7 Ways to Make Vegan Leather From Scraps for High-End Accessories

What if I told you the secret to making incredible high-fashion accessories isn’t in some expensive boutique, but right inside your compost bin?

That the apple cores you were about to toss, the pineapple tops you’d never dream of using, and even the grounds from your morning coffee could be turned into materials so beautiful and unique they could inspire designer creations.

In this guide, I’ll show you seven amazing ways to turn this… into this.

We’re going to take everyday food waste and, with a little kitchen creativity, create seven different types of vegan leather. Then, we’ll craft each one into a high-end accessory that looks like it belongs in a catalog.

This isn’t just about recycling; it’s about completely reimagining what’s possible. It’s about looking at a pile of scraps and seeing a masterpiece in disguise.

So, if you’re ready to turn your kitchen into a DIY design studio, stick around. You won’t believe what we’re about to make.

The Problem of Waste & The Promise of Bio-Materials

Before we jump into our first project, let’s quickly talk about why this is so important.

Every year, we create mountains of waste, and a huge chunk of that is food and agricultural scraps. At the same time, the fashion industry has a massive environmental footprint.

Traditional leather production is incredibly resource-intensive, and many common “vegan” leathers are just plastics like PVC or PU, which come from fossil fuels and don’t biodegrade.

But what if we could connect these two problems to create a solution? That’s the magic of bio-materials.

By repurposing waste—from pineapple leaves to apple peels—we can create beautiful, functional materials with a tiny fraction of the environmental impact.

It’s a circular approach where one industry’s trash becomes another’s treasure. And the best part?

This innovation is happening so fast that major luxury brands are already using these materials. Today, we’re bringing that same spirit of innovation into our own homes.

We’re going to take the same principles used in high-tech labs and apply them right here in the kitchen. Let’s get started with our first, and maybe most famous, fruit-based leather.

Method 1 – Pineapple Leaf Leather for a Luxury Tote Bag

Our first project is inspired by one of the rockstars of the plant-based leather world: Piñatex.

This material, made from pineapple leaf fibers, has been used by huge brands like Hugo Boss and H&M. It’s created from the leaves of the pineapple plant, which are usually thrown away.

We’re going to create our own DIY version, which is perfect for a structured and durable tote bag.

Now, the commercial process is pretty complex and uses industrial machinery, but we can mimic the basic idea at home.

First, you’ll need pineapple leaves, so start saving the tops from the pineapples you buy.

The first step is extracting the fibers, and I’ll be honest, this is the most labor-intensive part.

You’ll need to scrape the outside of the leaf with the back of a knife or a strong spoon to get to the long, tough fibers inside. It takes patience, but you’ll slowly build up a pile of raw, stringy fibers.

Once you have a good handful, you need to clean them. We’ll boil the fibers in water with a bit of baking soda to soften them and remove any extra plant gunk.

After boiling, rinse the fibers well and let them dry completely. You’ll be left with something that feels like coarse, natural twine.

The next step is to create a sheet. On a piece of parchment paper, arrange your fibers in a crisscross pattern, creating a dense, interlocking mesh.

The more layers, the stronger it gets.

To bind it all together, we’ll make a simple, natural resin. In a small pot, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry, then gently heat it until it thickens into a translucent paste.

A pro-tip is to add a touch of glycerin, which you can find online, to give the final material a bit more flexibility. Using a paintbrush, coat your fiber mesh with this paste, making sure you get it everywhere.

Place another sheet of parchment on top and use a rolling pin to press it flat. Now, for the drying.

You can air-dry it for several days or use a dehydrator or an oven on its lowest setting until it’s completely dry and stiff.

Once it’s dry, peel back the parchment to reveal a tough, fibrous sheet. It has this beautiful, organic texture and incredible strength for a homemade material.

I’ve stitched several of these sheets together with a heavy-duty needle to create the panels for this amazing tote bag. It’s a true testament to turning trash into treasure.

Method 2 – Mushroom Mycelium for a Suede-like Wallet

Next, we’re swapping plants for fungi to create a material that has the fashion world buzzing: mushroom leather.

High-end designers like Stella McCartney and brands like Gucci have been investing in mycelium—the root structure of mushrooms—to create materials that are velvety, supple, and feel a lot like suede.

It’s literally grown, not manufactured, which makes it a fascinating and sustainable option. We’ll be growing our own small sheet to craft a minimalist wallet.

The whole process feels less like cooking and more like a cool science experiment.

You’ll need mushroom spawn (like reishi or oyster mushrooms, which you can buy online), a substrate for it to eat (think sawdust or used coffee grounds), and a mold to shape it in.

