Biomaterials startup Uncaged Innovations has named Natalie Portman as a strategic partner to promote its grain‑based protein leather, Elevate, which the company says reduces greenhouse gases by 95%, water use by 89% and energy use by 71% versus animal leather. Uncaged has raised $7.9 million and inked partnerships with brands and automotive groups including Hyundai Cradle and Jaguar Land Rover. German firm Revoltech won two national awards for LOVR, a recyclable, plastic‑free hemp material, while Anak’s “Hot Bodies” exhibition in Singapore spotlights heat‑wear designed for a warming world.
Natalie Portman Joins Uncaged Innovations as Strategic Partner; Hemp Leather and Heat‑Wear Innovations Gain Momentum
Natalie Portman joins Uncaged Innovations as a strategic partner and advocate for sustainable luxury.
Material World is a weekly digest of advances across the materials sector, covering breakthroughs in biomaterials, alternative leathers, sustainable substitutes and next‑generation fibers.
Uncaged Innovations Welcomes Natalie Portman
Biomaterials startup Uncaged Innovations has named Academy Award–winning actor and animal‑welfare advocate Natalie Portman as a strategic partner. Portman will help promote the company's grain‑based protein leather, Elevate, and advocate for wider adoption of animal‑free, luxury materials across fashion and other high‑end markets.
“We’re incredibly excited to have Natalie on board as a strategic partner as her voice and credibility bring powerful momentum to our mission,” said Stephanie Downs, co‑founder and CEO of Uncaged Innovations.
Founded in 2020 by Downs and Dr. Xiaokun Wang, Uncaged says Elevate reduces greenhouse‑gas emissions by 95%, water use by 89% and energy consumption by 71% versus traditional animal leather. The company produces Elevate by fusing grain proteins with plant‑based components to create collagen‑like scaffolding using its BioFuse technology — a protein‑forward approach the startup says better mimics the texture and performance of leather than carbohydrate‑heavy alternatives such as mycelium or apple‑derived materials.
LOVR was recognized in two leading sustainability and design competitions, selected from around 400 entries each, Revoltech said.
“The biomaterials industry holds the key to a future where materials are regenerative and not destructive—but we are in a race against time to save our planet and evolve the leather industry,” Downs added. “By combining biotechnology with design thinking, we’re accelerating sustainable change without compromising aesthetics or performance.”
Uncaged has scaled its process for roll‑to‑roll production, raised $7.9 million in funding, and established partnerships with brands and manufacturers worldwide, including Australia’s Sans Beast, Germany’s Melina Butcher and Argentina’s Humo Estudio. The company also began a collaboration with Hyundai Cradle in September and signed a proof‑of‑concept with Jaguar Land Rover the month prior.
“Uncaged is one of the most exciting businesses in the biomaterials space that I have seen. The significant market traction they have gained at such an early stage is proof of the demand for materials that are animal‑free, luxurious and sustainable,” Portman said. “Stephanie and the team at Uncaged are redefining the leather industry for the better.”
Revoltech’s Hemp Material LOVR Wins Two Top German Awards
German startup Revoltech won both the German Sustainability Award and the German Ecodesign Award 2025 for LOVR, a circular, hemp‑based material described as “leather‑like‑without‑plastic‑vegan‑residue‑based.” Made from European hemp and plant‑derived additives, LOVR contains no plastics, polyurethane (PU) or PVC. Its single‑layer construction is recyclable and, depending on the application, potentially compostable.
“These two awards send a strong signal,” said Lucas Fuhrmann, co‑founder and CEO of Revoltech. “With LOVR, we demonstrate that materials made from agricultural residues can be a true alternative to animal‑ and fossil‑based resources, without compromising on quality, durability or aesthetics.”
The awards juries praised LOVR's combination of ecological performance, circularity and industrial scalability. Revoltech reported that an initial industrial production run sold out earlier this year and said a next production run is planned for early next year as it expands availability to additional sectors and applications.
Presented by global brand practice Anak, the immersive exhibition will premiere a collection of 10 innovative heat-wear creations by creatives and designers from across the world.
Hot Bodies: Design Responses to Rising Heat
Global brand practice Anak opened “Hot Bodies”, an exhibition of heat‑wear that explores design responses to rising temperatures. The show opened Dec. 6 at New Bahru and features 10 commissioned pieces supported by SG Eco Fund and the Design Singapore Council.
Featured works include Jean Jullien’s Sunshell (a UPF‑50 cape), Tanchen Studio’s Cool Collar (a jade neckpiece designed for efficient cooling), TMS.Site’s Hardwear Jacket for outdoor workers, and Harri’s Self‑Conditioner — a conceptual inflatable garment that creates a self‑contained cooling cocoon. The exhibition also offers a shoppable emporium of heat‑wear and accessories, from handheld fans to UV keychain indicators.
“Singapore has become an ‘air‑con nation’… Hiding indoors just isn’t a sustainable option. Our research asks: what if we made heat our ally instead of our enemy?” said Associate Professor Jason Lee, director of the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at NUS Medicine.
Curator Hanyi Lee framed the exhibition as a continuation of Anak’s mission to present an Asian creative viewpoint globally and to reimagine how fashion can help people thrive in a hotter future. Jody Teo of the Design Singapore Council emphasized the show’s role in inspiring design‑led, climate‑resilient solutions.
What This Means
Together these stories highlight two parallel shifts in material and apparel innovation: first, the scaling of protein‑based, animal‑free materials into luxury and automotive supply chains; second, design‑led approaches to living with rising temperatures. Both trends point to an industry increasingly focused on circularity, lower carbon footprints and climate resilience.
