Shenaz Treasurywala Champions Kerala Startup’s Green Leather Move
From coconuts to mushrooms, Shenaz highlights sustainable vegan leather options revolutionizing fashion.
Jehangir Irroni is a filmmaker and creative director with over 18 years of experience in directing ad films, corporate videos, web series, and television shows. As assistant vice president - Videos at IncNut Digital, Jehangir is involved in producing and directing videos and infomercials.
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Image: Instagram
Actress and travel enthusiast Shenaz Treasurywala is spotlighting innovative sustainable fashion alternatives through her latest Instagram post, focusing on vegan leather made from unexpected plant sources.
In her educational post, Shenaz highlights Malai.eco, a Kerala-based startup transforming coconut waste into eco-friendly vegan leather products. “Think leather only comes from cows? Think again — coconuts, pineapples, and even mushrooms are the new fashion icons!” writes the actress, who has been increasingly vocal about environmental issues in recent months.
A Revolution In Sustainable Fashion
The Instagram post features a comprehensive breakdown of plant-based leather alternatives that are transforming the fashion industry:
• Piñatex: Made from pineapple leaves
• Mylo leather: Created from mushroom roots (mycelium)
• AppleSkin: Developed from apple peels
• Mango leather: Produced from mango waste
• Desserto leather: Derived from cactus plants in Mexico
• Banana fiber leather: Utilizing banana agricultural waste
• Vegea: Manufactured from grape waste from wine production
What makes these alternatives particularly appealing is that they utilize agricultural waste and bio-based materials to create products that are biodegradable, cruelty-free, and significantly less harmful to the environment than traditional animal leather.
Shenaz’s Environmental Advocacy
This post aligns with Shenaz’s recent focus on environmental issues and sustainability. In the past month alone, she has highlighted several environmental concerns through her Instagram platform, including forest conservation in Hyderabad, Sikkim’s organic farming practices, and criticism of urban development at the expense of green spaces.
In one of her recent posts about Aarey Forest in Mumbai, she expressed concern about deforestation: “India is one of the most polluted countries in the world. We’re battling deadly heatwaves, flash floods, and filthy air. And yet—we’re still cutting down trees.”
Her post about Paris’s transformation into a car-free, green city similarly questioned India’s development priorities: “Paris is banning cars. India is banning trees… What are we choosing—progress or pollution? Because the world is watching. And we’re falling behind.”
The Eco-friendly Traveler
Beyond environmental advocacy, Shenaz has also been documenting her travels through Kerala. She recently visited the iconic Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala Ayurvedic hospital, experienced night kayaking to witness bioluminescence in Kumbalangi’s backwaters, and reviewed the sustainability practices of CGH Earth’s Brunton Boatyard hotel in Kochi.
In her hotel review, Shenaz positioned herself as the “sustainable police,” stating: “So many hotels call themselves sustainable but when you go there you realise it’s just greenwashing!! So I’ve decided to go to hotels and actually check what they are doing to call themselves sustainable.”
Shenaz Treasurywala For The Uninitiated
For those unfamiliar with Shenaz Treasurywala, she began her career as a video jockey (VJ) on MTV India in the late 1990s. She was part of what she recently called “The Original Bratpack” alongside other notable personalities like Maria Goretti, Asif Seth, Mini Mathur, Cyrus Broacha, and Nikhil Chinapa.
She later transitioned to acting, appearing in Bollywood films including “Ishq Vishk” (2003) and “Delhi Belly” (2011). In recent years, she has reinvented herself as a travel content creator and environmental advocate, using her platform to highlight both tourist destinations and pressing environmental concerns.
The Future Of Sustainable Fashion
Shenaz’s post about vegan leather alternatives points to a growing trend in the fashion industry, where consumers and brands are increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives to animal products. These plant-based leathers not only address ethical concerns about animal welfare but also offer solutions to the environmental impact of traditional leather tanning processes, which often involve toxic chemicals.
As she concludes her post, Shenaz poses a question to her followers: “What would you wear?” – encouraging her audience to consider making more sustainable fashion choices.
Through posts like these, Shenaz is using her platform to educate her followers about innovative solutions to environmental challenges, positioning herself not just as an entertainer but as an advocate for sustainable living and conscious consumption.
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