Modern Synthesis

For the latest @Modern Synthesis newsletter, I reflected on the forces that are converging to make now the time for biomaterials 🌊 While we often think of progress as a gradual swell, real breakthroughs are rarely the sum of small improvements. Transformation happens when the right forces converge, and there we are – patiently watching, working, waiting – ready to harness the building momentum. Then, like a wave, it breaks suddenly and powerfully, propelling us further than we ever imagined. Today, we’re on the crest of such a wave in biomaterials. Breakthroughs in plastic-free performance are converging with growing consumer demand and a fashion industry primed for change. This echoes the transformative currents that have reshaped our world before – and often when we least expected it. Take 1903, when the New York Times confidently predicted that manned flight was “millions of years" away. A mere nine weeks later, the Wright Brothers took to the skies in the first successful powered aeroplane. Their flight was a technological triumph, to be sure. But it was a technological triumph made possible by novel advances in aeronautical theory, newly abundant weather data, and skyrocketing public fascination with “the flight race.” Together, these tailwinds lifted our first aviators to new heights – and with them, our estimations of what humanity can achieve. Similar patterns of scepticism and surprise are unfolding across the biomaterial field today. While some critics question biomaterials’ long-term ability to meet fashion’s exacting performance targets, innovators like Modern Synthesis are leveraging emergent technologies to achieve performance parity without plastics. This isn’t just a leap in performance, it’s a leap in possibilities – opening up new realms for creativity and design in fashion and beyond. Modern Synthesis celebrates its fifth birthday this month. In the grand timeline of our 4.5 billion-year-old planet, five years is a mere blip. Yet, it’s often within these brief windows, when everything aligns, that the biggest changes come to life. — Our quarterly newsletter curates news, insights and inspirations from our lab and across the wider biomaterial field. You can subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox: https://lnkd.in/eqtcji2U

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… biomaterials? ✈️ In 1903, when pioneering aviators took to the skies in the first successful operating aeroplane, no one saw it coming. Just nine weeks earlier, the New York Times had predicted manned flight was “millions of years” away. This technological triumph was unlocked by a convergence of forces: novel advances in aeronautical theory, newly abundant weather data, and skyrocketing public fascination with “the flight race.” Today, we’re on the crest of a similar wave in biomaterials. Breakthroughs in plastic-free performance are converging with growing consumer demand and a fashion industry primed for change 🌊 In the latest Modern Synthesis newsletter, our Co-Founder Jen Keane reflects on how forces can align in the briefest moments to create a transformative current. 🔗 Don’t miss out on future editions – sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/evRv_AfU #Innovation #Biotechnology #MaterialInnovation

Sun, seminars and circular design solutions… What a way to kickstart The Sustainable Angle’s Future Fabrics Expo 💥 We’re back at Magazine London today with our bacterial nanocellulose shoe and materials on display. If you’re stopping by for Day 2, come find us in the Footwear Hub and the Innovation Hub — if you’re lucky, you might even see our Modern Synthesis x Ganni A/S Bou Bag on the arms of our team 👀 #MaterialsRevolution #SustainableFashion #FutureFabricsExpo #LCAW2024 #MaterialInnovation

We’re excited to put our best foot forward at the Future Fabrics Expo 2024, taking place on June 25-26 in London. This year, Modern Synthesis is honoured to be featured in not one, but two future-forward exhibits 👟 The 2024 edition of The Sustainable Angle's annual expo marks two significant firsts: it’s the newly added flagship fashion and textiles event for London Climate Action Week, and introduces the first-ever dedicated Footwear Innovation Hub. Fortunately for us, our lower impact biomaterials are the perfect fit! We invite you to discover our speculative shoe prototype at the inaugural Footwear Innovation Hub, and experience our exquisite textiles in the Innovation Hub. Ready to step into the future of fashion? Register to attend now: https://lnkd.in/dUWyCpDg #FutureFabricsExpo #SustainableFashion #MaterialInnovation #ClimateAction

