2 novel material innovations from France. Info from Formes de Luxe newsletter.

PHyli

In early 2025, PHyli, an alternative to leather and imitation leather from La Tannerie Végétale (France), will enter (semi) industrial production. The material is already available in 15cm rolls. “This is a notch above other plant-based leather alternatives. There are no plastics, no animal-based materials, no water: PHyli is made from plant proteins, tannins, and natural additives.” And it’s available in “skins” (that can be embossed, cut, and laser engraved) as well as injectable pellets for creating 3D objects. The material is said to be biodegradable in a home garden.

Grain de Roseau

Rosobren (France) is developing reed-based alternatives to plastics that have several potential applications. First as board for furniture that keeps its shape and that can be worked similar to wood; filament spools for 3D printing; or technical powders and composite pellets made with up to 50% plant-based ingredients for the plastics industry. “Reed is a raw material that regenerates annually, requires no cultivation, and does not encroach on available soil.” Even better, reed bed maintenance—which involves cutting the reeds—is essential to wetland preservation.

Nicole Rawling Thomasine Dolan Dow