The Leather Underground: Biofabrication Offers New Sources for Fabrics

It’s not uncommon to grow out of a dress or a leather jacket over the years—but what about just plain growing those garments? Over the last few years, several companies have emerged that aim to upend the textile industry by growing leather and other fabrics from yeast cells, fungi, and fermented bacteria and using them to make clothes, purses, and other consumer products. The field of biofabrication is young, with many companies just beginning to create products, but it’s already being met with success—and significant interest from the market. With an eye toward sustainability and a faster, less expensive way of producing luxury goods, biofabrication may just be the wave of the future.