Covestro and Beyond Leather develop apple waste coating

In Germany, chemical company Covestro and Beyond Leather Materials have developed a protective leather coating made from apple waste. The coating is based on polyurethane dispersions with waste biomass generated by apple juice and cider making, according to European Coatings. 

With about 25% of every apple discarded after pressing, 4 million tons of such waste is generated every year.  “[W]e wanted to capture this waste’s value in premium applications,” said Mikael Eydt, co-founder & CEO, Beyond Leather Materials. “We believe that looking into waste streams and using upcycling is crucial to reduce emissions. It is our mission to show how much value there is in waste and, ultimately, make waste beautiful.”