Much-love Kiwi accessories brand Deadly Ponies has launched a vegan-friendly collection.
For quite some time now our lifestyle choices have played a role in influencing the products we put on our skin and the clothing that we wear. Much to a delight, Deadly Ponies has just released a new ethically minded collection, created from a plant-based, vegan-friendly leather.
The new collection, aptly named Cactus, harnesses the innovative Nopal Texture. The newly developed cactus leather isn’t only suitable for friendly, it’s also an incredible sustainable choice. Two-years in the making, this material is a by-product of the
pharmaceutical industry, using only natural rainfall and the sun, as energy sources.
“Customers have been asking us for a while to create a vegan product,” says Deadly Ponies creative director Liam Bowden. He explains that while it’s been something that he and the team have wanted to create for quite some time now, the process has been challenging and find a sustainable leather alternative wasn’t easy.
With greenwashing rife within the fashion industry, it was crucial for Deadly Ponies to get things right from the get-go. “Most vegan leathers are produced using synthetic materials that don’t biodegrade, are produced with toxic chemicals and require higher water consumption in manufacturing. When we entered into the project we wanted to make sure we were taking those things into consideration” says Creative Director, Liam Bowden.
Sourced from an organic cactus plantation in Mexico, only the mature leaves are harvested to ensure sustainable plant regeneration – with the pulp used for medicinal purposes. The nopal cactus leaves are then sun-dried, before being processed into the innovative, organic cactus leather.
While the textile used within the collection might be a little different to what loyal Deadly Ponies are used to, the brand worked closely with the supplier to ensure the final product remained synonymous with the iconic texture and quality of Deadly Ponies’ existing leathers.
“This new material had to be totally sustainable, but also achieve a similar look and feel to our more classic leather finishes that our products are known for. It took another year of development to achieve the perfect composition” says Bowden.
Handcrafted by Deadly Ponies artisans at their custom-built eco atelier, the inaugural Cactus collection is available from Wednesday 29th July exclusively online and in Deadly Ponies’ stores, in coveted classics Mr Siamese, Mr Mini Leopard and Mr Mini Chain Mail.
