The EU-funded FABULOSE project, receiving €3.5 million, aims to develop animal-free leather alternatives made from biotechnologically produced cellulose. The project involves 11 European partners, including Novis BioBased Technology and vegan handbag manufacturer MELINA BUCHER, working to create scalable and sustainable bio-based production routes for the animal-free leather. The funding will be provided over three and a half years as part of the Horizon Europe programme.

FABULOSE plans to use industrial CO2 off-gas and waste streams from the food industry as feedstock to produce bacterial cellulose and cyanophycin. The resulting materials will be fully bio-based, recyclable, biodegradable, durable, and tear-resistant, designed for mass production using an efficient, cost-competitive roll-to-roll process. The project aims to address ethical issues with conventional leather production, provide an alternative to plastic-based vegan leathers, and ultimately reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower the carbon footprint across industries like fashion, automotive, and upholstery.