A concept ‘snakeskin’ handbag has been created out of brewers’ waste from London’s Beer Mile.
The unique bag is made from New Grain™, a leather-like material devised by Arda Biomaterials from spent grain, a byproduct of beer brewing and whisky distilling.
In doing so, the tech company has proven that plastics can be replaced with plant proteins by mimicking collagen – the very protein that leather is made of.
The handbag was designed in partnership with BEEN London, as a version of their bestselling MILLAIS bag.
The showpiece item is the first in a new collection of accessories, set to include wallets, laptop cases, and more bag styles, launching later this year.
New Grain™ vs. traditional leather & synthetic
By ‘skipping the cow’ and bypassing animal-derived materials, the production process generates 97% fewer CO2 emissions compared to traditional leather and avoids the harmful tanning process, contributing to a cleaner environment and zero microplastics.
Edward TJ Mitchell, CTO of Arda, said, “We’re extremely proud to see our partnership with BEEN materialise into the first tangible product made from New Grain™.
“The concept bag is the culmination of continuous R&D, where we experimented with various thicknesses, colours, patterns, material flexibility, designs, and more.
“BEEN’s expertise working with innovative materials enabled us to transform our next-gen material into a finished product in record time.”
CEO Brett Cotten added, “Launching this showpiece handbag with BEEN is a significant milestone for Arda. It demonstrates our ability to innovate and work toward commercialising high-quality materials that are not full of animals and plastic for consumers.
“We are excited to continue our journey with BEEN London, pushing the boundaries of sustainable fashion, home goods, sportswear, gaming, and beyond.”
BEEN London founder Genia Mineeva said, “Collaborating with Arda has been a fantastic experience. This partnership allows us to pioneer new materials and lead the charge in circular design and sustainable fashion.
“As a brand making premium products entirely from materials that would otherwise be discarded, we’re really excited about the possibilities of Arda’s innovation. The New Grain™ handbag is just the beginning of what we can achieve together.”
The project was backed by an £800k Innovate UK grant and includes R&D partners such as Queen Mary University of London and King’s College London.
Arda Biomaterials transforms waste feedstocks into smarter, circular biomaterials for fashion, home goods, automotive, and more.
