<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-06-22T07:57:45Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/FA378D7D-E9B7-43AA-9208-4F88B3BCF712" ns1:id="FA378D7D-E9B7-43AA-9208-4F88B3BCF712"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/6E54CC5F-175F-4477-8E62-A678D64042CE" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/7C390AED-D31A-4C87-A06C-98FEEBD26971" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/7C390AED-D31A-4C87-A06C-98FEEBD26971" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/DBFBA28D-BA56-4C34-96F3-3CBD054DBA45" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2025-03-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/888812B1-E89D-4753-9BE8-6397755377C7" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2023-09-30T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10081776</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Scaling up Treekind(R) - a truly sustainable vegan leather alternative, completely free of plastic polyurethane</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>Biophilica's patented leather alternative Treekind(R), developed together with Eurofins BLC Leather, is an existing product for watch strap applications.

Petrochemical-free materials appeal across the board to audiences, especially millennials and Gen Z. However, these materials are rare (Vegconomist). 

Treekind(R), completely free of petrochemicals, is the only leather alternative made from green waste -- combined with plant-only plasticizers and binders. This is attractive to UK/international furniture brands looking for alternatives to leather and petrochemical/non-biodegradable PU/PVC. 

Biophilica has relationships with a number of high-profile brands. ID Watches is revealing their Treekind collection of Watches a little later this year. BESTSELLER announced in a joint press release that their brand Jack &amp;amp; Jones will create sample products with Treekind(R). 

Treekind(R) is suitable for watch straps, leathergoods, and some footwear applications. Scaling Treekind(R) is required for the material to be competitively priced. This feasibility study will focus on key equipment to run production tests.

In this project, we want to investigate manufacturing processes together with manufacturers, digital systems for our processes to ensure quality control in our material, renewable energy options for the production process of Treekind(R), as well as reclamation of resources to ensure circularity within the production processes.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>