Under Armour unless collection

© Under Armour

Under Armour and UNLESS Unveil Fully Plant-Based Sportswear Collection

At this year’s Milan Design Week, Under Armour and UNLESS presented a new capsule collection of fully plant-based sportswear. The launch marks the first collaborative project between the athletic brand and UNLESS, a company known for producing garments without synthetic materials or plastic content. The limited-edition collection, which includes hoodies, t-shirts, and shorts, is designed to meet athletic performance standards while being made entirely from regenerative, plant-derived materials. Once worn out, each item can be composted, leaving no plastic residue or synthetic waste behind. The collection was introduced through an installation at Fuorisalone that depicted the full life cycle of the garments, from raw plant inputs to finished products, and eventually to compost. The exhibition aligned with the broader themes of circularity and material innovation …

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Stephanie Downs. Image supplied.

Op Ed: Stephanie Downs – Why Sustainable Fashion is Turning to Farming for Material Innovation

Stephanie Downs, CEO of UNCAGED Innovations, is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience and a leading expert in animal-free material alternatives for the fashion and automotive industries. In 2020, she co-founded UNCAGED Innovations with Dr. Xiaokun Wang, pioneering sustainable leather alternatives made from grains at scale. The company is currently developing prototypes for global high-fashion brands and automotive leaders such as Jaguar Land Rover. In this op-ed, Stephanie discusses the growing shift toward bio-based materials in fashion and how the industry is turning to farming for sustainable material innovation. She explores the role of agricultural by-products in creating next-generation alternatives to traditional leather, highlighting the economic opportunities for farmers and the environmental benefits of moving beyond plastic-based vegan materials. Why Sustainable Fashion …

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Vegan Fashion Week

© Vegan Fashion Week

Sustainable Fashion Leaders Gather in LA at Ethical Luxury Summit and Fashion Show

The Ethical Luxury Summit and the 6th Annual Vegan Fashion Week Golden Hour Fashion Show will take place this week in Los Angeles, bringing together industry leaders to discuss sustainability, ethics, and innovation in high-end fashion. The events will feature panel discussions, designer showcases, and a fundraising gala, with a focus on sustainable materials, ethical production, and alternative textiles. Addressing ethics and sustainability in fashion According to Emmanuelle Rienda, founder & president of Vegan Fashion Week, the organisation’s mission is to address both ethical and environmental concerns within the fashion industry. “Vegan fashion is the idea of producing and consuming fashion without harming or using animals. Sadly, animals are still left out of the conversation when it comes to sustainability or the climate emergency,” Rienda …

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Cultivated leather

© Pelagen

Meatable and Pelagen Partner to Improve Scalability of Cultivated Leather

Cultivated meat company Meatable has partnered with animal-free leather producer Pelagen to improve the efficiency and scalability of cultivated leather. Through the partnership, Pelagen will explore the use of opti-ox™ — a technology developed by Meatable co-founder Mark Kotter to program stem cells into any cell type — to enhance the production of skin tissue from animal cells. The two Netherlands-based companies will also collaborate to develop the most effective cell culture media composition and process, with the aim of lowering costs, improving quality, and increasing speed and efficiency. Pelagen specializes in creating biologically comparable leather alternatives by engineering skin tissue without animals. The collaboration is significant for Meatable since it marks the company’s expansion outside the food industry. “We are proud to partner with …

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Modern Synthesis

© Modern Synthesis

Modern Synthesis Raises $5.5M to Grow High-Performance Biomaterials from Microbes

London-based biotechnology company Modern Synthesis has raised $5.5 million in an oversubscribed funding round led by Extantia Capital, with additional investments from Artesian and Collaborative Fund. The financing will support the company’s efforts to scale production at its pilot facility and meet growing demand from fashion brands seeking sustainable material alternatives. Fashion brands are expected to face a shortage of 133 million tonnes of low-impact raw materials by 2030 due to increasing regulatory pressure to decarbonize. Modern Synthesis aims to address this gap with its biomaterial technology, which uses nanocellulose—a fibre derived from microbial fermentation—to create alternatives to animal leather, synthetic leather, and plastic-coated textiles. The company’s proprietary process leverages the strength of nanocellulose, which is significantly stronger than steel at the nanofiber level, to …

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Cultivated leather tissues under the microscope.

