Alt Materials

Stephanie Downs, co-founder and CEO of eco leather startup Uncaged Innovations, reflects on how the plant-based milk labelling debate could be echoed in the materials industry. When Oatly lost a recent Supreme Court…
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A new bill in the US House of Representatives is aiming to provide tax cuts to incentivise the production of bio-based chemicals and materials through plant-based crops. In a bid to bolster demand for plant-based crops and strengthen…
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Finnish startup Elea & Lili has emerged from stealth with a €2.5M ($2.9M) funding round to launch its cellulose alternative to fossil-based polymers for the hygiene and agriculture industries. Eco materials firm Elea & Lili has…
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Californian biotech firm Amyris has completed construction of a new manufacturing line at its precision fermentation plant in Brazil, the latest move in its post-bankruptcy rebuild. US biomanufacturing company Amyris is expanding its…
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Swiss biomaterials firm Seprify has raised 12.25 million francs ($15.7M) to scale its cellulose-based alternatives to titanium dioxide for the food and cosmetics sectors. As the consumer goods industry reckons with the impact of…
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Footwear giant Allbirds has launched what it claims is an "industry-first" collection of shoes made from Modern Meadow's cow-free leather alternative. Allbirds may be closing all its US stores, but the global footwear company continues…
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US biomaterials startup MycoWorks has been acquired by DFX Corp and undergone a strategic restructuring to expand the reach of its Fine Mycelium technology. One of the pioneers of the sustainable leather space, Denver-based MycoWorks…
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Tokyo-based biotech startup IntegriCulture posted full-year profitability in 2025, driven by its cellular agriculture infrastructure and products. After a year of new collaborations, brand launches and product showcases, Japanese firm…
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This year has kicked off with a host of encouraging developments for the alternative materials category, from plant-based leather bags and animal-free fur jackets to the revival of an industry pioneer. The fashion industry's impact on…
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UK sustainable packaging firm Notpla and 14 supporting partners have received a €4M ($4.7M) grant from the Horizon Europe programme to create a plastic-free, home-compostable coffee cup. Can seaweed help the coffee industry win its…
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Japanese cellular agriculture specialist IntegriCulture has introduced Cellag, a brand to sell its own products, as well as those by other companies, across the food, cosmetics, and materials categories. To drive greater interest and…
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US biomaterials firm Uncaged Innovations, which produces plastic-free leather alternatives with grain byproducts, has welcomed Natalie Portman as a strategic partner. A long-time vegan known for her animal rights and ethical advocacy,…
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British tissue engineering company BSF Enterprise, owner of Lab-Grown Leather and cultivated meat firm 3D Bio-Tissues, has secured £15M ($19.8M) in fresh funding. To speed up the commercialisation of its cellular agriculture…
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Eco materials firm Qorium has raised €22M ($25M) in Series A funding from private investors and the Dutch government to commercialise its lab-grown leather. Qorium, a startup producing leather from cultured cow cells, has taken a major…
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Australian eco materials firm Uluu has raised A$16M ($10.5M) to build a demo facility and scale up its technology to turn seaweed into bioplastics. Aiming to replace plastic in everything from clothes and packaging to car interiors and…
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British eco fashion pioneer Stella McCartney debuted a new collection featuring a plant-based alternative to bird feathers at Paris Fashion Week. The Spring/Summer 2026 runways in Paris introduced the world to a new kind of feather,…
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The fashion industry emits 8.3 million tonnes of methane every year, and animal-derived materials are primarily to blame. Experts say non-action would mean climate and health disasters. Leather, cashmere and cotton are pushing fashion…
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Australian accessories brand Bellroy has debuted a new range of iPhone and AirPods cases that ditch leather for an animal-free alternative. When Apple announced it was replacing leather with an in-house, eco-friendly alternative during…
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South Korean carmaker Hyundai has partnered with US biomaterials startup Uncaged Innovations to develop animal- and plastic-free leather alternatives for its vehicles. Hyundai is the latest auto giant to embrace sustainable leather,…
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Singapore's Greenitio has closed a $1.5 million seed funding round to turn mushroom-based chitosan into functional biopolymers for cosmetics and specialty chemicals. A biotech startup from Singapore has attracted $1.5M from investors to…
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US biotech startup Cultivated Biomaterials has created Angelry, a line of jewellery made with the cultivated leather from the cells of a sanctuary-grazing cow. Beef may be the cattle industry's climate Achilles' heel, but its…
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