In a time, when the world is calling for vegan alternatives, Malai, a company based in Kerala has brought about a unique and sustainable range of products that replace traditional leather.
Malai Biomaterials Design Pvt Ltd creates a bio-composite material that has the look and feel of leather. Just using coconut water, they have created the textured, water-resistant pleather, which is now used to make bags, pouches, wallets, and shoes.
Launched in 2018, Malai is the brainchild of Zuzana Gombosova, a material researcher and fashion designer from Slovakia, and Susmith C S, a product designer and maker from Kerala. Today, Gombosova heads the company with a new business partner from Kerala named Aqeel Sait.
Currently, the startup functions with a small team of fewer than 10 people consisting of labor staff in their workshop, 2 directors, a sales representative, a bunch of talented interns & external consultants, 6 cats, and one dog.
“Susmith and I both felt suffocated with the exposure to plastic material on a daily basis. We both are inclined towards working with healthy and natural materials that are used in applications that they are suited for. Bacterial cellulose, in particular, was my subject of study for several years by the time we met. I was intrigued by its manufacturing process, behavior, properties and potential. I studied how bacteria grown in the coconut is being used in the food industry in the Philippines and the fashion industry in very few places. However, due to the lack of availability of coconuts in London, I was unable to experiment in detail. Shortly after we met, we began experimenting with bacterial cellulose in coconut water and that is what led to the creation of Malai,” says Zuzana Gombosova.
The making of Malai
The pleather by Malai is biodegradable and compostable. The raw material, essentially coconut water, is sourced from a coconut processing unit in Kerala that they have a tie-up with. This water from mature coconuts then undergoes sterilization after which bacterial culture is allowed to feed on it. The fermentation results in a sheet of cellulose jelly which is subsequently harvested, refined, and eventually reinforced with natural fibers, resins, and gum. The resultant material is a flexible one that is molded into sheets that are treated and, in some cases, dyed, and thereafter crafted into accessories.
They additionally also use waste coconut, banana stem, sisal fiber, and hemp fiber in their products.
“A TUV certification validates that sample product has been tested for safety and meets the minimum requirements of the German Equipment and Product Safety Act. As per certification, the product is fairly good in comparison to leather,” informs Gombosova.
In the higher end but worth it
At present, Malai’s processing unit on the outskirts of Kochi has a monthly capacity to produce 200 square meters of the material in the form of a sheet or 3-dimensional shapes. As for the cost, it is a bit higher than the market rates of alternatives. Bags and shoes available on its website are at prices ranging from Rs. 1,800 to Rs. 9,500.
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“Many would say it has a premium price, mostly because the price of its substitute is cheap due to easy access. It is nearly impossible to compete with them. As a small manufacturer, our supply chain is very uncommon. That’s why most of our clients are based out of India. However, we plan to make it more affordable in the future and for that, we have joined hands with a research team from IIT-Hyderabad,” Gombosova explains the reason behind the higher market rate.
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Growing and thriving
Exhibiting on platforms like the London Design Week and the Prague Design Week has given Malai much-needed exposure, making it a PETA-approved label. Besides that, they have bagged several accolades such as Elle Décor Design Award, Grand Czech Design, and Circular Design Challenge.
Malai products are now also distributed and supplied to brands such as Riti in India, the UK-based Ethical Living, and Lucky Nelly in Germany.
COVID-19 did affect the company. Their processing unit halted its production for several months, yet they kept on achieving several milestones including getting featured in the first-ever virtual Lakme Fashion Week 2020.
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“The production is halted, but our minds are running to design a product that is superior to leather. We want to enter different domains like furniture, interior designing in the future”, the co-founder says.
“The world has not got very far with R&D on biodegradable materials for, say, airplanes, but we can certainly use eco-friendly materials in the fashion, furniture, and footwear industries,” she concludes.
When adequately cared for, a product made from Malai will last many years. Even if you wish to dispose it of, you can just place the product with your compostable garbage, and will naturally break down.
Cruelty-free, Malai products are a healthy alternative to leather. Are you going to try one soon?