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As next-gen biomaterials and sustainable technologies edge closer to scale, branded collaborations are becoming more than just PR exercises. They're signalling more thoughtful engagement from stakeholders across the value chain. This issue spotlights recent partnerships between manufacturers, brands, and material innovators and highlights how sustainability is no longer siloed but has instead become a collaborative effort threading through R&D, supply chain strategy, and brand storytelling.

• Living Ink × AGI Denim: Algae Black is now commercially available for denim coating

• Modern Meadow × Bellroy: First products to be debuted in late 2025

• Materra x COS: Launch of hydroponic cotton shirts 

• The Stakeholder Shift: The Strategy Plays of Collaborations

The BioDesign Newsletter

Issue #044

Collaborations like those we are covering today are drawing attention from stakeholders and investors. This indicates that a company is embedding sustainability practices into its operations, future-proofing its supply chain, and in some cases, unlocking new IP or revenue streams.

Let’s get into the recent collaborations that illustrate these different nodes at work in the supply chain:

Living Ink × AGI Denim

Living Ink’s product, Algae Black is a carbon-negative pigment derived from algae, is now commercially available for denim coating, thanks to its new partnership with AGI Denim.

AGI Denim is a Pakistan-based premium denim manufacturer that takes pride in its mission to have a positive impact on society, stating they are committed “to environmental sustainability and social responsibility.”

The manufacturer recently launched its innovation platform – TomorrowLab, formalising its approach to material innovation, positioning itself as a future-focused supplier ready to trial and scale novel solutions like Living Ink’s. The lab focuses on three core areas: colour, performance, fibres and recyclability and features collaborations with other materials pioneers like Circ, Tex2Tex, and Earth Glaze.

By working directly with innovators, like Living Ink, AGI Denim is taking on some of the risk typically shouldered by brands or investors, showing an appetite for upstream integration of sustainable technologies. This de-risks innovation for downstream partners (brands and retailers), by reducing the need for brands to invest in R&D whilst also providing the brands with confidence in adopting more sustainable materials and processes. In the case of manufacturers, like AGI Denim, the willingness to take on these collaborations gives them a potential edge in a market where large retailers are increasingly demanding more traceability and lower-impact products.

Images courtesy of Living Ink

Modern Meadow × Bellroy

Modern Meadow has partnered with premium brand Bellroy to create products using INNOVERA™ –formerly known as BIO-VERA. The first product line is set to debut in late 2025, integrating the next-gen leather alternative into Bellroy’s conscious materials library,  alongside NFW’s MIRUM.

Bellroy has positioned itself as a thoughtful brand, balancing durability, utility, and aesthetics with its environmental ethos. The decision to incorporate INNOVERA™ into its library reflects Bellroy’s recognition of biomaterials as a solution with quality, not compromises. “INNOVERA™ helps mitigate important waste streams ” said Bellroy co-founder Andy Fallshaw. "And exceeds traditional leathers in many performance aspects.”

The evolution of these biodesign solutions coincides with the growth of design-led brands like Bellroy that speak directly to ESG-conscious customers. In a saturated market, Bellroy’s transparent sourcing and thoughtful material curation position it as a future-oriented brand. One that resonates with both conscious consumers and investors.

Materra x COS 

Four years after the first prototypes were unveiled, the first shirts made with hydroponically grown cotton, developed by materials tech startup Materra, can now be bought at COS (a brand under the H&M Group umbrella). Materra’s hydroponic cotton is grown indoors in controlled environments, drastically reducing water use and increasing yield predictability.

What makes this noteworthy is not just the product—it’s the time it took and the depth of the collaboration. The Materra–COS collaboration shows that patient long-term investments in material innovation can pay off and that brands with tight feedback loops to their supply chain (and potential stakes in those suppliers) will be better positioned to commercialise sustainable materials as they mature and scale.

The Stakeholder Shift

Across all three partnerships, we see early signs of a maturing ecosystem. These aren’t isolated pilots – they're strategic plays. Manufacturers like AGI Denim are building internal innovation engines to keep pace with the evolving industry. Brands like Bellroy are using their brand identity and ethos to blend into their material library, embracing new technologies. Integrated groups like H&M are using sub-brands like COS to scale new technologies and explore a more close-knit supply chain.

For shareholders and boardrooms, these collaborations matter. They speak to how seriously a company is preparing for a low-carbon, sustainability-driven future. Supply chains are no longer linear and unidirectional. The shift to a more dynamic chain is setting the pace for change and will define who will be ahead in the next stage of sustainable growth.

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Ariyana & the House of BioDesign Team

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