Mr Porter's Mr P is latest brand to add plant leather shoes

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 15, 2021

The move to using plant-based Materials in place of leather by high-end labels is accelerating and the latest to join an expanding group of brands doing so is Mr P. That’s the in-house brand of Yoox Net-A-Porter’s Mr Porter e-store.

It’s launched new leather-alternative sneakers in its footwear collection. They’re made from repurposed grape waste generated by the wine industry, with soles developed from recycled rubber.

The launch follows recent news of Stella McCartney launching leather-look garments based on a material produced from mushrooms and Allbirds investing millions in a company that makes plant-based leather alternatives.

The classic Mr P Larry Eco Edition sneakers feature uppers, tongue and collars made from Vegea bio-material soft grape leather crafted from grape skins, stalks and seeds from Italian wine production.

The company said the shoes have the “quality, look and touch equivalent to conventional leather. However, unlike regular leather, no toxic solvents or heavy metals are involved in the production process”.

The shoes also feature a lining made from onSteam microfibre, which was “specially developed to feel like skin” but is made of 100% recyclable polyester, which is “breathable and sweat-resistant with an absorption capacity of eight times its weight in water”.