Our Innovation
Grounded transforms coffee ground waste into sustainable and eco-friendly leather with the look-and-feel of authentic leather.
The Problem:
Material systems today struggle to keep pace with rising sustainability demands. Globally, organic waste accounts for over 44 percent of municipal solid waste, yet only a small fraction is reintegrated into industrial value chains. In parallel, the leather industry remains one of the most resource-intensive material sectors, contributing significantly to water pollution and industrial wastewater, with tanning processes responsible for up to 20 percent of global industrial water pollution.
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At the same time, demand for leather alternatives is increasing rapidly, but existing substitutes often rely on fossil-based plastics or energy-intensive processing. PU and PVC leathers persist in the environment for decades, while many plant-based leathers require synthetic binders to achieve durability, undermining biodegradability.
What Is Grounded?
Grounded is a sustainable leather alternative developed by converting spent coffee grounds and natural rubber into a functional material suitable for real-world applications. The innovation focuses on using organic residues as material inputs rather than extracting new resources, creating a durable product that can replace conventional leather in interior and hospitality settings.
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Each square meter of Grounded repurposes approximately 3.5 kg of coffee grounds and 1.2 kg of natural rubber, transforming low-value waste into a high-performance material with consistent texture, flexibility, and strength.
How Is Grounded Different?
Grounded is designed to minimize environmental impact while meeting performance requirements. Life-cycle analysis indicates a production footprint of 4.4 kg COâ‚‚-eq per square meter, which is significantly lower than PU, PVC, and most plant-based leathers that typically emit 8-17 kg COâ‚‚-eq per square meter due to synthetic binders and energy-intensive processing.
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Unlike many leather alternatives, Grounded is plastic-free, avoiding polyurethane and PVC components that limit biodegradability. Its natural coloration is derived from coffee particles, eliminating the need for additional dyes or finishing chemicals that contribute to water pollution and chemical runoff.
Prototype Development
Developed multiple material prototypes integrating spent coffee grounds with natural rubber, refining flexibility, surface texture, and strength.
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Achieved consistent leather-like appearance and handling suitable for interior applications through iterative testing and formulation optimization.
Environmental Validation & Testing
Validated environmental performance through controlled testing. Composting trials showed 26.1 ± 1.5 percent biodegradation at 37 °C and 30.2 ± 1.7 percent at 58 °C over 49 days.
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Life-cycle calculations indicate a production footprint of 4.4 kg COâ‚‚-eq per square meter, significantly lower than conventional and alternative leathers.
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Tensile testing shows that the material achieves a tensile strength of 13.25 megapascals, which is comparable to the typical range of animal leather (10-30 megapascals).
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Supply Chain & Scalability
Established access to consistent raw materials through collecting coffee-grounds daily from school (NIST International School) and natural rubber sourcing from Phatthalung, Thailand.
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This sourcing model supports scalability while creating value for local rubber producers and enabling reliable production for future hospitality pilot projects.
Applications
Grounded is designed for hotels and hospitality chains seeking to meet sustainability and ESG targets through material choices. Applications include furniture upholstery, menu covers, coasters, keycard holders, placemats, and decorative panels, enabling operators to reduce embedded emissions while maintaining durability, aesthetics, and guest experience.
