GOZEN

A black jacket made with GOZEN's vegan and plastic-free biomaterial

© GOZEN
Leather Alternatives

GOZEN Secures $3.3M to Produce Plastic-Free Vegan Biomaterial (Stronger than Animal Leather) at Scale

US biomaterials startup GOZEN announces a $3.3 million raise in a seed funding round to scale the production of LUNAFORM, a vegan and plastic-free biomaterial made by microorganisms. The biobased material has multiple applications in the fashion, automotive, and home furnishings industries. Recently, the novel fabric made its debut at Paris Fashion Week in a Balenciaga LUNAFORM Maxi Bathrobe Coat.  Happiness Capital led the round with investors Accelr8, Astor Management, and SOSV, also recognizing GOZEN’s potential to transform the industry through biology. “At GOZEN, we produce advanced biomaterials with the potential to unlock circular design. With this investment, we’ve shown that we have a path to delivering on that potential at scale,” says Ece Gozen, founder and CEO of the biomaterials company. The new funds will also enable the company …

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© Balenciaga/Gozen
Textiles

Balenciaga Partners With GOZEN to Use Animal-Free Material Made by Microorganisms

Following substantial controversy in the media since November of last year, French fashion house Balenciaga has joined forces with US biomaterials startup GOZEN to make garments from an animal-free and plastic-free material made by microorganisms. Called LUNAFORM, the material is formed when microorganisms make ultra-crystalline patterns with the aid of nutrients and natural agents. While plant-based leather alternatives are typically made from a mixture of materials, LUNAFORM comes from a single process, meaning it is stronger than most of its competitors — including animal leather. Balenciaga has used the material to design its Maxi Bathrobe Coat, part of the fashion house’s Summer 24 collection. The coat was recently exhibited at Paris Fashion Week and follows two years of collaboration between the companies, with GOZEN working …

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