© Faircraft

French Cultivated Leather Startup Faircraft Secures €15M to Meet Demand for Ethical Materials

France’s Faircraft, a cultivated leather startup based in Paris, announces it has raised €15 million to expand its team and scale up operations to meet the increasing demand for sustainable materials. Faircraft was founded in 2021 by CEO Haïkel Balti, an engineer in materials science, and biochemist César Valencia Gallardo. Leveraging cell biology and unique tissue engineering techniques, they aim to offer a new class of materials with a lower environmental impact, starting with “real leather without the animal.” Kindred Ventures (USA), Cap Horn (France), BPI France, Blue Wire Capital (UK), Sake Bosch (Netherlands), Entrepreneur First (UK), Alliance for Impact (France), and Heirloom (USA), backed the startup’s sustainable leather in this round. “Lab-grown leather represents a major evolution that goes far beyond the fashion industry …

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AMSilk new partnership

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AMSilk and Ajinomoto Join Forces to Advance Bio-Based Silk Proteins for High-Performance, Biodegradable Textiles

German biotech company AMSilk GmbH has entered into a long-term partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe, an affiliate of the Ajinomoto Group, to manufacture biobased silk proteins at large scale for biodegradable textiles. The collaboration will leverage Ajinomoto’s extensive industrial expertise in precision fermentation and its strategically located site in Nesle, France. The facility is close to AMSilk’s key customers in the premium textiles and consumer goods industries. Additionally, it uses local raw materials and renewable energy, aligning with AMSilk’s commitment to sustainable business practices. Hiroshi Kaneko, President of Ajinomoto Foods Europe, shared: “We are thrilled to partner with AMSilk and are committed to accelerating the market development of their innovative products by supporting their large-scale biomanufacturing efforts. Together, we aspire to create a substantial economic and social …

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GOB mycelium earplugs

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GOB and Ecovative Introduce World’s First Mycelium-Based Compostable Earplugs

San Francisco-based startup GOB has launched the world’s first compostable earplugs made entirely from mycelium, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic-based earplugs. Mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, offers a biodegradable solution to the estimated 40 billion plastic earplugs produced globally each year, many of which contribute to environmental pollution. The earplugs are created in partnership with Ecovative, a leader in mycelium technology, and are produced using agricultural byproducts that are formed into shape by robotic systems. GOB’s earplugs have been designed to maintain sound clarity while providing effective noise reduction.  Unlike traditional foam earplugs that can distort certain frequencies, GOB’s product is described as offering balanced sound absorption while avoiding the muffling effect commonly associated with PVC-based products. Earplugs that feed the soil GOB’s …

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Image courtesy of Beyond Leather Materials

Beyond Leather Materials and TAKT Launch Designer Chairs Featuring Vegan Upholstery Made from Apple Waste

Two Danish companies — Beyond Leather Materials and the furniture house TAKT — have partnered to create high-quality furniture that combines Scandinavian design with environmentally friendly materials. After years of collaboration, the companies have finally introduced eight of TAKT’s design chairs upholstered with Leap, Beyond Leather Materials’ vegan-certified leather alternative made from apple waste. The collaboration marks the first time Leap is used in furniture and TAKT’s first vegan upholstery option. “At TAKT, we aim to create furniture that is as good for the planet as for the people, and Leap fits perfectly into that vision,” said Michael Lysemose, Product Developer at TAKT. “We wanted to offer an animal-free option that would still be of high quality and would match with our Design Principles, and …

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Qorium, a Dutch biotech startup founded by cultivated meat pioneer Mark Post, has announced a significant milestone in scaling up the production of cultivated leather.

Image courtesy of Qorium

Mark Post-Founded Qorium Unveils 35x35cm Cultivated Leather Sample as “Tangible Proof” of a Promising Future

Qorium, a Dutch biotech startup founded by cultivated meat pioneer Mark Post, has announced a significant milestone in scaling up the production of cultivated leather. Qorium’s platform combines specifically developed cultured cells with tissue engineering processes to create a product with the same strength, durability, and appearance as animal leather but without its environmental impact. Using a newly scaled-up tissue bioreactor, the biotech company says it has produced a 35x35cm sample of cultivated leather — the first proof of concept for full-scale commercialization of its production process. CEO Michael Newton shared, “This sample is tangible proof that a future where high-quality, high-performing leather can be produced on-demand, without the animal welfare and environmental disadvantages of traditional material, is just around the corner. The challenge of …

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Cardholders made with the biomaterial new grain.

