Plant Based Leather Sheets

(Fauxkin)

Experiential learning Phase I

Presented by: Under the guidance of:

Shruti Bhendarkar Dr. Sham Aan M. P.
1RV22IM051 Department of Chemistry
RV College of Engineering
 Presentation Outline
Introduction
Problem
Solution
Methodology
Process
Chemistry component
Mathematics component
Aim and Impact
Literature Survey
References
EL Phase II
 Presentation
Introduction
Outline
Abstract:
Leather is a durable and flexible material made from the hides or skins of animals through a process
known as tanning. The most common sources of leather are cattle (cowhide), sheep (sheepskin), goats
(goatskin), pigs (pigskin), and various other animals. Leather is widely used in various industries, including
fashion (clothing, shoes, handbags), upholstery (furniture, car seats), and accessories (belts, wallets). It is
valued for its combination of strength, beauty, and versatility. However, the leather industry also faces
concerns related to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and environmental impact, which has led to the
development of alternative materials like synthetic leather and sustainable leather alternatives.
Plant-based leather, is an alternative material designed to mimic the look and feel of traditional animal
leather without using animal products. It is a sustainable and cruelty-free option for those who want the
aesthetic and tactile qualities of leather without the ethical or environmental concerns associated with
animal leather. While these materials offer a more eco-friendly choice, there are ongoing efforts to
improve their performance, durability, and recyclability to make them even more sustainable.
Fauxkin leather sheets are an innovation in this direction where we use rotten mangoes to make our plant
based leather sheets(PBLS).

Keywords:
Leather, sustainability, plant based leather, PBLS, Fauxkin.
 Presentation
Problem Outline
The Environmental Impact: Leather production has a substantial environmental
footprint. The tanning process often involves the use of toxic chemicals, such as
chromium and other heavy metals. 650 million kilos of Co2 emissions annually.
Animal Welfare: Animals are subjected to inhumane conditions, overcrowding, and
harsh treatment. More than a billion animals slaughtered every year.
Water Usage: Leather production consumes large amounts of water, both in raising
livestock and in the tanning process. 400 billion litres of water annually.
Waste Generation: Leather production generates a significant amount of waste,
including animal by-products and trimmings.
Sustainability Concerns: Traditional leather is often criticized for not being sustainable
due to the resource-intensive nature of the industry.
Cost: High-quality traditional leather products can be expensive due to the labor-
intensive processes involved in leather production.
 Presentation
SolutionOutline
Fauxkin is a marriage of innovation and
sustainability with transformation at its
heart to bring about a positive change in
the fashion industry.
Fauxkin offers an innovative way to
address the challenges faced by the
traditional leather industry and provide
environmentally friendly and cruelty-free
leather options.
We repurpose rotten mangoes, which
are discarded as waste, to create our
plant based leather sheets.
 Presentation
Methodology
Outline
Raw
materials 1.Acquiring raw materials: Mainly rotten mangoes and biopolymers.

Machinery 2.Machinery required: Destoner, grinder, dehydrator, laminator, texture machine.

Chemical
3.Chemical processes involved: Polymerisation, Dehydration, Coating.
process

Prototyping 4.Prototyping: Research: Rapid prototyping and tests.

5.Deploying the product: Out in the market for sale.

Deploying
 Presentation
ProcessOutline

Destoning: Destoning refers to the process of removing the stone, seed, or

pit from fruits or other food items.
Crushing and grinding: Creating mango paste involves crushing and grinding
the mangoes into a smooth, thick, and uniform consistency.
Polymerisation: Adding bipolymers to make a sheet out of the mango paste
by condensation polymerisation.
Dehydration: It is a process that involves removing the moisture from mango
puree to create a durable sheet.
Finishing: Dyeing, texturising, embossing, antiquing, distressing, glossing,
etc. Can be de decorative or functional or both.
 Presentation
Chemistry Outline
component
Polymerization:
It is a chemical process in which small molecules, called monomers, are chemically bonded
together to form larger molecules known as polymers. This process involves the repetitive
linking or chaining of monomers through covalent bonds, resulting in the formation of long and
complex macromolecules. Polymers can vary in size from relatively small molecules to
extremely large ones, depending on the number of monomers involved in the reaction.
There are two primary types of polymerization processes:
1.Addition (Chain-Growth) Polymerization
2.Condensation (Step-Growth) Polymerization:
Condensation polymerization involves the formation of polymers through the elimination of
small molecules (such as water, alcohol, or hydrogen chloride) as byproducts during the
reaction.
Why polymerisation?
The properties of polymers can be tailored by adjusting the type of monomers used, the
polymerization conditions, and any additives or modifiers included in the process, making
them versatile materials with a wide range of uses.
 Presentation
Chemistry Outline
component
Condensation polymerization, also known as step-growth polymerization, is a chemical
process in which monomers join together to form a polymer while simultaneously releasing a
small molecule, typically water (H2O), as a byproduct.

