How a material made from corn and wheat is redefining what vegan leather can be – and why it's unlike anything you've called "vegan leather" before
You've heard of vegan leather.
Maybe you bought a bag made from PU faux leather – and noticed after two years that it was peeling, cracking or just looking cheap.
Or you read the term "plant-based leather" somewhere – and wondered whether it actually works.
Viridis® is neither of those things.
It's a material that rethinks what vegan leather can be – and proves it with real certifications, an independently verified sustainability report and over four years of real everyday use.
What Is Viridis®?
Viridis® is a vegan leather from Europe that consists of up to 69% bio-based raw materials – primarily corn and wheat grown in Europe without GMO and without competing with food production. It is produced in Italy by Panama Trimmings and combines plant-based bio-polyols, FSC®-certified viscose and a small proportion of standard polyurethane. The material carries the USDA BioPreferred certification, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1, FSC® and the Animal Free VV rating by LAV.
The name Viridis® comes from Latin and means "green" – both literally (plant-based composition) and figuratively (strength, vitality, innovation).
If you want to understand how Viridis® differs fundamentally from other vegan materials, it's worth starting with what vegan leather really is and how different materials compare.
How Is Viridis® Composed?
The material consists of three components – and this specific combination is what makes it special:
43% Bio-polyols from corn and wheat The largest share of the material comes from European, non-GMO corn and wheat crops. These bio-polyols replace conventional petroleum-based polyols – without compromising the material's performance.
26% FSC®-certified viscose The back of the material is made from viscose sourced exclusively from sustainably managed forests with FSC® certification. This means complete traceability from forest to finished material.
31% Standard polyurethane A portion of the material still consists of conventional PU – and that's communicated openly. Viridis® is not a perfect material, but it is significantly better than conventional faux leather.
What Makes Viridis® Truly Sustainable?
Life Cycle Assessment – independently verified
Viridis® is one of the few vegan materials that can present an official Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report – an independent analysis of the material's entire lifecycle.
The result: Viridis® performs better than comparable conventional materials in the following categories:
- Impact on human health
- Environmental quality
- Climate change
- Global warming
- Use of natural resources
This is not marketing. These are data.
Durability as a sustainability principle
Sustainability doesn't only mean: what is something made from?
It also means: how long is it used?
A product made from Viridis® that is used daily for five years is more sustainable than any "eco-friendly" material that needs replacing after one year – no matter how green the label sounds.
How Viridis® performs after years of real everyday use is something we've tested firsthand – read our real-life test after 2–4 years of daily use: what actually happens to vegan leather.
Did You Know?
The USDA BioPreferred Program is an American certification system that measures the bio-based content of a product using the method ASTM D6866 – a test that calculates organic bio-based carbon versus total carbon. Viridis® achieves 69% bio-based content – meaning that out of 100 carbon molecules in the material, 69 come from plant sources and only 31 from petroleum. (Source: Panama Trimmings, Viridis® product documentation)
The Certifications of Viridis® – What They Mean
USDA BioPreferred – 69% bio-based
The USDA BioPreferred certification confirms through the independent ASTM D6866 test that Viridis® consists of 69% bio-based raw materials. It is one of the strictest certification systems for bio-based materials worldwide.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 – Class 1
This is the most important aspect for anyone who cares about safety.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 guarantees that a material does not release harmful substances. Class 1 is the highest category – it means the material is safe enough for infants and toddlers.
Most materials in the fashion industry achieve Class 2 or 3. Viridis® achieves Class 1.
FSC® – Viscose from sustainable forests
The FSC® certification for the viscose component ensures that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests – with full traceability along the entire supply chain.
Animal Free VV by LAV – highest level
Panama Trimmings is rated VV in the Animal Free Fashion rating by LAV – the highest possible category. This means: completely free from animal-derived components, verified and certified.