Everything tracks back to the ocean, and our company’s origin story is no exception 🌊 Seeing the ocean’s struggle against plastic pollution was a turning point for our Co-Founder, Jen Keane. It’s estimated that over a third of microplastics in our oceans originate from synthetic textiles. These microscopic plastic fibres not only harm marine wildlife, but also have been shown to infiltrate our soil, our drinking water, and our food chains. While working as a material designer at a leading sportswear brand, Jen joined forces with Parley for the Oceans. Together, they repurposed ocean plastics into footwear, driven by a shared mission to clean up our seas. However, it soon became clear that recycling alone will not protect our precious oceans from the scourge of plastic. The imperative was clear: we need to design plastic out of the materials we use – for good. In a full-circle moment, Jen recently sat down with Parley to reflect on our journey: from the early days of growing a shoe upper in her kitchen, to the scalable technology Modern Synthesis is developing today. Our goal is to create a future where fashion's pursuit of performance no longer leads back to the ocean, but instead leads to a future where creativity and circularity go hand in hand. Read the full Material Revolution interview 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eKT6tNK3 Audio extract 🎧 Monocle ‘The Entrepreneurs’ podcast: https://lnkd.in/ehupDWzE #PlasticFree #SustainableFashion #SaveOurOceans #MaterialInnovation

Did Deborah Meaden say “brilliant bacteria” after seeing our tech on BBC The One Show? Yep, you heard that right! 🦠🌟🧫 And she’s right – these tiny powerhouses are not as scary as you might think. In fact, some bacteria can be very good for us – if you’ve ever had probiotic yoghurt, kombucha, or an ice cold beer, you’ve already enjoyed the benefits that bacteria bring. But bacteria can produce much more than gut-friendly drinks and yoghurts. Did you know they’re especially efficient at making our key raw ingredient, nanocellulose? At Modern Synthesis, we’re harnessing the natural efficiency of one of nature’s oldest life forms to revolutionise textile production. From fermentation to finished material, these microbial marvels are paving the way to a materially better future. Now Deborah, let’s talk 🤝 Watch the feature on BBC iPlayer at 01:40: https://lnkd.in/eCW-49K7 #Biotechnology #SustainableFashion #MaterialInnovation #Fermentation #Bacteria

It’s made from bacterial nanocellulose, and contains no plastics or toxic chemicals. Modern Synthesis is a member of the World Economic Forum's Bioeconomy Initiative. Learn more here: https://ow.ly/V6bc50S0hG7 #bag #handbag #biotech #bioeconomy #ganni #nanocellulose #sustainablefashion Modern Synthesis

In an unassuming London laboratory on an industrial estate is a shoe - but not just any shoe - this one is made with bacteria. This is the work of Modern Synthesis, a biotechnology company that’s literally bringing life to a new branch of fashion. ⁠ ⁠ Their innovative approach to material design uses K.rhaeticus bacteria (found in kombucha) to create lightweight, strong, and naturally biodegradable materials. In collaboration with major brands like Ganni A/S these new textiles could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing plastic-based materials and animal leathers.⁠ ⁠ “Nature is the ultimate circular economy and we have a lot to learn from the organisms that were here many years before us,” co-founder Jen Keane shares with us. “I’m a designer by background, but I also dabbled in the sciences - and I quickly learned that you can’t make change without all of these different disciplines working together.”⁠ ⁠ Get a firsthand look at the plastic-free products they’re making, the science behind it all and their journey into the fashion industry in the full Material Revolution interview. https://lnkd.in/gK8AqNhq

It was very exciting to be on BBC The One Show last night, showcasing Modern Synthesis and the microbial magic happening in our London lab. I remember at around 7 years old being devastated to miss out on a Blue Peter badge for my terrible submissions to their competitions. Years later though I’m delighted to sneak in my own “here's one we made earlier” moment on BBC 1! It was a real honour to give a tour of our facility to Lucy Siegle, a pioneering environmental journalist who has long been advocating for change in the fashion industry’s harmful practices. Reading Lucy’s book “To Die For” a decade ago helped me connect the dots between innovation and fashion, making this a full-circle moment as I got to share our progress with her and a national audience. It’s a great depiction of the groundbreaking work our team is doing in reimagining material design with biology. Catch our segment on iPlayer right at the top of the show at 01:40: https://lnkd.in/eXQNaYMm

Grab the popcorn, we’re on CNN! 🍿📺 Our innovative, animal-and-plastic-free materials are featured in CNN’s Project Planet series, which explores groundbreaking solutions to climate-related challenges. The video takes you behind the scenes in our lab, where we transform one of nature's miracle materials, bacterial nanocellulose, into durable, functional, and beautiful textiles 🔬🦠 We’re paving the way for more responsible textile production in fashion and beyond. Our biomaterials offer lower impact alternatives to conventional materials while delivering the quality and creativity that the industry demands. Catch the full (3-minute) video here: https://lnkd.in/er4V8iGY #Sustainability #ClimateTech #Innovation #MaterialScience