Development of a sustainable leather alternative prototype with the same look, feel and performance as real leather.

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The leather industry is one of the major contributors to global warming. The production of leather hurts animals, the environment, and the workers who manufacture it.Land needed for pasture and crops are cleared of trees, causing deforestation. In fact, 70% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared causing habitat loss for millions of species, eliminating the Earth's tree canopy, and driving climate change.It is a common misconception that animal-based materials are simply by-products from the food industry. Animals are killed specifically to create leather materials.According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, livestock pollution is the greatest threat to our waterways. Tanning requires massive amounts of energy and dangerous chemicals, and its waste is considered hazardous. Furthermore, people exposed to these toxic chemicals have a 30-50% higher probability of developing cancer.In this project, Replica Biomaterials will utilise innovation in engineering biology and material science to build a sustainable leatherlike material that is entirely animal-free and that acquires colour without undergoing tanning and dyeing.