Gelatex Technologies is developing an organic leather like eco-textile Gelatex that does not only look but also feels like leather. 

The team behind Gelatex started to work on the idea in spring 2016 with the aim of making the textile industry more sustainable. Their goal was to make eco-friendly materials mass-produced in a fast and cost-effective way. 

The idea of using gelatin for the production of leather like textile grew out of university research. The company Gelatex Technologies was founded in November 2016 in Estonia by two co-founders.

Gelatex is a non-woven textile that is produced using gelatin that is made of low value waste of meat or leather industries. So besides skin it is possible to make leather like textiles from bones also, getting up to 5 times more material from the same animal. The properties of the material such as thickness, texture or even water resistance are customizable during the manufacturing process. The material comes in rolls, enabling faster cutting, a simplified design process and 15-20% less material waste. 

Gelatex production uses only natural, non-toxic substances, reducing harm to the environment. This makes it safer for people and animals living in the surrounding areas, to workers producing Gelatex, and consumers of the products.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The Startup won the Green Alley Award 2019.