First, you need to sterilize your substrate to kill any competing mold. The easiest way to do this is to get it damp, then microwave it for a couple of minutes until it steams.

Let it cool completely.

Next, find a container to act as your mold—a simple Tupperware or small baking dish is perfect.

In a clean bowl, mix your cooled substrate with the mushroom spawn. Press this mixture firmly into your container, creating an even, compact layer.

Now, cover the container with plastic wrap and poke a few small holes in it. This keeps the humidity high but allows for a little air exchange.

Place it in a dark, warm spot, like a cupboard, and then… you wait.

Over the next two to three weeks, you’ll see the mycelium spread its white, fibrous network all through the substrate, binding it into a solid mat.

Once the whole thing is covered in a thick, white layer and feels firm, it’s ready.

Carefully remove the block from the container and brush off any loose bits.

To turn this into our “leather,” we need to press it between two pieces of parchment with something heavy, like a stack of books, to flatten it and squeeze out moisture.

Finally, dry it out slowly in a dehydrator or an oven on its lowest setting.

Once it’s fully dry, the material will feel surprisingly like a dense, soft suede. You can even make it more supple by rubbing in a little natural oil.

I’ve taken a sheet of our homegrown mushroom leather and cut it into a pattern for this sleek wallet. Its soft texture is perfect for an item you handle every day.

Method 3 – Cork Scraps for a Stylish Belt

Our third material is harvested, not grown. We’re talking about cork.

Most of us know it as a bottle stopper, but cork is an incredible, sustainable material. It’s harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree in a way that doesn’t harm the tree at all—the bark just grows back.

For our project, we’re going to make our own cork fabric from scraps to create a chic, lightweight belt.

You can buy raw cork bark scraps from craft suppliers. They’re often curved, so our first job is to flatten them.

While industrial processes use steaming, for a home experiment, we can gently boil or simmer the scraps in water for about 10-15 minutes to make them more pliable.

While the cork is still warm, place the pieces under something heavy and flat to press them as they dry.

Once you have your flat cork pieces, we’ll create a patchwork fabric.

This is inspired by how commercial cork fabric is made, where thin slices of cork are attached to a backing. A sturdy piece of canvas or even an old pair of jeans works great for the backing.

Arrange your flattened cork pieces onto the fabric, fitting them together like a puzzle. You can cut them into shapes or use their natural, organic edges.

Glue them down with a strong, flexible fabric glue, and let it dry completely under some weight to ensure a good bond.

You’ll now have a flexible fabric with a beautiful, textured cork surface. To turn this into a belt, just cut a long strip from your new cork fabric.

To finish it, add a buckle from an old belt or a craft store, and punch some holes with a standard leather punch.

And there you have it. A durable, water-resistant, and impossibly lightweight belt.

Method 4 – Apple Peels for a Slim Card Holder

Next up, we’re using one of the most common kitchen scraps out there: apple peels.

This waste from the commercial juice industry has led to the innovation of apple leather. We’re going to use the same basic idea to create our own, perfect for a slim card holder.

The process is a lot like making a fruit roll-up, but we want it to be durable, not chewy.

Start by collecting your apple peels and cores and blending them into a super-smooth puree.

To turn this puree into a material, we need a binder. A tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of puree will help give it structure.

Mix that in thoroughly.

Next, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Pour your puree onto the sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer.

An offset spatula works perfectly for this.

Now, it’s time to dry it out, low and slow. Use a food dehydrator or your oven on its absolute lowest temperature.

This can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. You’ll know it’s done when the surface is no longer sticky and has a smooth, leather-like feel.

Let it cool completely before you gently peel it off the mat. You’ll be holding a flexible, beautiful sheet of material.

To make it more durable and water-resistant for a card holder, you can finish it with a light coat of a natural wax, like carnauba wax, and buff it to a soft shine.

From this sheet, I’ve cut and folded a simple, no-sew pattern for a card holder, secured with a single brass stud.

Method 5 – Coconut Waste for a Woven Clutch Bag

Our fifth material takes us to the tropics.

Innovative companies have figured out how to use bacterial cellulose grown on waste coconut water to create a unique material. We’re going to adapt this idea using a method similar to making kombucha leather.

This will create a translucent, skin-like sheet that we’ll weave into a stunning clutch.

This process involves growing a SCOBY—a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast.

You’ll need a bottle of raw, unpasteurized kombucha, some sugar, and black or green tea.

First, brew a strong batch of sweet tea. For every 7 cups of water, use about 4 tea bags and dissolve in one cup of sugar.

Let it cool down to room temperature completely—hot tea will kill the culture.

