• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

This Eco-Friendly Leather Alternative is Made from… Kiwifruit?!

June 19, 2025 By Naseem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - This Eco-Friendly Leather Alternative Is Made From Kiwifruit

What do you do when life gives you 50,000 tons of rejected kiwifruit? If you’re Shelley Houston, you turn it into automotive-grade faux leather.

The founder of KiwiLeather Innovations has been on quite the journey since her son started bringing home buckets of “ugly” kiwifruit from his orchard job four years ago. What began as a frustrating abundance of fruit that wouldn’t sell has evolved into a groundbreaking business that’s catching the attention of automotive manufacturers looking for sustainable interior materials.

When Baking Isn’t Enough

Houston’s story starts in Papamoa, where she found herself drowning in discarded golden kiwifruit. “I used to be quite a keen baker, but I found there’s only so much baking you can do with kiwifruit,” she told RNZ.

The scale of the waste problem was eye-opening. New Zealand throws away over 50,000 tons of kiwifruit annually – fruit that doesn’t meet the stringent export standards but is perfectly good otherwise. While some goes to farmers for stock feed, Houston saw an opportunity to create something entirely different.

Looking to Europe for inspiration, where companies were already transforming mangoes, apples, and grapes into biomaterials, Houston decided to experiment. “I thought I’d give it a go with kiwifruit,” she says. The results surprised even her.

The Science Behind the Material

Working with Scion research, Houston has perfected a formula that transforms kiwifruit waste into what she calls a leather alternative that’s “over 90% plant and bio-based, completely plastic-free.”

The material is not just sustainable – it’s surprisingly durable, she says. According to KiwiLeather Innovations’ tests, it can withstand the wear and tear of automotive applications.

Targeting the Car Industry

Houston has her sights set on the automotive sector, where companies are increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives to traditional leather interiors. She points to cactus leather as evidence of the industry’s appetite for plant-based materials.

The timing couldn’t be better. As consumers become more environmentally conscious and regulations push for greener manufacturing, automakers are scrambling to find bio-based materials that don’t compromise on quality or aesthetics. “There’s just not enough product out there, enough bio-materials for these companies to be able to create that sort of thing,” Houston explains.

A Win-Win for Growers

KiwiLeather Innovations has partnered with multiple packhouses to source their rejected fruit, creating additional revenue streams for growers while solving a waste problem. “It was good to give growers more value while repurposing the byproduct,” Houston says.

This circular economy approach addresses multiple challenges at once: reducing agricultural waste, cutting greenhouse gas emissions from food decomposition, supporting local farmers, and meeting the growing demand for sustainable materials.

What’s Next?

Houston is promising prototype products in the coming months, though she’s keeping details close to her chest about which automotive partners might be first to test the material. The company positions itself as “a leader in sustainable practices” with a focus on local sourcing and production that minimizes transportation emissions.

The broader alternative leather market is heating up, with everything from mushroom mycelium to lab-grown materials competing for market share. But KiwiLeather Innovations has a unique advantage: an abundant local waste stream and a product that leverages New Zealand’s agricultural expertise.

The challenge now will be scaling production to meet potential demand. While the prototype phase looks promising, moving from lab samples to commercial production that can supply major automakers is a different beast entirely.

Houston remains optimistic about the timeline, though she acknowledges the road ahead will be quite tough. For now, she’s focused on getting those first prototypes into the hands of potential customers and letting the material speak for itself.

Related Stories:

  • Will We Be Trimming Cars in Fruit Leather?
  • Mexican Company Invents Cactus Leather
  • Are You Ready for Lab-Grown Horse Leather?

Filed Under: Archive, Green Upholstery Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Faux Leather, Kiwi Leather, KiwiLeather Innovations, Vegan Leather

Primary Sidebar

anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Albright's Supply
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Keyston Bros
  • Leather Craft
  • Hyde Leather

THR Favorites

Is Auto Upholstery Under-Appreciated?

How often does this happen to you? A customer … [more] about Is Auto Upholstery Under-Appreciated?

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Bentley Motors Leather Shop

A Visit to Bentley Motors’ Leather Workshop

We know that Bentley Motors creates some of … [more] about A Visit to Bentley Motors’ Leather Workshop

The Hog Ring - How to make a french seam lay flat

How to Make a French Seam Lay Flat

Did you ever wonder how automakers make … [more] about How to Make a French Seam Lay Flat

Auto Upholstery - Sid Chavers

10 Questions for Trimmer Sid Chavers

Our quest to bring you exclusive interviews … [more] about 10 Questions for Trimmer Sid Chavers

Auto Upholstery in the Early 1900s

Trimmers have a long and storied past – one … [more] about Auto Upholstery in the Early 1900s

The Hog Ring - How to Make Your Own Hog Ring Pliers

How to Make Your Own Hog Ring Pliers

Lost your hog ring pliers? Ran out of hog … [more] about How to Make Your Own Hog Ring Pliers

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Don’t Leave Power Tools in Hot Cars — They Can Explode!
  • Everything We Covered in July 2025
  • Greek Police Busted a Gang for Infusing Leather with Cocaine
  • The Polestar 4’s Seats Were Inspired by Sneakers
  • SEMA Awards $99K in Scholarships and Loan Forgiveness

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in