Material World: Burberry’s ‘Brewed’ Scarf, Pangaia’s NFW Collab Drops
Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Burberry
Burberry just dropped a Brewed Protein-based scarf—solidifying itself as the first luxury player to develop new products with Spiber’s next-gen fiber.
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The British label teamed with the Japanese biomanufacturing startup on the B Shield, a blended scarf woven in Italy. Comprised of 62 percent wool, 30 percent Brewed Protein and 8 percent cashmere, the accessory is inspired by Burberry’s “long-standing” commitment to sustainability.
“We are constantly evolving our fabrics and solutions, from creating a blended scarf to exploring alternative manufacturing processes and groundbreaking agricultural techniques,” said Caroline Laurie, Burberry’s vice president of corporate responsibility. “We pride ourselves on finding new ways to innovate by joining forces with our suppliers and startups. By working at this intersection of creativity and innovation, we are continually challenging ourselves to test and learn.”
Founded in 2007, Spiber is best known for its synthetic material platform of bio-based, biodegradable substitutes for animal-derived inputs like wool, leather, fur and cashmere. Brewed Protein is produced through microbial fermentation, using agricultural feedstocks as the raw material. Through this process, the scarf retains the attributes expected from Burberry—luxury and warmth as well as quality and durability.
“The result of over 20 years of tireless research and development, Brewed Protein fiber is a revolutionary protein material built for the century ahead,” Kazuhide Sekiyama, director and representative executive officer of Spiber, said. “Working with Burberry represents a great expansion in the use of protein, which stands to serve as a key ingredient in helping us realize a circular society while also demonstrating the hidden potential of the microorganisms that produce it.”
Pangaia
After a two-year collaboration, materials science company Pangaia just debuted the Gaia Bag: a minimal tote made entirely from Mirum, NFW’s biobased, plastic-free and animal-free leather alternative. The launch of the Gaia also introduces Mirum backed with Climate Beneficial cotton for the first time.
“In 2022, Pangaia teamed up with Natural Fiber Welding to commit to an offtake agreement for a future, better than ever, version of their material Mirum,” Chelsea Franklin, Pangaia’s head of advanced concept design, said. “As a brand, we have been working with the innovator for years, having launched a small accessories range with an early version of Mirum followed by the first commercial launch of their RTW quality in 2023.”
The high-performance material is derived from natural inputs like clay and responsibly sourced rubber, with this edition showcasing the “most traceable and low-carbon version” of Mirum to date, per Franklin. In fact, NFW’s lifecycle assessment found that the cotton backer was the highest-impact ingredient, which “reinforced the significance of Pangaia’s role in a consortium offtake, supporting a field-level coalition dedicated to regenerative cotton farming practices.”
“Results of these farming practices have demonstrated their benefit when in the spring of 2023 the central valley of California flooded, and the Climate Beneficial fields were used as sponges to absorb runoff from adjacent conventional fields,” the duo said in a statement. “Greater hydrological function, biodiversity, and organic soil content were all reported to have improved.”
The resulting Gaia Bag is produced by Veshin Factory, which created a “white label catalogue” to expand access to Mirum and support brands in transitioning away from traditional leather. It features Climate Beneficial cotton sourced from the California Cotton & Climate Coalition (C4), a Fibershed project.
Inside the bag, a printed text box reads: “This tote is made from Mirum, an animal and plastic-free alternative to leather. This addition is backed with Climate Beneficial verified cotton, grown using regenerative practices that contribute to rebalancing the carbon cycle.”
Duer
Duer just dropped a flannel sporting some technical upgrades.
“When we first learned about graphene, we knew we had found something special,” Gary Lenett, CEO of Duer, said. “It’s a cutting-edge nanofiber with unique temperature-regulating properties that we’ve integrated into our Performance Flannel. The result is a shirt that keeps you warm without feeling heavy and cool when the temperature rises.”
The performance lifestyle brand’s latest performance button down is graphene-treated to stay cool when it’s hot and stay warm when it’s cold. Plus, it offers sun protection, fights static and stays fresh longer. The flannel—made of 60 percent cotton, 36 percent lyocell and 4 percent elastane—is engineered with a graphene finish applied to the fabric’s surface, which enhances the fabric’s thermal conductivity properties without extra weight. The cotton provides breathability while the lyocell prevents bacteria growth. The garment also features a unique jacquard knit plaid print, drop-in pockets and natural Corozo nut buttons.
“Graphene is also known as the strongest material on Earth, despite being just one atom thick,” Lenett said. “Its natural strength, combined with its thermoregulating capabilities, enabled us to create a flannel that provides warmth in cold weather while remaining lightweight, soft and comfortable. It’s just one more way we’re pushing the limits of what everyday clothing can achieve through performance-driven design.”
The Duer Performance Flannel uses a graphene treatment, not graphene fibers, to be stronger and last longer as well as thermoregulate.
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