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Grounded

Reinventing leather, one coffee ground at a time

Grounded transforms discarded coffee grounds and natural rubber into a low-carbon leather alternative, reducing waste, emissions, and reliance on conventional leather without compromising performance or design.

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Impact At A Glance

  • 25× lower carbon emissions than conventional animal leather (de Souza et al., 2021)

  • 3.5 kg of spent coffee grounds upcycled per m² of material (Stylianou et al., 2023)

  • 26–30% biodegradation within 49 days under controlled composting conditions (internal testing)

  • Plastic-free, eliminating PU and PVC binders common in synthetic and plant leathers (Nieminen et al., 2022)

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The Challenge

Globally, 6–8 million tonnes of spent coffee grounds are generated each year, with most disposed of in landfills where anaerobic decomposition releases methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide (Stylianou et al., 2023; Chen et al., 2022). At the same time, conventional leather production emits up to 110 kg COâ‚‚-eq per square meter and requires extensive water and chemical inputs (de Souza et al., 2021). Grounded addresses both challenges by converting organic waste into a commercially viable material rather than treating it as a disposal burden.

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