Mexican Cactus, Superior Material For Eco-Friendly Fashion Products

JAKARTA - The world of fashion has criteria in processing its ingredients, especially brands that carry the spirit of being environmentally friendly or known as eco fashion. The ingredient that is being talked about to make its product is the cactus plant.

Reporting from Eco Watch, Friday, April 16, Mexican cacti grow and survive in harsh environments. A study published in the journal The Science of Nature shows that desert soils form cacti high in bio-minerals.

From the process the cactus extracts carbon dioxide, minerals are formed. Not only that, cacti are processed and transformed like sheets of leather which are eventually created in the fashion world into wallets and purses.

CACTO, a Mexican-American company processes Mexican invoices into accessories. The company claims to be America's first carbon negative fashion company.

So far, according to McKinsey and Co., the fashion industry around the world emits high amounts of greenhouse gases. Responding to this problem, in processing its fashion products, CACTO runs an organic Mexican cactus plantation whose processing also adheres to eco fashion.

Not only Mexican cacti, several brands have also released their products made from plants, cacti. Reporting from Eluxe Magazine, vegetable ingredients are not only from cacti. Although cactus is the most popular lately, pineapple skins, apples, oranges, mushrooms, and agave are also processed as vegan textile materials.

Two people from Mexico initiated the cactus as Desserto who uses cactus fiber to produce something that can be used. In 2019, Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez founded the company. Nopal vegan skin, as cactus fiber is called, is becoming popular.

After processing, the fiber texture is similar to leather and has extraordinary durability. Cacti that are processed into fiber are only those that are old and ensure that the plant remains are not damaged or stop regenerating. After being picked, the cactus is dried in the sun for three days.

From growing to harvesting, it takes a long time, between 6 to 8 months. It does not require a lot of plant maintenance costs, because natural rainwater is enough to make it grow thick and strong.

The fiber texture that is sturdy and similar to leather is now widely used in purses, shoes, car seats, and furniture upholstery. Unlike leather, cactus fibers are more resistant to moisture.

Interested in the beauty of the fiber from the strong plants that live in this desert area? There are a number of interesting brands, including Frida Roma, Miomojo, CLAE, Prota Fiori, and BOHEMA.