Vegan & Plant-Based Leather Alternatives | B2B Supply
Vegan & Plant-Based Leather Alternatives for Brands
susmaterials is a B2B supplier of vegan leather and plant-based leather alternatives for fashion, accessories and lifestyle brands. We supply a curated range of sustainable leather alternatives across two families — vegan leather alternatives (plant-based, bio-based and food-waste materials) and recycled leather alternatives — as roll goods, with flexible minimums, fast sampling and documentation available on request.
Why source leather alternatives through susmaterials
Most plant-based leathers look similar in a photo. The differences show up later: hand-feel, abrasion behaviour, colour consistency between batches, and whether documentation arrives when your compliance team asks for it. We focus on exactly those points across every vegan leather we carry.
- Curated, not exhaustive. We work with a short list of materials we know well, rather than a catalogue of everything on the market.
- Honest application guidance. Every material page tells you what it is good for — and what we would not recommend it for.
- Documentation on request. We can advise on the certification systems relevant to each material, with supporting documents available on request.
- Flexible minimums and fast sampling. Designed for brands testing a new material, not just for large programmes.
Our leather alternatives range
Vegan leather alternatives
Animal-free leathers made from plant fibre, bio-based and food-waste content — from established options like cactus, apple and cork to next-generation mycelium and fruit-waste materials.
Cactus Leather
A supple, soft-touch material made with nopal-cactus content on a textile backing — a popular choice for handbags and small leather goods.
Apple Leather
Made with residues from the apple-juice industry, with a refined surface that takes embossing and colour well.
Pineapple Leaf Leather
Made with fibres from pineapple leaves, with a distinctive natural texture brands can put front-of-product.
Cork Leather
A light, water-resistant material from cork-oak bark with a distinctive speckled grain.
Mushroom (Mycelium) Leather
Grown from mushroom mycelium and capable of a remarkably soft, premium hand — a leading next-generation material.
Bamboo Leather
Made with bamboo fibre or charcoal content from a rapidly renewable grass, with a smooth, even hand.
Hemp Leather
A tough, natural-looking material made with hemp fibre from a low-input crop.
Coconut Leather
Built on coconut-water by-products and coconut-husk fibre, with a warm, organic grain.
Corn Leather
A coated leather made with corn-derived bio-polyol replacing part of the fossil content.
Grape Leather
Made using grape marc left over from winemaking, with a smooth, premium finish.
Mango Leather
Made from discarded mangoes, turning fruit-waste into a warm, natural leather-like sheet.
Coffee Leather
Made with spent coffee grounds, with a warm, deep tone and an instantly recognisable circular story.
Orange Leather
Made from orange-juice production residues, with a light, fresh material story.
Lemon Leather
Made from lemon-juice residues, a bright citrus-waste leather for soft goods and accessories.
Barley Leather
Made with spent barley grain from brewing and malting, a strong by-product story for drinks brands.
Silicone Leather
A durable, solvent-free synthetic with strong abrasion and hydrolysis resistance for high-contact goods.
Washable Kraft Paper
A sewable, machine-washable cellulose sheet that starts crisp and softens into a leather-like patina – suited to totes, pouches and brand labels.
Recycled leather alternatives
Materials that cut their virgin-material footprint by using reclaimed leather, polymer or interlayer content.
Recycled Leather
Made by reconstituting reclaimed leather fibres into a consistent sheet for linings and trims.
Recycled PU Leather
A coated material made with recycled-content polyurethane and backing for a lower virgin-material footprint.
Recycled PVB Leather
Reclaimed from the polymer interlayer of laminated safety glass, reprocessed into a durable sheet for accessories and trims.
How sourcing works
- Tell us about your product. Application, target hand-feel, colours and timeline.
- Review swatches. We arrange fast sampling so your team can evaluate materials in hand.
- Confirm specifications. Performance characteristics and certification documents are available on request.
- Order at a workable scale. We keep minimums flexible so new materials are realistic to trial.
Frequently asked questions
Are these materials fully synthetic?
No. Most materials in this range combine plant-derived or reclaimed content with other components, such as textile backings and protective coatings. The exact composition varies by material and is detailed on each material page, with full specifications available on request.
What are next-generation leather alternatives?
The term usually refers to newer bio-based materials grown or made from living and waste feedstocks — most notably mushroom (mycelium) leather and fruit-waste leathers — rather than conventional coated synthetics. They sit alongside established plant-based leather alternatives such as cactus, apple and cork in our range.
Can I get swatches before committing to an order?
Yes. Fast sampling is central to how we work. Request swatches of any material and we typically reply quickly.
Which material should I choose for my product?
It depends on the application, the hand-feel you want and your durability requirements. Each material page includes a “best for / not recommended for” section, and our team is happy to recommend options for your specific product.
Start with a swatch
Request swatches of any of our leather alternatives, or ask us to recommend the right material for your product. You can also request our Selection Guide by email — a practical overview of our vegan and plant-based leather alternatives and how to choose between them.