A UK startup, Pact, has raised funding and opened a new factory to scale up the world’s first sustainable and scalable biomaterial made from collagen, the primary building block of human skin.
The material, dubbed Oval, looks, feels, and ages much like leather, but without the environmental impacts. Oval is made by combining recycled collagen recovered from old cosmetics with herbal extracts, oils, and minerals.
Pact claims that the carbon footprint of Oval is far lower than traditional textiles and leather. The startup has calculated that replacing these traditional materials with Oval would prevent a significant amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year.
Pact has already formed partnerships with several leading fashion houses to explore how the biomaterial can replace traditional materials. The startup has also developed “drop in” manufacturing tech that allows clients to produce Oval directly in their own supply chains.
Pact’s Mission
“We have poured energy and creativity into our innovations, ensuring they can meet the standards of the world’s most prestigious brands and respect their heritage, whilst also being truly scalable,” said co-founder and CEO, Yudí Ding.
Pact announced the opening of a new headquarters in Cambridge, including a laboratory and pilot production facility. The startup now looks to expand into new industries, including footwear, interiors, and automotive, and aims to discover and develop new kinds of biomaterials.