Faircraft, the French Specialist of In Vitro Leather, Acquires the Assets of VitroLabs

French start-up Faircraft, a rising star in laboratory leather research, has just taken a strategic step forward by acquiring the key assets of US company VitroLabs, which also specializes in this field. VitroLabs had attracted the attention of the Kering group in 2022, which invested alongside actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Thanks to this acquisition, Faircraft now has a portfolio of 35 patents relating to in vitro leather. The amount of the transaction has not been disclosed, but Faircraft raised €15.2 million at the end of last year, following an initial €4.4 million raised a few months earlier.

One of the factors behind the acquisition is VitroLabs' location in San Francisco, which gives Faircraft a foothold in the North American market, where French expertise is highly prized. The transaction takes the form of an asset deal: Faircraft is acquiring the patents and intellectual property, without assuming any liabilities or integrating VitroLabs' employees.

For Haikel Balti, co-founder and CEO of the start-up founded in Paris in 2021, this acquisition marks “a strategic turning point.” He states, “We are now positioning ourselves as a leader in the production of high-quality in vitro leather.” Faircraft's research is mainly aimed at leather goods for major fashion houses and, in the medium term, the automotive and furniture industries.

The lab-grown leather sector is attracting more and more start-ups around the world. In Europe, Faircraft, which employs 25 people, faces growing competition, notably from the Dutch company Qorium and the British company 3D Biotissues.

Beyond in vitro leather, eco-innovative initiatives are multiplying in the luxury sector. Since 2022, lingerie studio Eres has been incorporating “natural soft skin,” a polyamide-based fabric derived from castor oil, into most of its high-end swimsuits.

But it is mycelium—the root system of fungi—that is emerging as one of the most promising materials. Used to produce MycoTEX fabric, it is already attracting major fashion houses: Stella McCartney was a pioneer in incorporating it into her Frayme Mylo bag. Hermès, meanwhile, has collaborated with Mycoworks to revamp its Sylvania bag in 2021, and Balenciaga presented its first mycelium coat at Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022-2023.

The luxury industry, in its quest for sustainability, is resolutely exploring new avenues. The eco-friendly materials revolution is just getting started.