Image courtesy of Arda Biomaterials

Arda Biomaterials & Beavertown Brewery Introduce “First-of-its-Kind” Spent Barley Grain Cardholders

UK upcycled materials startup Arda Biomaterials continues to work on introducing its animal- and plastic-free material New Grain — developed from spent grain from breweries — to the public. Following a partnership with the sustainable brand BEEN London, Arda announces today a collection of sustainable fashion accessories crafted with New Grain, developed using spent brewery barley grain from London’s iconic craft beer producer Beavertown Brewery. TJ Mitchell, CTO of Arda Biomaterials, shares: “This partnership is a perfect example of how we can be fast-movers in supporting local supply chains and contributing to a circular economy, all while offering consumers unique products directly linked to their favourite breweries and distilleries, such as Beavertown.” Cardholders from your favorite beer The collection’s first product is a limited edition …

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CONSUMER by NONGZAO transforms ordinary plastic objects into eco-friendly items by using them as molds for mycelium grown on agricultural waste, such as coffee grounds and rice husks.

© NONGZAO

This Design Studio Shapes Mycelium and Coffee Grounds into Biodegradable Everyday Objects

Chinese design studio NONGZAO has launched a new project called CONSUMER that explores using mycelium and agricultural waste to transform everyday plastic objects into aesthetically unique biodegradable items. Designers Gang Xu, Yatu Tan, Lili Liang, and Zixin He started by using popular and widely available plastic stools, chairs, and lighting fixtures as molds for the mycelium to grow on coffee grounds and rice husks. Coffee grounds are rich in nutrients such as cellulose and lignin, which favor mycelium growth while allowing food waste to be turned into functional objects. Additionally, the process recycles waste and absorbs carbon, reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. Breaking from industrial waste Every mold infused with the biological material transforms into a unique and organic form, shaped by the growth patterns of …

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Cadillac's SOLLEI

© General Motors

MycoWorks and GM Unveil Cadillac EV SOLLEI, the First Car with Mycelium Leather Interior

Biomaterials innovator  MycoWorks and its previous investor, General Motors, partnered to co-develop mycelium materials tailored for car interiors in 2022. Two years later, the companies introduced what they claim to be the first automobile to incorporate a mycelium bio-based material as an alternative to plastic and leather. The automobile, Cadillac’s latest concept EV SOLLEI, features MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium in an iridescent version in the charging mats on the console and door map pockets, showcasing its versatility in sustainable automotive design. As Cadillac’s design director Erin Crossley stated, the new concept aims to redefine travel and material usage with an optimistic, celestial-inspired design. “The SOLLEI concept cultivates the vision for limitless expression and artful integration between travel and leisure,” he added. Pioneering mycelium materials MycoWorks, founded in …

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GALY banner

© GALY

Inditex, Owner of Fashion House Zara, Invests in GALY’s Cultivated Cotton from Plant Cells

Spanish multinational clothing company Inditex, owner of Zara and Massimo Dutti, among other fashion brands, has announced a minority stake investment (the sum has not been disclosed) in GALY, a Brazilian and US biotech producing cultivated cotton from plant cells. GALY was founded in 2019 by Luciano Bueno, a former Deloitte executive. The startup has raised over $33.5 million from notable investors such as Sam Altman, former president of Y Combinator and current CEO of OpenAI, John Doerr from VC Kleiner Perkins, and investment funds such as Material Impact, Agronomics, and Brinc. According to Reuters, Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras says the move aligns with the company’s goal of using 25% new-generation materials by 2030. Inditex has already invested in the sustainable material companies Findland’s Infinite …

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Uncaged Innovations closes seed round for leather made from grain

© UNCAGED Innovations

UNCAGED Innovations Raises $5.6M for “World’s First” Sustainable Leather from Grains

New York-based UNCAGED Innovations today announces it has raised an oversubscribed $5.6M Seed investment for its sustainable leather made from grains. The round was co-led by Green Circle Foodtech Ventures and Fall Line Capital, with participation from Ponderosa Ventures, Golden Seeds, and existing investor InMotion Ventures, the investment arm of JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). This investment will be used to bring the product to market, increase production, and expand the team. The latest capital follows the company’s 2023 pre-seed round in which UNCAGED secured $2 million. Director and Head of Sustainability at JLR Rossella Cardone commented at the time, “This is in-line with our strategy on the sustainability and provenance of the materials we use. We must embrace new material possibilities, new processes, and new …

