{"id":5218,"date":"2022-03-17T10:25:31","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T09:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/material\/"},"modified":"2025-07-26T17:32:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T15:32:22","slug":"material","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/material\/","title":{"rendered":"Material"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns  mobile-column-reverse is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading large-heading\">vl\u00e0 is sustainable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That&#8217;s how supple cacti can be.<\/strong>  Our vegan leather is obtained in Mexico from the nopal cactus &#8211; a plant that thrives exclusively on rainwater and soil minerals. Artificial irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides are not used at all. Harvesting is also carried out carefully: mature leaves are cut off every six to eight months without damaging the plant.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After drying in the sun, the leaves are processed into powder. In several steps, a high-quality, purely vegetable leather substitute is produced. <strong>Nothing is wasted in the process<\/strong> &#8211; any by-products are used in the food industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Uses 99% less water than animal leather<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>95% less CO\u2082 emissions than animal leather<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does not require fertilizer or pesticides  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free from toxic chemicals, phthalates and PVC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Organic color pigments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PeTA approved vegan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Environmental comparison per square meter of material<\/strong><br\/><strong>Water consumption<\/strong><br\/>&#8211; Animal leather: approx. 33,000 liters<br\/>&#8211; Cactus leather: approx. 20 liters<br\/>\u2192 <strong>Around 99.9 % less water<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CO\u2082 emissions<\/strong><br\/>&#8211; Animal leather: approx. 27.3 kg CO\u2082<br\/>&#8211; Cactus leather: approx. 1.4 kg CO\u2082<br\/>\u2192 <strong>Around 95% fewer greenhouse gases<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"704\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-1024x704.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-1536x1056.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt-800x550.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nopal-kaktus-blatt.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"687\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-1024x687.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-1024x687.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-1536x1031.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster-800x537.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kaktusleder_farbmuster.jpg 1769w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-right large-heading\">vl\u00e0 is multifaceted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>Sustainability can be so aesthetically pleasing:<\/strong> vegan cactus leather is in no way inferior to animal leather, neither in terms of texture nor design options. For our collection, we have created popular bag types in three classic shades: &#8220;Beige Sand&#8221; and &#8220;Black Night&#8221; in matt with a leather texture and &#8220;Red Wine&#8221; with a silky sheen and only a slight texture.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns  mobile-column-reverse is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading large-heading\">Why cactus?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because we were looking for a plant-based, sustainable alternative to animal leather &#8211; and found what we were looking for in Mexico. The innovative material Desserto\u00ae, developed from the nopal cactus, combines aesthetics, responsibility and quality like no other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Climate-friendly alternatives are needed in all areas of life. The nopal cactus also thrives in places where hardly anything grows &#8211; for example in arid and semi-arid regions, where it serves as a water and carbon reservoir. Around 8,100 tons of CO\u2082 are sequestered annually on 14 hectares of organically managed plantation, while the farm itself only emits around 15 tons.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only mature leaves are harvested for the production of the vegan cactus leather &#8211; every 6 to 8 months, without damaging the plant. The cacti grow in the mineral-rich Zacatecas region of Mexico and require hardly any water: only 200 liters per kilo of biomass, which comes directly from the humidity in the air. By comparison, other plants need around 1,000 liters of water.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cactus leather also scores highly in terms of processing: around 10 times less energy, 20 times less CO\u2082, 1,600 times less water and significantly fewer emissions are required for 1 m\u00b2 than for conventional leather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Desserto\u00ae material used by vl\u00e0 consists of 65% renewable raw materials.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"704\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-1024x704.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-1536x1056.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage-800x550.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/kaktusplantage.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>vl\u00e0 is sustainable That&#8217;s how supple cacti can be. Our vegan leather is obtained in Mexico from the nopal cactus &#8211; a plant that thrives &#8230; <a title=\"Material\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/material\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Material\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Material | vl\u00e0 - Sustainable bags made from cactus leather","_seopress_titles_desc":"Discover the eco-friendly cactus leather used to make our sustainable bags and find out more about its benefits.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5218","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5218"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5219,"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5218\/revisions\/5219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vla-bag.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}