MANGO BIOLEATHER

"flexible leather-like sheet made from overripe mangoes. The material is thin but emulates the feeling of leather quite well but feels a little dryer to the touch than leathers used in most clothing items and accessories. It is translucent unlike leather. However, its natural colour is amber/orange (but can be dyed) and it keeps a lovely mango smell" Loes Bogers.

Physical form

solid

colour without additives: translucent,

yellow/orange/brown

Fabrication time

Preparation time: 1 Hour

Processing time: 1 Week

Need attention: Ideally needs about 14 hours of drying at low temperature in the oven 40-50 degrees. If the weather is dry and sunny the drying process can be much faster by laying the material outdoors during sunny hours.

Ingredients

2 overripe mangoes - with skin
1 lemon
20g beeswax
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 beetroot

Tools

Cooker or stove
Pot
Blender or stick mixer
Oven or dehydrator machine
Flat surface
Spoon or squeegee
Baking paper

RECIPE

Method:

cut the mango and beetroot into smaller pieces and puree it in a blender.
cut the beeswax in smaller pieces.
put the mango puree in the pot with the lemon and wax.
heat it at low heat while stirring you don't want it to boil and stick to the pot but you want to kill any bacteria in there.
after 20 minutes the mixture should be thick but liquid enough to cat on a flat surface.
pour the paste into the surface and spread it out evenly and knock it on a hard surface to even it out more.
heat the oven to 50 degrees Celsius and put the paste into the oven for at least 16 hours.
after one day out the oven, carefully peel the leather off the tray and check if the bottom has fully dried. if not put back in the oven for another few hours.
when the leather is dry to touch it will be darker colour, let it dry for another 5-7 days.

Process pictures

Final images