Material World: From Beer to Billfolds and Hemp to Luxury Watch Straps
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.
Arda Biomaterials
London-based Arda Biomaterials has partnered with London’s beloved Beavertown Brewery to create an upcoming collection of branded accessories, a notable step on Arda’s journey to full-scale commercialization.
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“This partnership with Beavertown not only highlights the potential of New Grain as a completely novel material rooted in science, but also showcases our incredible speed,” Arda CEO Brett Cotten said. “The Arda team strives to commercialize our innovations with haste at scale, so that we may reduce humanity’s reliance on animals and plastic for materials.”
Arda turns spent brewery grain into leather-like materials, with this initiative underscoring Arda’s commitment to transforming waste into high-value materials. The first pieces in the Beavertown x Arda collection are card holders displaying Beavertown’s iconic skull and bones design. The partnership’s initial production is capped at eight pieces. These cardholders will be on display at Beavertown’s pop-up at London’s Truman Brewery on Brick Lane through the end of August.
“This is a project we’re all really excited by here at Beavertown—Arda’s innovation in the beer waste space captured our attention from the get go,” said Rachael Harrison, head of digital marketing at Beavertown. “We’re delighted to welcome the public to our summer pop-up to share our first-of-its-kind spent barley grain card holders.”
The collab reflects a strategic move to scale New Grain—Arda’s leather-like material made from brewers’ spent grain, specifically the barley proteins. For this project, spent grain was sourced from Beavertown’s North London brewery and can be produced in colors ranging from light to tan to black, depending on the type of grain used (from IPAs and lagers to stouts) and in a variety of patterns including crocodile and snakeskin.
“This partnership is a perfect example of how we can be fast-movers in supporting local supply chains and contributing to a circular economy, all while offering consumers unique products directly linked to their favorite breweries and distilleries, such as Beavertown,” said TJ Mitchell, Arda’s CTO. “By leveraging Beavertown’s strong brand identity and loyal customer base, we are taking significant steps toward making fashion accessories crafted from next-generation materials mainstream.”
Revoltech
German startup Revoltech has collaborated with Swiss watch brand ID Genève to set new standards in sustainable luxury. The Technical University Darmstadt in Germany-backed company’s flagship, fossil-fuel-free material plays a central role in the luxury brand’s new Elements collection.
Revoltech was founded in 2021 with the goal of transforming the leather industry with its plastic-free product LOVR, which stands for “leather-like-without-plastic-vegan-residue-based,” made from hemp fibers.
“For us, this is a pivotal moment in Revoltech’s history,” Lucas Fuhrmann, co-founder of the hemp fiber brand, said. “Integrating LOVR into such a prestigious collection as Elements is a testament to the quality and innovation potential of our materials.”
ID Genève’s Elements collection consists of five 37mm watches made with nature-inspired designs and sustainable materials. The cases are made of 100 percent recycled stainless steel and the dials are made using advanced nano-graving technology from Morphotonix. Revoltech’s LOVR material is used for the watch straps. The fully recyclable and biodegradable textile is made from hemp residues and offers an eco-friendly alternative to leather as it’s both vegan and plastic-free.
“This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for Revoltech. Our vision of revolutionizing the textile and luxury industries with sustainable materials is becoming a reality through this collaboration,” Fuhrmann said. “We look forward to shaping the future of the luxury market and continuing to develop innovative, eco-friendly solutions.”
Payntr Golf
Golf footwear brand Payntr Golf has launched the Trainer Carbon X, a training shoe developed in collaboration with carbon fiber supplier Carbitex.
“This shoe is designed to enhance power and control, providing athletes with responsive cushioning and dynamic stability while they train to enhance their performance on the golf course,” said Mike Forsey, co-founder and president of Payntr. “The Trainer Carbon X reaffirms our commitment to providing golfers a distinct performance advantage and redefines the benefits that training footwear offers athletes preparing for sport.”
Featuring a 3D molded heel textile and a Carbitex OmniFlex Upper, the shoe incorporates Clarino Microfiber Suede overlays as well as a PMX Nitro+ footbed and performance foam filler. The Carbitex dynamically flexible carbon fiber propulsion plate allegedly enhances energy, while the PMX Nitro+ injected performance midsole gives each step a responsive feel.
“The new Trainer Carbon X showcases the versatility of Carbitex’s flexible carbon technology, demonstrating our material’s performance benefits both under foot and integrated into the upper,” said Junus Khan, founder and CEO of Carbitex. “The partnership with Payntr Golf exemplifies our commitment to working with forward-thinking brands to create products that push the standards for footwear performance.”
Carbitex OmniFlex Upper is a carbon fiber textile, which allows athletes to harness the high tensile strength and no-stretch characteristics of carbon fiber in a flexible, lightweight form. The strategically integrated OmniFlex maximizes power transfer while providing precision control and superior stability, per Payntr. The Carbitex GearFlex, meanwhile, is “highly flexible” underfoot to move with the wearer’s natural gait.
“Our mission has always been to push the limits of athletic performance,” said Michael Glancy, co-founder and creative director of Payntr. “By merging our design expertise with Carbitex’s cutting-edge carbon fiber technology, we’ve developed a shoe that excels at performing in rigorous training environments, giving athletes the advanced support and power they need to thrive.”
Bluesign
Swiss material verification firm Bluesign has landed its first system partner in Brazil. Italian chemical solutions firm Erca has become the first partner in the region, marking a “significant step” in Bluesign’s global expansion.
“We are immensely proud to be the first company in Brazil to become a Bluesign system partner,” said Sidnei Maturano, Erca Brazil’s president. “This achievement reflects our team’s tireless efforts to prioritize sustainability and responsible manufacturing. We believe that Bluesign’s rigorous standards will not only benefit our company, but also our customers and the environment.”
As part of the Erca Group, which operates with manufacturing plants throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia, Erca is known for its chemical specialties, including its Revecol range, which transforms waste materials (like exhausted vegetable oil) into textile solutions and is Bluesign-approved.
“The benefits of being a Bluesign system partner are numerous. For Erca Brazil’s customers, this certification ensures that products are manufactured using safe chemicals, reducing the risk of harmful substances in the supply chain,” Maturano said. “This commitment to safety and sustainability aligns with the growing consumer demand for environmentally responsible products.”
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