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Otter Box iphone range

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OtterBox Launches Desserto Cactus Leather Cases for iPhone 15 and Apple Watches

OtterBox launches a new and luxurious mobile phone case made from Desserto, a plant-based material derived from the Nopal cactus, to the iPhone 15 series and Apple Watches. According to the company, the Symmetry Series cactus leather cases can withstand everyday drops and bumps. The case also features raised edges for added protection around the display and camera. The Symmetry Series Cactus Leather Case is MagSafe compatible, so MagSafe accessories can be connected at any time. The OtterBox Apple Watch band made from cactus leather rounds off the range of accessories and is designed to be worn all day long. The cactus leather watch bands are characterized by precise stitching and perfect integration with the Apple Watch, according to the company. Made from the same …

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BMW Mini leather-free

© BMW/Mini

PETA Survey Finds Significant Increase in Brands Offering Vegan Car Interiors

A survey by animal rights charity PETA has found a considerable increase in brands offering vegan car interiors worldwide. PETA contacted the most popular car brands in the biggest global markets to find out whether they offer interiors free of animal-derived materials such as leather and wool. Cabin surfaces, seats, trim, and steering wheels were all taken into account. Mercedes-Benz and BMW confirmed that they now offer several models with vegan interiors; the latter recently announced that the 5 Series Touring would feature seat surfaces made from an innovative leather alternative called Veganza. Fiat also offers animal-free interiors, as does Volkswagen for several of its models available on the German market. Volvo, Citroën, Dacia, Peugeot, Renault, smart, and Polestar all offer vegan interior options either …

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Celium cultivated cellulose

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Polybion Creates “Entirely New Category” With Global Launch of Celium Cultivated Cellulose

Spanish biomaterials producer Polybion has announced that its cultivated cellulose, Celium, is now available worldwide. The company claims the material is more than a leather alternative, and will create an “entirely new category” due to its unique properties. Celium is grown by feeding bacteria with agroindustrial fruit waste; the cells then self-organize and create a cellulose structure as a metabolic by-product. This structure undergoes a sustainable stabilization process, and the resulting leather-like material can be dyed, embossed, and tanned with chromium-free formulations using existing infrastructure. The material’s properties can be tailored for applications such as fashion, sportswear, and the automotive industry — for example, the thickness of the material can be controlled as it grows. Celium is plastic-free and has a much lower environmental impact …

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Saveggy raises funds to replace plastic around fruits and vegetables with its plant-based formula.

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Saveggy Raises €1.76M for Edible Fruit & Veg Coating as Solution to Plastic Packaging

Swedish startup Saveggy has raised €1.76 million (SEK 20M) for its plant-based alternative to plastic packaging designed to preserve the shelf life of vegetables and fruits and prevent food waste.  The startup’s plant-based coating is said to be the only alternative available offering the same shelf life extension as plastic packaging. Additionally, it is the only edible coating for fruits and vegetables with edible skin, such as cucumbers, apples, and eggplants, approved according to EU regulations. Starting with a solution for cucumbers, Saveggy will use the newly raised funds to produce this innovative material at an industrial scale and successfully bring it to market The round was led by impact investor Unconventional Ventures. LRF Ventures, Almi Invest GreenTech, and industry angels also backed the startup’s plastic-free …

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A collage of the brands that have partnered with Spiber

© Spiber Inc.

Spiber Raises Over JPY10 Billion for Mass Production of Fermented Proteins for Materials

Spiber Inc., a Japanese biotech “brewing” sustainable materials for the fashion, automotive, and personal care industry, announces it has raised over JPY10 billion (around $65M) in equity financing. Spiber has raised a total funding of $489 million over 9 rounds. The funding, which included additional investments from existing shareholders, will allow the company to accelerate mass production of its innovative Brewed Protein materials and facilitate global sales.  Founded in 2007, Spiber uses precision fermentation and polymer and material science to develop protein-based alternatives to animal and petrochemical materials. Its polymers can be used to make spider silk, wool, cashmere, leather, fur, and more. The company already operates biomanufacturing plants in Thailand and is building another in Iowa, USA. Kazuhide Sekiyama, Director and Representative Executive Officer …

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