‘Understanding ‘bio’ material innovations: a primer for the fashion industry’ provides definitions for biomaterial, biobased, biosynthetic, biofabricated and bioassembled materials and clarifies the nuances.

Suzanne Lee, CEO of Biofabricate, said: “Biomaterials are already being implemented by the fashion industry but until now we have lacked the tools to understand them. As fashion and other industries partner with biotechnology we need to adopt a shared language, along with collaborative tools for transparency, to grow the healthy materials we all seek.

“What is evident today is that the demand for new biomaterial innovations far exceeds supply, especially in the emerging field of biofabrication. This remains a relatively new field, with the first few pioneering solutions only now on the cusp of commercialisation. These include AmSilk’s BiosteelTM, Spiber’s BrewedProteinTM, Mycowork’s ReishiTM, and the Bolt Threads consortium of adidas, Kering, Lululemon and Stella McCartney focused on the launch of products made with MyloTM.”

Image: MOON PARKA by The North Face Japan (GOLDWIN) & Spiber; the first industrially-made item of clothing constructed using synthetic protein. Credit: Spiber