State Of The Industry Report: Next-Gen Materials

Humans are consuming the world at an exponential rate! The results are catastrophic for the environment thanks to the linear economic model which justifies: “take, make, dispose“ as the holy trinity. However, the Material Innovation Initiative is taking a stance. By producing highly developed reports for us to make our own informed opinions on “the state of the industry”. This report uncovers the importance of moving towards more ‘innovative’ strategies to reduce the weight and environmental impact *Incumbent materials cause. So why are Next-gen materials so important? Next generation materials allow scientist manufacturers and designers alike to develop materials that can harvest the same quality of fabric without the ‘bloody’ incumbent costs. There is a common misconception that Incumbent or livestock skins, furs and feathers are by-products of the meat or food industry. When in fact, the grim truth is: Minks are skinned alive, feathers are plucked from unwilling birds and exotic skins are peeled from reptiles all for the sake of capital gain! But, there is a solution to this ... Next-gen materials. Next-gen materials are derived from higher percentages of plant-based substances such as: Apple, Pineapple, Hemp, Grape, and Mycelium in comparison to our current generation ‘vegan leather’ which consists mainly of polyurethane. This means we can make more conscious decisions about how we consume fashion. The MII describe the next-gen materials industry as a nascent industry, but this doesn’t mean next- gen materials fall short of stakeholders. The report highlights the three key stakeholders as “Innovators, Investors and industry Brands” all of which collaborate to make this seemingly nascent industry work and accelerate rapidly in growth. Some of the key buyers within this industry are, IKEA, Adidas and Bentley just to name a few. The proof is in the pudding with next – gen materials receiving double the investment in 2021 than 2020 ($980 million), even with Covid-19 restrictions. This is fuelled by the advancement in science and technology by consumer preferences and a shift in trends. Next- gen materials have already delivered the capacity to achieve excellent performance and aesthetic for brands consumers and innovators while being completely animal-free. Which means we can save the planet and still look good, with companies like Spiber, brands like Alexander McQueen and corporations like AMSilk.  This is not the time to slow down sustainable innovation, but to accelerate further. We are in the Decade of Action and Veshin is here to support the acceleration of sustainable innovation. To read the full report, click here:  https://www.materialinnovation.org/state-of-the-industry