Stylish vegan “mushroom leather bow tie” freshly released in Japan

QuatroGats (Ibaraki City, Osaka) collaborated with a famous Japanese food reporter Hikomaro (彦摩呂), to launch a bow tie made from a new vegan leather: mushroom leather. QuatroGats produces and sells leather wallets, luggage, accessories and stationery. Mushroom leather-made bow ties smell like real mushrooms and forests, and have a mushroom pattern that evokes a fall feeling.

Why mushroom leather?

Mushroom leather is one of the vegan leathers that draws attention as a sustainable alternative, and is known to have a low environmental impact for various reasons. Firstly, mushroom leather is produced without wasting resources because it is made from discarded mushrooms (due to their imperfect appearance and size), sawdust and agricultural waste like crops and sugarcanes. Secondly, mushrooms grow quickly without overusing resources or competing with humans for resources to survive.

Finally, mushroom leather is biodegradable and compostable because all the ingredients are naturally derived. QuatroGats uses Indonesia-made mushroom leather called “Mycel,” which is 100% free of toxic substances. The brand also dyes leather with natural dyes or colorants derived from plant roots, leaves and food wastes so the leather returns to nature like an actual mushroom.

Sustainable and universally designed products from QuatroGats

QuatroGats’ products are quite appealing in terms of environmental- and people-friendliness. Mushroom leather products are not their only sustainable options. For their traditional leather goods, they use the vegetable tanning method, instead of the chemical method. This method makes products more beautiful as they age and which are also biodegradable in soil. As a traditional Japanese leather manufacturer, QuatroGats also purchases leather as a byproduct of the meat industry from a raw leather shop that has a direct tie with a butcher, so they do not exploit additional lives and resources.

Furthermore, QuatroGats has a selection of wallets for left-handed people. Many of them have experienced inconvenience with most of the wallets designed for the majority, right-handed people. The wallet has a reversed design, so it can be opened smoothly by lefties. It is an important perspective in terms of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) that aims at building a society that offers a safe and comfortable environment to all members despite their differences.

QuatroGats welcomes especially people who have been strangers to leather products for numerous reasons such as its ingredients and designs. Whatever your preference is, all the products are worth picking up to better understand how diverse and beautiful leather products can be.