Pour the cooled tea into a wide, shallow container. The bigger the container, the bigger your sheet of leather.

Now, pour in your starter kombucha. Cover it with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band.

Place the container in a warm, dark spot. Over the next 2 to 4 weeks, a gelatinous, opaque layer will form on the surface.

This is your SCOBY. Let it grow until it’s about half an inch to an inch thick.

Once it’s ready, gently lift the slimy disc out and wash it under cool water.

To dry it, lay it flat on a wooden board or plastic rack. It will shrink a lot as it dries and become much thinner, turning into a surprisingly strong material with a texture somewhere between paper and leather.

To create our clutch bag, I grew a large sheet and, while it was still a bit damp, cut it into long strips.

I wove these strips into a tight pattern, and as they dried, they fused together.

I folded the woven sheet, stitched the sides, and added a magnetic snap. The result is this ethereal, semi-translucent clutch that’s both a fashion statement and a piece of bio-art.

Method 6 – Grape Waste for Statement Jewelry

From the vineyard to the jewelry box, our sixth project is inspired by the winemaking industry.

Wineries produce tons of grape pomace—the skins and seeds left after pressing. An innovative company called VEGEA uses an industrial process with special polymers to turn this waste into a high-quality vegan leather.

We’re going to use that as inspiration, using a much simpler home method to create a pliable material perfect for a bold cuff bracelet.

For this, you’ll need dark fruit waste. Grape skins are ideal, but you can get a similar effect with the skins from blueberries or blackberries.

First, blend the skins into a thick, fine pulp. Then, we need to turn this into a workable dough.

Mix your fruit pulp with an equal amount of a binder like cornstarch. Then, add a few tablespoons of glycerin—this is the secret ingredient to keep our final piece from becoming brittle.

Mix it all together until you have a smooth, clay-like dough. On parchment paper, roll it out to about a quarter of an inch thick.

Cut out the shape of your cuff bracelet. You can even create decorative cutouts in the dough before you dry it.

To cure the piece, you can either air dry it for several days or bake it in an oven at a very low temperature for a few hours until it’s firm but still has a slight flex.

Once it’s cured, you can sand the edges smooth.

To protect it and give it a nice sheen, apply a thin coat of a natural sealant, like clear wax polish. The final piece has this deep, rich color from the grape skins, making it a true statement piece.

Method 7 – Recycled Rubber for Durable Bag Straps

For our final method, we’re stepping just outside the kitchen to tackle a different kind of waste: rubber.

Old bike inner tubes are a perfect source material. Repurposing rubber is a big deal in sustainable design, creating ultra-durable, waterproof materials.

We’re going to use a simple heat-fusing technique to create a rugged, stylish strap for a handbag.

An old bicycle inner tube is perfect. It’s made from butyl rubber, which is strong, flexible, and has a sleek matte finish.

First, cut the inner tube open to create a flat sheet and clean it thoroughly.

Now, we’re going to fuse layers together to make a thicker strap. Cut several identical long strips from your cleaned inner tube.

Three or four layers is a good start.

To fuse them, we’ll use heat and pressure. Please do this in a well-ventilated area and be careful. Stack your rubber strips, place them between two sheets of parchment paper, and then sandwich that between two pieces of scrap wood. Clamp them together as tightly as you can.

Using a heat gun or an iron on high, carefully and evenly heat the top piece of wood. The goal is to transfer heat through the wood to the rubber.

The combination of heat and intense pressure will cause the layers to bond into a single, solid piece. This isn’t true industrial vulcanization, but it’s a very effective DIY method for bonding the layers.

Let it cool completely before you unclamp it. You’ll find your thin strips have transformed into a single, thick, and incredibly strong strap.

Punch holes at the ends to attach hardware like swivel clips, and you have a professional-looking bag strap that is built to last.

Conclusion & CTA

And there you have it. Seven different high-end-inspired accessories, all created from stuff that was headed for the trash.

We’ve grown leather from mushrooms, pressed it from fruit peels, and fused it from old rubber. We’ve made a tote bag, a wallet, a belt, a card holder, a clutch, a bracelet, and a bag strap.

This journey was about more than just making things; it was about changing how we see the materials around us.

The line between trash and treasure is really just a matter of creativity. The world of fashion is changing, and sustainability is a huge part of its future.

And as we’ve shown today, you don’t need a fancy lab to be part of that movement.

So the next time you’re about to throw something away, take a second look. You might just be holding your next great project.

If you were inspired by this guide and want to see more sustainable DIY projects, make sure you are subscribed and hit that notification bell.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure. Now go raid your compost bin and start making something beautiful.