BioFluff names Circ co-founder Luke Henning as interim CEO

The US company BioFluff, an innovative manufacturer of plant-based fur alternatives, has appointed Circ co-founder Luke Henning as interim chief executive officer (CEO). It is intended to accelerate the market growth of the biomaterial start-up.

Henning has been Chairman of BioFluff’s Board of Directors for the past two years. He will now lead the company as it expands its commercial activities. He will also accelerate market entry for his sustainable fur alternatives.

He brings extensive experience in the area of ​​sustainable materials. Henning is a co-founder of Circ, a textile recycling company, where he served as Chief Business Officer. From 2013 onwards, Henning played a key role in building the financial foundation and operational strategy. These formed the basis for Circ’s commercial success and global expansion.

In a statement, BioFluff said the appointment comes at a time when the company is focused on expanding its distribution channels. BioFluff offers innovative, sustainable and plant-based alternatives to animal and plastic-based materials. The expansion targets the fashion, home furnishings and toy markets.

“This is a crucial moment for the industry. We are running out of time when it comes to the transition to sustainable materials. BioFluff has developed solutions that are now ready for the market,” said Henning. “My focus is on accelerating the time to market of these products so we can start making a real difference.”

Biomaterial start-up BioFluff announces new round of investments

BioFluff aims to reshape the fur, plush and comfort materials industries. The company has a unique ‘drop-in’ manufacturing model. This model makes it possible to use existing production capacities, especially in Europe, instead of making large investments in new facilities.

This approach enables rapid scaling. It positions the company to meet growing demand in various market segments. This eliminates the long construction times that are typical for companies using new materials.

In December 2023, the biomaterials company launched ‘Savian by BioFluff’. This is a 100 percent plant-based material that is completely free of plastic and genetic engineering. It is the company’s first natural luxury material made in Italy, combining vegetable fibers, traditional craftsmanship and biotechnology.

Savian is described as “a groundbreaking collection of fur, shearling and fleece-like fabrics.” These are made from natural plant fibers using proprietary technologies. The process “significantly reduces CO2 emissions.”

In addition to the new interim CEO, BioFluff also announced a capital increase. The company plans to raise $2.5 million to scale production, expand its sales team and build inventory for faster order fulfillment. The funds are primarily intended to support team growth and production expansion of BioFluff’s three product lines. These serve luxury fashion, the mass market, including plush toys, as well as the interior design and home textiles sectors.

To support this phase of growth, BioFluff has also appointed three new strategic advisors. They form an expanded advisory network that brings “deep expertise in biomaterial commercialization, market expansion and development.” This is intended to support the scaling phase of BioFluff. These advisors are: Matt Scullin, CEO of MycoWorks; Chloe Reuter, co-founder of Reuter Communications; and Shashin Surti, co-founder of The Merido.

In 2023, BioFluff closed a $2.5 million seed funding round led by Astanor Ventures. Astanor Ventures specializes in impact investments in the agrifood tech sector. This followed a 2022 pre-seed round in which the company secured $0.5 million. This round was led by SOSV, PDS Limited and Joyance Partners.