bags made with apple leather, here they are: https://www.belendols.com/en/vegan/vegan-bags/
Frequently asked questions
Is apple leather vegan? Yes, completely. It contains no animal by-products whatsoever. It’s made from plant waste left over from processing apples.
How long does an apple leather bag last? With normal use and the basic care you’d give any quality bag, it lasts for years. It’s not a material that breaks down quickly. It doesn’t peel. It’s designed to have a long lifespan — which is precisely the opposite of fast fashion.
How do you care for an apple leather bag? Wipe stains with a damp cloth, and store it somewhere dry when you’re not using it. No special treatments needed. If you’ve got questions about specific care, write to me and I’ll let you know.
Is it cheaper than leather? No. Quality vegan leather costs about the same as traditional leather, and the manufacturing is nearly identical. The cutting, the tools, the machinery, the work put in by people — it’s all the same. What changes isn’t the price: it’s the values behind it.
Where’s the apple leather you use made? The materials I use come from certified suppliers in Spain and Italy. The bags themselves are made in artisan workshops in Spain, in Mallorca and Cádiz.