Hyundai is working with a startup on plant-based leather that smells like the real thing
Confession time: My household owns two cars, one with leather and one with “leather.” The former feels amazing, the latter … well, let’s just say it’s not fooling anyone. Based on the samples currently sitting on my desk, leather alternatives don’t have to feel so artificial or be so harsh on the environment. Most fake leathers are made using plastics derived from fossil fuels. The samples from Uncaged Innovations, though, are made mostly using grains including wheat, soy, and corn. The results feels remarkably like a variety of real animal leathers. One even smelled like it. “Leather is not just leather,” co-founder and CEO Stephanie Downs told TechCrunch. “There’s literally a thousand types of leather: different animals, different thicknesses, different…