Viridis® vs. Other Vegan Materials
Not all vegan materials are equal. Here is an honest comparison:
|
Viridis® |
Standard PU |
Real Leather |
|
|
Animal-free |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
Plant-based |
✅ 69% |
❌ |
❌ |
|
Oeko-Tex Class 1 |
✅ |
❌ mostly |
❌ |
|
LCA verified |
✅ |
❌ |
rarely |
|
Recyclable |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
|
Biodegradable |
❌ |
❌ |
partially |
|
Durability |
high |
varies |
high |
For a detailed comparison between vegan leather and real leather – with honest pros and cons on both sides – read our article Vegan Leather vs Real Leather: Which One Is Better in 2026?
Why Viridis® Is Not Biodegradable – and Why That's the Right Decision
Many people ask: "If it's already plant-based – why isn't it biodegradable?"
That's a fair question. And the honest answer is:
Biodegradable sounds good. But in practice, most "biodegradable" materials require industrial conditions – high temperatures, specialised facilities – to actually break down. In a landfill or regular household waste, what often happens is: nothing.
Viridis® takes a different approach: replacing fossil raw materials with bio-based ones – and making products so durable that they don't need to be disposed of in the first place.
A bag that lasts ten years is more sustainable than one that ends up in landfill after two – no matter how "biodegradable" it is.
Why we at Plant Inside deliberately avoid biodegradable materials and what really lies behind this term is explained in detail in our article Why Our Products Aren't Biodegradable – and Why That's Totally OK.
How Does Viridis® Perform in Everyday Use?
Surfaces and qualities
Viridis® is available in several surface finishes:
- Matt – smooth, uniform surface, easy to maintain
- Nubuck – soft, suede-like texture that develops a beautiful patina over time
- Active, 74 and further textures – for different applications
At Plant Inside we primarily use Matt and Nubuck – depending on the product and colour.
Care
Viridis® is surprisingly easy to maintain:
- Light marks: damp cloth
- Stronger stains: damp cloth with mild soap
- Allow to air dry for approximately 15 minutes after cleaning
- No machine washing · No harsh cleaning products
Durability – what 4 years of daily use shows
In our everyday lives, products made from Viridis® have been used daily for over four years – laptop bags, wallets, crossbody bags.
The result after four years:
- No cracking or peeling
- No deformation
- A gentle patina on nubuck – similar to real leather
Which Plant Inside Products Are Made from Viridis®?
Viridis® is the primary material for our leather collections:
- Vegan Laptop Bags – Matt and Nubuck, various colours
- Vegan Crossbody Bags – Matt and Nubuck
- Vegan Wallets – Matt and Nubuck
- Vegan Baguette Bags – Matt and Nubuck
Our Lunch Bags and Laptop Sleeves are made from Washpapa – a different plant-based material from Europe, which you can learn more about in our separate article What Is Washpapa?
FAQ
What does "Viridis" mean?
Viridis is Latin for "green" – both literally (plant-based composition) and figuratively (strength and innovation). The name was deliberately chosen by Panama Trimmings to reflect the material's plant-based origin and innovative spirit.
Is Viridis® really plant-based?
69% yes. The largest share of the material comes from European corn and wheat crops. 31% consists of conventional polyurethane – which is communicated openly.
Is Viridis® biodegradable?
No. Viridis® is neither biodegradable nor recyclable. Its sustainability lies in replacing fossil raw materials with bio-based ones and in the long lifespan of the products made from it. More in our article Why Our Products Aren't Biodegradable – and Why That's Totally OK.
Is Viridis® safe for children?
Yes. Viridis® carries the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification of Class 1 – the highest category, meaning the material is safe for infants and toddlers.
Does Viridis® contain animal-derived components?
No. Panama Trimmings is rated VV in the Animal Free Fashion rating by LAV – the highest possible category for animal-free materials.
Where is Viridis® produced?
Viridis® is produced in Italy by Panama Trimmings. The plant-based raw materials come from Europe.
How does Viridis® differ from standard faux leather?
Standard faux leather (PU or PVC) is produced entirely from fossil raw materials. Viridis® replaces 69% of those fossil raw materials with bio-based alternatives from corn and wheat – making it significantly more environmentally friendly in production.
What certifications does Viridis® carry?
USDA BioPreferred · Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class 1 · FSC® · Animal Free VV by LAV