Packing A Prickly Punch: Here Are The World’s First Boxing Gloves Made From Cactus Leather

The world’s first boxing gloves made using vegan-friendly and sustainably made cactus leather has just been launched by Sanabul, a U.S. martial arts and athletic equipment brand. Called the Los Cactus, the new boxing gloves boasts the same performance as gloves made from real animal hide, but come at a fraction of the carbon footprint and are cruelty-free. 

Since day one, Sanabul has been making boxing gloves and other sports equipment out of synthetic leather instead of animal-based materials in a bid to reduce the environmental footprint of its products. But now, the brand has taken it a step further, incorporating cactus leather in its newest product, the Los Cactus gloves. 

“Our in-depth analysis determined that the best balance of performance factors including durability, fit, feel, and sustainability is found in alternative materials. Over time, we have developed different iterations of synthetic materials to meet specific performance demand characteristics,” said Sanabul on its website. 

With enhanced durability, optimal feel, improved sustainability and reduced environmental impact, cactus leather is the material of the future, leaving animal and most synthetic materials in the past.

Sanabul

“Today, our performance engineered leathers are better than ever. Are we satisfied? No. Synthetic leather is a step in the right direction, but we can do better.”

The new cactus leather used in the gloves is developed by Mexican entrepreneurs Adrian Lopez and Marte Cazarez using a species of cacti called prickly pears, which require very little water to grow, and can easily survive in different climate zones. Dubbed Desserto Leather, the naturally-tanned cactus-based organic material possesses all the features and functionalities of animal leather at a fraction of the environmental cost. 

Read: A complete guide to natural vegan leather alternatives 

Today, our performance engineered leathers are better than ever. Are we satisfied? No. Synthetic leather is a step in the right direction, but we can do better.

Sanabul

“With enhanced durability, optimal feel, improved sustainability and reduced environmental impact, cactus leather is the material of the future, leaving animal and most synthetic materials in the past,” said Sanabul. 

As consumers become increasingly aware of the footprint of their consumption habits, many sportswear and apparel brands have begun to incorporate more sustainable and plant-based materials in response to demand. Recently, fast fashion giant H&M has introduced “wine leather” made from leftover grapes in their collection, while London-based accessories line Luxtra created new handbags from vegan mango leather. 

According to a recent report, this trend will drive major growth in the global vegan leather market, rising by an annual rate of nearly 50% to reach a whopping US$89.6 billion within the next five years. 

Lead image courtesy of Sanabul / Desserto / designed by Green Queen Media.