Arda Biomaterials secures £1.1m to launch beer waste leather
The funding round was led by Clean Growth Fund to help commercialise the startup's plant-based material.
Arda Biomaterials develops sustainable leather alternatives by upcycling spent barley grain from breweries into a biodegradable, plastic-free material.
Arda Biomaterials has secured £1.1m in new funding to accelerate the commercial development of its vegan leather alternative. The investment round was led by Clean Growth Fund, with participation from Plug and Play, Serpentine Ventures, Satgana, and various angel investors. The company plans to use the capital to finalise a market-ready material for consumer brands within the coming year.
The London-based startup was founded in 2022 by Edward TJ Mitchell and Brett Cotten. Its flagship material, New Grain, transforms waste barley from the brewing industry into a plastic-free leather substitute designed to address the environmental impact of traditional manufacturing.
From the founder
"The advent of cheap plastics wiped out a century of innovation in using natural inputs to make materials. Now, with sustainability in mind, we are discovering that the natural world has all the building blocks needed to create marvellous and sustainable materials. The production of leather is particularly resource intensive and the current alternatives are riddled with plastic. The chemical composition in waste grain is uniquely suited to be transformed into a material that can resemble many of the properties of leather and more."
Edward Mitchell
Co-founder and CTO at Arda Biomaterials
Investor perspective
"We are delighted to invest in Arda Biomaterials and support the commercial development of their work: it’s a truly innovative solution to a significant environmental challenge. Arda’s technology has the potential to disrupt traditional leather production and significantly reduce the environmental impact of highly polluting sectors. We look forward to working with Brett, Edward, and the team to help bring this exciting technology to market."
Susannah McClintock
Investment Partner, Clean Growth Fund
Use of funds
- 01Continue product development
Investors
Categories
About the company
Arda Biomaterials
Arda Biomaterials turns brewery waste into sustainable, plastic-free leather alternatives.