Natural Selections

Balancing synthetic biology with sustainable materials production

- Damien Martin

That Hermès handbag everyone wants, is it made from mushroom leather or shrimp leather? If you're perplexed by the question, you're not alone. But as synthetic biology continues to produce more replacements for traditional materials, shoppers will grow more and more accustomed to goods made from sustainable alternatives. Some of the biggest brands in the world - names like Nike, L'Oréal, and Unilever are stepping up their biomanufacturing efforts. As they scale, they'll lower their carbon footprints significantly.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

"We urgently need to fix our relationship with fashion to halt unsustainable agricultural practices," Carry Somers, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, told the Guardian. "We need to look towards circular economy alternatives, including the use of agricultural residues to create bioleathers."

That's been the driving force behind synthetic biology products like the Hermès Victoria, a bag from a fine mycelium mushroom leather called Sylvania that the longtime trendsetter launched in 2021.

"It's more than a new material - it's a manufacturing breakthrough that gives designers new levels of customization and creative control," Sophia Wang, cofounder of Sylvania producer MycoWorks, told the Guardian.

It's hardly alone among bioleathers. Tôm Tex makes a mushroom-based leather and biodegradable "shrimp leather" from chitosan, a carbon-neutral plastic derived from the exoskeletons of crustaceans. Chitosan is both abundant and versatile, featuring in items such as clothing and wallets. Desserto makes cactus-based bioleathers.