Vegan Uppeal™

Uppeal™ is a durable and low-impact leather alternative. Made from residual apple waste, it's 100% vegan. After years of research we were able to find a material that looks just as beautiful as our natural leathers. O My Bag has been offering a collection of styles in this innovative material since our FW21 collection.

Why Are We Introducing an Apple-Based Leather Alternative?

At O My Bag we continue to evaluate and improve our material use, and as technology develops, so do new possibilities. To accommodate our customers that chose not to purchase animal products we've been on the lookout for a durable, low impact leather alternative. After years of searching, we finally found Uppeal™. In addition to providing a leather alternative, we are excited to support the innovation and development of new sustainable materials.

Ditching the dirty.
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Uppeal™ is 100% vegan

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O My Bag pieces are available in Vegan Uppeal™

WHAT IS UPPEAL™ AND HOW IS IT MADE?

Uppeal™ is a vegan leather alternative produced at FRUMAT, an innovative factory based in Italy. It’s a bio-based material and utilizes the waste from the local fruit juice and apple sauce industry. Once the juice has been extracted from the apples, the peels, stems and fibers are ground into a fine powder, and this powder is then mixed with a secondary powder blend of polyester, PU, cotton, and viscose, which is used to strengthen and support the apple waste which is essential to the durability of the material.

The final powder is then delivered to the producing facility, Mabel Synthetic, where it is combined with solid PU (extruded thermoplastic polyurethane) and via a solvent based process, turned into a liquid material. The liquid is then pumped into large containers where it transforms into a solid state. The solid material consisting of 21% apple waste is then pressed to achieve a leather look, and colored before entering a large oven to dry. Any leftover material is melted down and reused for producing new batches. The final result is a 100% vegan material, ready to be made into O My Bags.

WHY DID WE CHOOSE UPPEAL™ ?

It wasn’t easy to find a material that could compete with our natural leather in regard to the durability, aesthetic and our high sustainability standards. Our real leathers are known for their quality, thickness, and their natural ageing process. It was important for us to find a leather alternative that also had these similar qualities. We evaluated different materials such as pineapple and cactus leathers, however Uppeal™ was the superior option for O My Bag. Not only does it have a beautiful look and feel, it also becomes slightly darker and develops a light patina over time, just like our real leather. In addition, we are proud of our partner factories sustainability goals. Both FRUMAT and Mabel Synthetic are currently focused on their sustainability, waste management and circularity, which includes switching to recycled materials and becoming 100% circular.

Our O My Bag Vegan Uppeal™ consists of up to 21% residual apple waste from skins, stems, and fibres of the fruit, that is backed by a mix of synthetic materials, required for strength and durability. Due to the material composition of our Vegan Uppeal™, it does not need to be treated with a leather protector or moisturiser. Our Vegan Uppeal™ is strong and independent. It will last a lifetime without any treatment. Make sure you never use any leather protector or moisturiser. This will damage your bag, and it cannot be repaired.

IS UPPEAL™ ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

The material is created as a by-product of the food industry and utilizes “waste” to create something new. This inherently has large environmental savings in resource consumption, land use and energy when compared to creating or harvesting a virgin material. The repurposing of the peels keeps them from de-composting and producing methane that affects the climate.

Uppeal™ however, does require a 65% PU (Polyurethane) composition, which is a synthetic material, and uses a conventional fossil base. PU and PVC are commonly used in leather alternatives due to their water resistance and durability, but PU is considered more sustainable than PVC due to its lower environmental impact. Our production partner Mabel Synthetic chooses to work with conventional PU, because they are able to recycle and reuse 98% the water and solvents used in the production process, resulting in a much lower footprint compared to other vegan leather alternatives, including bio-based plastics.

The use of Bio based plastics has also increased in the industry, but ultimately all solutions utilize plastic. Although bio- based plastics are made from plants, they require genetic modification, heavy cultivation and high water use. Because of this, the carbon footprint of bio-based plastics is much higher than that of a fossil base. This is why Mabel Synthetic chooses to work with conventional PU.

In an effort to reduce our impact further, Mabel Synthetic are continuously working on new innovations to improve sustainability. This involves partnering with European universities to develop their own bio-based PU alternatives with a low-impact cultivation process, however there is no viable alternative yet. The current composition is made from 21% apple waste, 14% bio-based, and 65% synthetics. The long term goal is for our vegan leather alternative to consist of 80% organic materials by increasing the ratio of apple waste, and decreasing the PU composition.

Although Uppeal™ and other vegan alternatives to leather do not rely on animal products, there is still an environmental impact. At O My Bag, our vegan products have a slightly lower footprint when compared to our real leather products, however the longevity of Uppeal™ is not yet known. For more information regarding the environmental impact of our vegan collection, our 2023 Life Cycle Analysis Report provides more detail and further comparison.

Our Vegan Uppeal™ Collection is now live, featuring a few select products in our Uppeal™. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date.

Audrey - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Audrey - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan structured crossbody bag - two straps
Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Leather Cognac Classic Leather Ruby Classic Leather
Audrey Mini - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Audrey Mini - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan structured crossbody bag - two straps
Black Vegan Uppeal™ Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Leather Cognac Classic Leather Midnight Blue Classic Leather Pine Green Classic Leather Tangerine Classic Leather
Bobbi Bucket Bag Midi - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Bobbi Bucket Bag Midi - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan bucket bag - one strap
Black Vegan Uppeal™ Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Leather Cognac Classic Leather
Bobbi Bucket Bag Midi - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Bobbi Bucket Bag Midi - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan bucket bag - one strap
Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Leather Cognac Classic Leather
Beck's Bum Bag - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Beck's Bum Bag - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan fanny pack - one strap
Black Vegan Uppeal™ Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Croco Black Stromboli Leather Cognac Stromboli Leather Wild Oak Soft Grain Croco Midnight Blue Classic Leather Pine Green Classic Leather Tangerine Classic Leather
Alex Fold-Over Wallet - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Alex Fold-Over Wallet - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan compact wallet - with coin pocket
Over Wallet Over Wallet Over Wallet Over Wallet Over Wallet
Georgia - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Georgia - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan large shopper bag
Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Vegan Uppeal™ Black Woven Classic Leather Cognac Woven Classic Leather Black Soft Grain Leather Camel Hunter Leather Wild Oak Soft Grain Leather
Audrey Mini - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Audrey Mini - Cognac Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan structured crossbody bag - two straps
Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Leather Cognac Classic Leather Midnight Blue Classic Leather Pine Green Classic Leather Tangerine Classic Leather
Laura Coin Purse - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Laura Coin Purse - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan small rounded coin purse - zip around
Black Vegan Uppeal™ Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Classic Croco Black Classic Leather Black Woven Classic Leather Cognac Classic Croco Cognac Classic Leather Cognac Woven Classic Leather Dark Ruby Classic Croco Ruby Classic Leather
Herringbone Webbing Strap - Sand & Black Vegan Uppeal™ Herringbone Webbing Strap - Sand & Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan, add-on detachable and adjustable crossbody strap
Sand & Black Vegan Uppeal™ Sand & Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Jade & Black Classic Leather Jade & Cognac Classic Leather Sand & Black Classic Leather Sand & Cognac Classic Leather
Bum Bag Strap - Black Vegan Uppeal™ Bum Bag Strap - Black Vegan Uppeal™
Vegan, add-on detachable and adjustable Bum Bag strap
Black Vegan Uppeal™ Cognac Vegan Uppeal™ Black Stromboli Leather Cognac Stromboli Leather