Growing Lab Leather with Mushrooms and Microbes

Leather is a versatile and durable material favoured in multiple sectors, from clothing, car interiors, and upholstery, though with a growing awareness of environmental impacts from producing this textile, many companies are moving towards innovative alternatives. IDTechEx's report, "Emerging Alternative Leathers 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Players", highlights over 70 companies operating within the sector, along with forecasts and market drivers for the emerging leather market over the next decade.

 

 

With over 20 billion square feet of leather being produced annually, the greenhouse gas emissions are skyrocketing, while the animal cultivation is the number one cause of deforestation. Therefore, emerging alternatives to animal leather are likely to pave a new path to achieving the desired qualities of the material.

 

Plastic leathers have been a longstanding vegan leather alternative; however, concerns around their petrochemical feedstocks, disposal, and microplastics are beginning to outweigh their low costs for some companies. With sustainability-focused projects on the rise across many sectors, newer types of leather, including mycelium, plant-based, microbial, and lab-grown, are beginning to emerge as more environmentally friendly options.

 

 

Mycelium is emerging as a promising leather alternative thanks to its dense, mat-like growth structure, which can be processed to mimic the look and feel of animal leather. It decomposes easily, requires minimal water, and does not compete for agricultural land, positioning it as an environmentally attractive option. According to IDTechEx, mycelium leather has the potential to be cost-effective in the long term, benefiting from low-cost feedstocks and opportunities for scalability and automation. However, pricing concerns persist due to the high capital expenditure required to establish and maintain growth facilities. These facilities must be sterile and climate-controlled, adding complexity and cost. Furthermore, current manufacturing infrastructure is not well-aligned with mycelium production, necessitating additional investment to adapt or develop compatible processes.

 

 

Plant-based leathers are derived from a wide range of natural sources and industrial byproducts, often blended with plastics to achieve desirable leather-like properties. As a result, their composition can vary significantly across different types. Depending on the plastic content, many of these materials can decompose successfully, and their production tends to be relatively sustainable and cost-effective, with lower environmental impacts such as reduced CO₂ emissions and water consumption. A key advantage is their compatibility with existing leather manufacturing infrastructure, which eases the transition for producers. However, IDTechEx notes that plant-based leathers may not yet fully replicate traditional leather's aesthetic and tactile qualities, presenting a potential trade-off between sustainability and consumer expectations around performance and appearance.

 

 

Microbial leather is produced using agricultural and industrial waste as feedstocks, which microbes convert into cellulose, collagen, or other biopolymers. These materials are then grown into sheets that can be processed to resemble conventional leather. While microbial leather typically uses little to no fossil-based plastic, some formulations still incorporate synthetic components for performance enhancement. As a result, its compostability and biodegradability depend on the specific material blend. When minimal or no plastic is used, microbial leather offers a strong sustainability advantage.

 

Lab-grown leather, by contrast, is cultivated from animal cells to replicate the composition of traditional leather without the need for livestock slaughter. It offers the potential to tailor production volumes precisely, reducing material waste. However, this approach faces major challenges. The production process is highly complex and energy-intensive, requiring significant inputs of water, energy, and chemicals, particularly in post-processing. As a result, lab-grown leather is likely to remain prohibitively expensive for mainstream applications. Its most viable use case may lie in niche markets, such as high-end or exotic leather products, where unique material properties and ethical sourcing justify the premium.

 

Whilst some options are more cost-effective than others, with mycelium and microbial leathers being favourites within the industry, IDTechEx expects the vegan bio-based leather market as a whole to grow at a CAGR of 37.4% up to 2034. The popularity of these new materials is expected to gain traction amongst consumers and a wider platform of brands that shift towards prioritizing sustainability goals.

 

For more information about IDTechEx's "Emerging Alternative Leathers 2024-2034: Technologies, Trends, Players" report, including downloadable sample pages, please see www.IDTechEx.com/AltLeather.

 

For the full portfolio of sustainability market research available from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/Sustainability.

IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.