Biopolymers
These are polymers that are produced by living organisms or are derived from renewable
resources such as plants and microorganisms. Unlike synthetic polymers, which are typically
derived from petrochemical sources, biopolymers are more environmentally friendly because
they are often biodegradable and can be produced using sustainable methods.
 Presentation
Chemistry Outline
component
Polysaccharides are carbohydrate polymers consisting of tens to hundreds to several
thousand monosaccharide units. All of the common polysaccharides contain glucose
as the monosaccharide unit. Polysaccharides are synthesized by plants, animals, and
humans to be stored for food, structural support, or metabolized for energy.
Cellulose is a linear polysaccharide polymer with many glucose monosaccharide units.
Starch is a natural polymer composed of glucose molecules linked together through
glycosidic bonds. While starch itself can be considered a polymer, it is often used as a
starting material for various polymerization processes to create modified starches or
starch-based polymers. Eg.Polylactic acid (PLA) What makes cellulose different from
starch is the beta acetal linkage in it.
 Presentation
Maths component
Outline
Degree of Polymerisation(DP):
A polymer will ultimately have repeating units since it binds multiple monomer units. This number of repeating units helps to determine
physical and chemical properties of a polymer and vary depending on the polymer and its molecular weight. Hence, calculation of the
number of repeating unit, or the degree of polymerization (DP) is very important in the polymer industry.
The degree of polymerization can be calculated by using the following relationship if a molecular weight of a polymer molecule is known.
M= (DP) M0
M is the molecular weight of the polymer, DP is the degree of polymerization and the M0 is the formula weight of the repeating unit.
Ex: calculate the degree of polymerization of a sample of polyethylene [ (CH2-CH2)n], which has a molecular weight of 150,000 g/mol.
The molecular weight of a repeating unit, Mo= (12 x 2 + 1 x 4) g/ mol = 28 g/mol
DP = M/Mo = 150,000 g/mol / 28 g/mol = 5.35 x 103
The particular molecule contains 5.35 x 103 of repeat units.
When considering the molecular weight of a polymer for the above calculation, we usually take either the number average molecular
weight (Mn) or weight average molecular weight (Mw).
Formula to Calculate Number Average Molecular Weight:
The number average molecular weight can be determined by,
Mn= Σ xi Mi
xi is the fraction of the total number of chains within each range, and Mi is the mean molecular weight of each size range of polymer
chains.
Formula to Calculate Weight Average Molecular Weight:
The weight average molecular weight can be determined by,
Mw= Σ fi Mi
fi is the weight fraction of the polymer chains, and Mi is again the mean molecular weight of each range.
 Presentation
Maths component
Outline
Statistics and graphs related(Matlab simulation):
 Presentation
Maths component
Outline
Price of the machinery:
 Presentation
Aim and Impact
Outline
Aim: SDGs:
We aim to manufacture our sustainable plant-based leather sheets in a
cost effective manner and supply it to businesses.
Impact:
Contribute in the reduction of resource wastage
Help in reduction of waste production & also carbon emissions.
We also promote circular economy wherein we repurpose agricultural
waste (mangoes unfit for consumption) into valuable products. This
promotes resource efficiency and contributes a more sustainable
economic model.
More specifically, we will extend support to local farmers and fruit
processors, empower more artisans and women.
We aim to raise environmental awareness amongst consumers which
will lead to broader consciousness about responsible fashion choices.
Presentation
Literature Survey
Outline
 Presentation
References
Outline
[1] "Apple Leather - What is it? How is it made? Why use it?".
Oliver Co. London. Retrieved 2023-04-17.

[2] Campbell, Lindsay (2019-11-30). "Two Friends From Mexico

Developed A Synthetic Leather Made From Cactus". Modern
Farmer. Retrieved 2023-04-17

[3] Cork Leather - Vegan Leather Supplier - HZCORK". 2021-09-

03. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
 Presentation
EL PhaseOutline
II

More Specific Chemistry Component relating to plant-based

leather (providing more polymerization details).

Providing exact mathematical ratios on the amount of raw

materials added.

The final prototype and products crafted from the

sheet(applications).
THANK YOU.