Key takeaways from the first European event on bioproduced materials

From January 10 to 12, the Biofabricate Summit was held for the first time in France, a trade event dedicated to cutting-edge innovations in bioproduced materials. At the summit held in Romainville, near Paris, an impressive selection of alternative materials was presented, sparking collective reflection by fashion and cosmetics industry players on how they could adopt and use these solutions.

The Biofabricate Summit, led by industry expert Suzanne Lee, was held at the Fiminco Foundation, a pharmaceutical industrial center where remedies against anemia and tuberculosis were first tested a century ago, as many visitors from France and other countries discovered. . The alternative materials presented at the summit, around 40 of them, were displayed under the foundation's imposing roof, arranged between the building's enormous windows and distributed over four levels.

On the mezzanine, which dominates the large meeting area, algae-based materials from companies such as Keel Labs, Pneuma and Sway were on display, along with 3D-printed cellulose shoes made from plant pulp by Simplifyber, the biodegradable biopolyester produced by Handle Materials. and VTT's mushroom-derived leather alternatives.

Materials derived from mycelium were widely presented at the event. It is worth highlighting those of Mycoworks, which a few months ago opened an industrial-scale production unit in Union (South Carolina). “We can finally meet the demand. Now we can produce in four to six weeks, compared to the two to three years it takes for calfskin,” Frederick Martel, vice president of the company, a supplier to Hermès, told FashionNetwork.com. “Brands are now extremely receptive, as [our products] “It will allow them to expand their range and serve customers who are sensitive to environmental and animal issues,” he added.

On the ground floor of the exhibition space there were also companies specializing in alternatives to leather and animal skins. These include Ecovative, Polybion, Tomtex, Gozen and manufactured protein specialist Spiber, which has recently started production on an industrial scale. Spiber's Biosphere Circulation project, whose objective is to transform clothing that has reached the end of its useful life into microbial fermentation nutrients, has recently been joined by the Kering group's Material Innovation Lab.

Innovators such as Nature Coatings also exhibited, which has developed a 100% natural and non-toxic wood staining solution. As well as Colorifix, developer of a biological process for fixing textile pigments, and Insempra, with its functional bioingredients (lipids, fibers and more) useful for various industries.

What should these materials be called?

The sector professionals invited to the first French edition of the event were able to identify one of the main common elements of the materials on display: all of them, with rare exceptions, were presented as alternatives to existing materials, whose names they sometimes borrow. An observation that led organizer Suzanne Lee to reflect on how these materials could eliminate such comparisons.

“Why do we need to make a mycelium-derived product look like leather? “Why not embrace this biological product and integrate it into the design process, building around it rather than disguising it?” Lee asked. “These materials are different in appearance, feel and smell. But I think we are still stuck in our habits: we are familiar with materials like plastic, leather and silk. “We will have to learn to let these new materials be what they are,” he added.

Problems with names do not prevent innovative materials from appearing on the catwalks of fashion weeks. Especially for the labels of the Kering group, partner of Biofabricate Summit, within which it installed an exclusive space dedicated to its brands. In a dark room lit by video projections, Kering showed Gucci's Rhyton sneakers and the Horsebit bag, in which the Italian brand replaces leather with Demetra, its own animal-free alternative. Shown opposite are Balenciaga's Ephea and Lunaform coats. The first is named after a mycelium-derived material developed by Sqim, the second is made using nanocellulose produced by Gozen through nanoorganism fermentation.

Parley for the Oceans, which since 2017 has been committed to collecting plastic waste from the oceans to convert them into new materials, also attended the Biofabricate Summit. It is a crucial moment for the organization. “We are entering a second phase of our existence. After developing our own ideas, we now work with others on their ideas,” said CEO Cyrill Gutsch. Gutsch visited the event with Hannes Schönegger, the head of Bananatex, a company that transforms the fibers of the banana plant into fine yarn. Two years after introducing the Bananatex T-shirt, Schönegger attended the Biofabricate Summit to show off the company's latest fabric prototypes, which are noticeably softer to the touch.

The Biofabricate Summit brought together an audience primarily related to the clothing industry, but also showcased innovations that could be leveraged by the beauty sector. The Design Lab section featured several innovative exhibitors, including Bioweg, which aims to eliminate non-biodegradable microplastic additives in cosmetic products, and Cellugy, which developed biodegradable cellulose suitable for packaging. Plus Sparxell, whose natural makeup glow can replace harmful pigments, and Cambrium, with its range of sustainable fermented collagen sourced without exploiting animals.