TEXTILE
Eco-Friendly,
Leather-like Textile
Gelatex has invented the first eco-friendly leather-like material that is 100% non-toxic, made of waste and is easily scalable.
It is made from gelatin nanofibers by up-cycling meat industry waste, an abundant and under-valued resource.
It is a unique material, different from any other, but closest to suede or leather.
Currently available for licensing only.
Gelatex x Stella Soomlais
The relationship with Estonia's most well-known fully circular leather bags and accessories brand Stella Soomlais was established in the early days of Gelatex in 2016. Stella Soomlais designers and crafters have tested the material multiple times in the manufacture of different products and are continuously giving us valuable feedback.
Website: https://www.stellasoomlais.com/
"What really caught my attention about Gelatex was its many positive sides such as sustainability, constant quality and that it comes in rolls."
–Anna Lehmusniemi
Founder & Designer at NO/AN
"What excites me the most about Gelatex is the scalability and even topography of the material, which in other words means smaller leftover percentage"
–Stella Runnel
Founder & Designer at Stella Soomlais
Benefits of Gelatex Leather-like Textile
Upcycled
Redesigned from
livestock waste
Sustainable
No toxic chemicals, little energy and water used in production
Comes in Rolls
Reduces material waste and saves your time
Stable Quality
No scratches, no thickness variations
Breathable
Structure of the mesh creates porous material
Lightweight
Thickness and weight can be customized
Cost Competitive
Zero Waste
Quick automated production keeps the cost down
There is no wastewater or solid waste from Gelatex production
The Process: From Waste To Textile
Re-Direct
01
Our core component is gelatin— a versatile yet undervalued byproduct of the livestock industry.
Gelatin Production
The livestock industry uses only 60% of slaughtered animals for meat. The other 40% is often discarded.
Re-Directed
Discarded waste includes bones, skin scraps and tendons that can be used to make gelatin – a natural versatile protein. Over 5 million tons of this material is currently incinerated in the EU only.
Gelatex Platform
At Gelatex, we use the gelatin that is upcycled from this waste as a core component of our natural, safe, and sustainable materials.
Spin
02
Gelatin is mixed into a solution.
We then use a proprietary nanofiber technology to spin gelatin into insoluble nanofibrous mesh.
Formulate
03
Once the mesh is created, the material will be treated with sustainable ingredients and laminated to give it a better durability and strength.
We mix a solution from gelatin
Then spin
nano-fibers
To build non-woven mesh
The mesh is finished with sustainable ingredients
And laminated with cotton for durability
FAQ
Can you send the technical data sheet or samples?
What kinds of colours do you have? Can you colour the material?
The natural color of the material is beige or light camel. But the coolest part with coloring the material is that we can add the coloring pigments inside the solution before we make the fibers. This means that there is no wastewater from dyeing process, the material is coloured in the same way thoroughly and the color does not fade off that easily. We have now light camel, grass green, salmon pink, dusty grey, and night black as color options.
How is Gelatex made?
Gelatex is made of gelatin - a natural protein derived from the waste created in the meat or leather industries. Our proprietary process includes preparing a solution from gelatin, making the nano-fibrous non-woven mesh, laminating it with cotton and finishing with sustainable ingredients to offer durability and final touch. Please see the process description earlier on this page.
What is the composition of Gelatex textile?
Final composition varies depending on thicknesses and treatments that we are working on but approximate one is 80% gelatin, 10% cotton, 3% glucose, 7% other additives. The main component gelatin is a natural protein upcycled from the meat industry waste. Currently we use pig origin gelatin, but it is possible to use also fish origin gelatin or even gelatin that is produced in the lab without animals.
How can I buy Gelatex?
Gelatex is currently not commercially available and development has been paused. Please get in touch if you are interested in licensing or commercialization of this material.
What makes Gelatex material sustainable?
Gelatex is made from gelatin - a natural protein derived from the waste of meat processing industry that otherwise would be incinerated. Just in Estonia - a country of only 1.3 million people where we are coming from - over 2 million square meters of Gelatex material could be made each year if upcycling the waste that currently gets incinerated. You can just imagine what is the impact in the whole world.
Is Gelatex waterproof?
Gelatex is water resistant, but not waterproof.