Vegan Actress Natalie Portman Partners with Eco Leather Startup Uncaged Innovations
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, Natalie Portman has partnered with Uncaged Innovations to promote the fashion industry’s adoption of its sustainable leather.
The Oscar-winning actress has joined as a strategic partner for the New York-based startup as it forays into the luxury fashion industry.
Unlike vegan leathers that use plastic, Uncaged Innovations’ bio-based material is made from proteins derived from grain byproducts, sidestepping livestock and fossil fuels and reducing waste. It’s already being used to line vehicles made by Hyundai and Jaguar Land Rover, and with Portman’s support, it will help decarbonise the fashion sector too.
“Uncaged is one of the most exciting businesses in the biomaterials space that I have seen. The significant market traction they have gained at such an early stage is proof of the demand for materials that are animal-free, luxurious and sustainable,” said Portman.
Uncaged Innovations offers big climate wins for the leather industry
Founded in 2020 by CEO Stephanie Downs and Xiaokun Wang, Uncaged Innovations is the first company to have developed leather from grains, including wheat, soy and corn.
It combines its tech platform, BioFuze, with roll-to-roll biomanufacturing techniques. Unlike others in the space that use carbohydrate-derived designs (which can lack the molecular structure to behave like skin), the firm blends grain proteins with other biomaterials to build a fibral network that replicates the scaffolding functions of collagen, the primary protein in conventional leather.
While advocates of conventional leather tout it as a byproduct of the meat and dairy industries, the material is really a co-product. In many cases, in fact, it’s the primary product.
Derived from animal hide, producing the material is an energy– and water-intensive process linked to deforestation and biodiversity loss. Aside from the animal exploitation aspect, it has a much higher carbon footprint, at 110kg of CO2e per square metre, compared to synthetic and plant-based alternatives.
The problem with synthetic leather, though, is the widespread use of plastic, which itself is derived from petrochemicals. Plastic takes between 20 and 500 years to break down and decompose, and its production is responsible for 3.4% of global emissions, a share set to double by 2060. Worse still, plastic-based leather sheds toxic microplastics that can enter waterways, harming aquatic life and our food system.
Uncaged Innovations’ grain-based version, called Elevate, is fully biodegradable, thanks to a corn-based coating. An independent life-cycle assessment has shown that its material emits 95% fewer greenhouse gases, requires 89% less water, and consumes 71% less energy than animal leather, without compromising on texture, durability, or quality.
Natalie Portman’s bet is reflective of eco leather’s potential
Leather is a blight on the fashion industry’s environmental footprint, underscoring the need for animal- and plastic-free alternatives.
It accounts for 54% of the sector’s methane emissions, a gas 86 times more potent than carbon over a 20-year period. The main source of leather’s methane output is enteric fermentation, the process of the gas being released when cows and sheep belch and pass gas.
It’s why several biotech startups are working on sustainable leather, from mycelium-based innovations by MycoWorks and Ecovative to cell-based versions from Faircraft and Qorium.
“The biomaterials industry holds the key to a future where materials are regenerative and not destructive. But we are in a race against time to save our planet and evolve the leather industry. By combining biotechnology with design thinking, we’re accelerating sustainable change without compromising aesthetics or performance,” said Downs.
“We’re incredibly excited to have Natalie on board as a strategic partner, as her voice and credibility bring powerful momentum to our mission. Consumers and businesses alike are demanding sustainable alternatives, and together, this collaboration aims to meet that challenge,” she added.
Portman remarked that Uncaged Innovations’ team was redefining the leather industry for the better. “As a vegan, I’ve spent years advocating for animals, and teaming up with Uncaged allows me to amplify that mission. Together, we’re using what we each do best to inspire real change.”
It’s not the first time she has invested in the sustainability space. The Thor actor’s VC firm, Angel City FC, backed Oatly in 2020, before the oat milk giant went public. She’s also an investor in leading French plant-based meat brand La Vie, and Massachusetts-based fibre-spun protein maker Lasso SpinTech (formerly Tender Food).