Danish clothing group Bestseller and French luxury goods group Kering are investing in VitroLabs, a Californian biotechnology company that is playing a leading role in developing a new scientific process to create the world’s first cellularly engineered animal leather.
The company announced Wednesday the closing of a Series A funding round to build and scale pilot production. In total, VitroLabs raised $46 million, led by venture capital firm Agronomics and Bestsellers Invest FWD, Kering, venture capital firm Khosla Ventures, actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, New Agrarian and Regeneration.VC.
CEO Ingvar Helgason founded VitroLabs in 2016 with the aim of producing the highest quality materials that meet the high standards of the luxury industry while drastically reducing environmental impact and promoting animal welfare. When cultivating leather, cells are taken from an animal once and then grow in a nutrient-rich environment. Without ever returning to the animal, the cells grow, divide, and form tissue. The composition of the material achieves the complexity of traditional hides and contains a variety of proteins which, after processing, result in a durable and luxurious material without the need to use animals as a constant source.
“At a time when protecting the environment is more important than ever, biotech companies have an opportunity to be at the forefront of transforming the way we produce materials and build supply chains, working hand-in-hand with artisans and artisans :working inside that are the cornerstone of the $400 billion leather goods industry. With the launch of the first production of cultured leather, we are reaching an important milestone in fulfilling our mission to lead the change towards a more sustainable future,” said Helgason in a statement.
Kering continues its partnership with VitroLabs, offering support in product quality testing, tanning and finishing. “At Kering, a chapter or pillar of our sustainability strategy is dedicated to sustainable innovation. The active search for alternative materials that can reduce our environmental impact in the long term is part of the solutions we have been exploring for years. We believe innovation is key to addressing the sustainability challenges faced by the luxury industry. That is why we are very interested in the potential of biomaterials such as cultured leather,” comments Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering.
Animal-friendly biomaterials – leather alternatives in particular – appear to be the latest trend in the luxury industry. Just a few weeks ago, the French luxury goods group LVMH announced a new strategic research initiative that will deal with the development of new prototypes of bio-textiles, including laboratory-made fur fibers, that can be used in luxury fashion items. This project focuses on keratin to develop a fiber capable of imitating a range of luxury materials.