Sefir Leather from Coffee Waste

Sefir Leather is the result of research focused on the recovery and regeneration of by-products from the industrial agri-food supply chain, specifically, the thin film (silverskin) that comes off the coffee bean during roasting and is an unavoidable waste of the process. This material was born from the collaboration between Alisea, which has specialized in recovered and recycled materials since 1994, and Biosiness, an Italian-Iranian start-up that developed the technology to transform coffee silverskin. 

The production chain is entirely Made in Italy: the silverskin is collected in the Veneto region, while formulation and manufacturing take place in Lombardy. Its composition is a balanced mix: 50% coffee by-product and 50% Bio-TPU, a bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane derived from renewable sources such as vegetable oils or sugars, rather than fossil fuels.  

This material developed for Alisea, with a grain almost indistinguishable from animal leather, not only reduces waste but also offers a healthy, sustainable, and innovative alternative to traditional faux leathers by eliminating harmful solvents, plasticizers, and chemical dyes. The technical characteristics of Sefir Leather include high resistance to abrasion, tensile strength, and aging. It replicates the texture and feel of animal leather and is ideal for high-end projects such as fashion accessories or stationery products. It also lends itself well to various customization techniques such as hot stamping, screen printing, and digital printing. Biosiness transforms roasting by-products into a high-quality material, contributing to a responsible circular economy.