ELeather Group has launched their new sustainable material, Essence, engineered for the transport market.

The material is available to order now and the company says it has been engineered to enable brands provide their customers with better experiences and more environmentally-friendly solutions.

It claims to be a improved material that offers built-in hygiene protection through a proprietary antimicrobial solution – ‘PURE Guard’ technology’, and says that it is made responsibly using even more recycled leather than its predecessor and features a natural finish that delivers a soft feel.

The introduction of Essence with PURE Guard technology provides the most hygienic ELeather product yet, as it actively reduces the growth and presence of all microbes, including bacteria, and more.

ELeather NPD manager, Richard Peace, said: “Enhanced hygiene was considered in the development of Essence from the start.  We have ensured that the product surface can be sanitised with a wide range of commonly used cleaning materials without damage or degradation to the surface.

“To bring added peace of mind, we have incorporated PURE Guard antimicrobial technology to effectively reduce the growth of microbes on the surface, and have verified this with testing to internationally recognised standards.  This technology is incorporated into the product to ensure that it does not wear off or leach out, and that the anti-microbial performance is retained throughout the lifetime of the material.”’

In a statement, the manufacturer added that ELeather materials have also been tested to ensure compatibility with the most commonly used sanitisers, and are UVC certified by Dimer UVC Innovations in partnership with Honeywell.

In addition it says that it offers much more in regards to high-performance. Compared to traditional leather and synthetic materials, Essence maintains its ‘like-new’ look for longer through a controlled stretch that eliminates bagging and sagging, often found on seats after prolonged periods of use.  Alongside the strength of the product comes a natural softness for an improved touch of hand.

“We’ve looked at the qualities that make ELeather one of the most trusted upholstery materials in the entire transport industry and developed them even further with a greater emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene. As always, one of the main components here is recycled leather which not only helps transport operators boost their sustainability credentials but also allows us to keep saving tons of leather waste from ending up in landfill sites” added ELeather’s director of transport, Louise Gear.