Over the years we have interacted with multiple brands from all over the world that are in search of plant based circular materials for their products. We have tested the materials with designers, manufacturers and brands from fashion, footwear, furniture and even automotive industries. Malai is not a fit for every product, it is also not an imitation of animal leather or faux leather. It has its own unique aesthetics, character and set of properties that are not identical with other materials in the category. We are therefore incredibly happy to see our materials being adopted by creative people all around the world. Below we are publishing list of companies and brands currently working with Malai Biocomposite in their collections...
Malai can be used for most processes in animal leather. It can be hand sewn, machine sewn, cut, laser cut, embossed glued and skived. We have tested and tried using Malai on a wide range of products. This material is quite light, hygroscopic and has quite a bit of shape memory. Malai is still undergoing R&D process in order to finetune its tensile strength, abrasion resistance and elongation %. The success of using Malai biocomposite depends greatly on three factors : application, design and manufacturing method.FootwearIn comparison with conventional hydes Malai has lower % of elongation and therefore it is not suitable for all kinds of footwear types yet. We have so far successfully tested it for use in light footwear, sandals...
A product made from Malai will last 4-8 years years if properly cared for, however should you wish to have a clear-out, it can simply be placed in with your compostable rubbish and it will naturally break down. Malai is a very user-friendly material. Because of its entirely natural composition it is sensitive to humidity, much like paper or leather. To ensure it remains at its best we suggest applying a thin layer of beeswax (either a clear shoe polish or a furniture grade beeswax) or coconut oil (to continue Malai’s completely vegan credentials) to the surface to ensure it remains moisturised. This is especially advisable during hot, dry weather or after cleaning. Try to keep your malai sheets or...
Malai is made in the form of sheets, each sheet is 120x80cm large. Technically we can produce sheets of any size or shape but our finishing technology is currently set to these dimensions. The Natural color or Malai sheets are beige-yellowish ( color of our un bleached fibres) and we call this shade Natural. We dye sheets of Malai using plant based mordant free dyes. Plant extracts like Indigo, Madder, Cutch or Marigold petals are used in order to achieve warm earthy colors. Because we use exclusively natural plant based dyes it can be difficult to work for us according to Pantone codes. There can be a variation in final shade of the sheet, a difference of up to 10%...
