The Bou Bag is made from bacterial nanocellulose.
Danish brand Ganni has created a handbag made from nanocellulose, a leather alternative. At the London Design Festival, Danish fashion brand Ganni unveiled a one-of-a-kind handbag that’s making headlines for all the right reasons. What’s the buzz about? This fashion accessory is not your typical leather—it’s grown from bacteria. gold chain purse strap
Ganni, known for its commitment to eco-friendly fashion, has joined forces with London biotech firm Modern Synthesis to create a revolutionary accessory. The Bou Bag, showcased at the Material Matters fair during the London Design Festival, is no ordinary handbag. It’s crafted from bacterial leather, a leather alternative that’s as chic as it is sustainable.
So, how do you make a handbag from bacteria? It all starts with nanocellulose, a fiber produced by certain bacteria. This remarkable material is cultivated over a framework of threads, resulting in a textile that looks and feels like a traditional cowhide. But here’s the magic: its production generates up to 65 times fewer greenhouse gas emissions than genuine leather.
The bacterial nanocellulose is a strong and fine form of cellulose derived from bacterial fermentation. Courtesy of Modern Synthesis
Unlike some other sustainable materials, this bacterial leather doesn’t rely on plastic coatings for durability. It’s a pure, unadulterated, eco-friendly fashion statement. The lining, however, contains plastic microfibers—a detail that Ganni and Modern Synthesis are actively working to address. The two companies are collaborating to create a 100% cellulose-based version of the Bou Bag, eliminating plastic from the equation entirely. This is just one step in Ganni’s larger Fabrics of the Future initiative, where they’re exploring innovative materials to replace virgin leather.
The process behind this bacterial leather involves growing bacteria on a scaffold of threads, feeding them with agricultural waste, and letting them work their magic. The result? The aforementioned nanocellulose, a material eight times stronger than steel relative to its weight. Depending on the thread used in the framework, it can biodegrade or be recycled.
Modern Synthesis, co-founded by CEO Jen Keane and synthetic biologist Dr. Ben Reeve, is committed to quality and sustainability. They’ve raised significant funding to scale up production, but there’s still work to be done to reach true commercial scale. Their goal is to make eco-conscious textiles readily available.
Ganni’s Bou Bag is a testament to the power of innovation in fashion. It’s a symbol of change in an industry that’s embracing sustainability. And not a moment too soon, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world.
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