What Biophilica does

Biophilica Ltd. is a London-based biotechnology company founded in 2019 that develops 100% biobased material alternatives to conventional leather and synthetic adhesives. Its flagship product, Treekind®, is a patented plant-based leather substitute made from lignocellulose sourced from fallen tree leaves combined with a natural algae-based binder. The material is fully plastic-free (no PU, phthalates, PFAs, or synthetic dyes), home-compostable per ISO 14855 (97% biodegradation in 281 days), and produced using less than 0.1% of the water required for conventional leather processing. The company has achieved USDA 100% Biobased certification (the first UK leather alternative to do so, in June 2024) and PETA vegan certification. A second product line, Brightbond®, is a 100% biobased adhesive formulated to bond Treekind® with paper, cardboard, textiles, wood, and conventional leather, and is currently finalizing pre-commercial trials.

The company's business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) direct sales of Treekind® material rolls to enterprise customers across fashion, footwear, accessories, packaging, homeware, furniture, automotive, and aviation; (2) sales of Brightbond® adhesive; and (3) bespoke R&D service projects for brands seeking customized plastic-free material solutions, ranging from one-day assessments at £900 to multi-phase developments above £50,000. A small direct-to-consumer channel sells A5/A4 sample swatches and limited-edition Treekind® bangles (£75–£95) via Shopify. Go-to-market is partnership-led, leveraging accelerator networks (Fashion for Good, LVMH's La Maison de Startups) and trade delegations (Innovate UK India mission) to secure enterprise pilots with brands such as ID Genève, BESTSELLER (JACK & JONES), and BEEN London.

Biophilica operates from a 300 m² batch production and demo facility in Earlsfield, Southwest London, with 11–50 employees. The company raised a seed round in early 2022 (~$1.57M, led by Rhapsody Venture Partners with Fashion for Good) and a €100,000 Cartier Women's Initiative grant in May 2024. It is preparing to bring an external production site online in 2025 with a target output of 10,000–30,000 metres of Treekind® annually.

Name

Biophilica

Legal name

Biophilica Ltd.

Website

https://biophilica.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Biophilica is a London-based biotechnology company that develops Treekind®, a patented plastic-free leather alternative made from fallen tree leaves and an algae binder, plus the Brightbond® biobased adhesive. It sells materials and bespoke R&D services to fashion, footwear, luxury goods, packaging, and automotive brands globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biobased Leather Alternatives

NAICS

Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Adhesives & Sealants (2891)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Polymers & Resins (PLA, PHA, bio-PE, bio-PET, cellulose acetate) (IMAMALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based Resins, Adhesives, Coatings & Sealants (EUAAAIAG), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Bio-based Packaging Materials (molded fiber, bio-barrier coatings, compostables) (IMAMALAI)

Keywords

• Biobased leather alternative
• Plant-based materials
• Vegan leather
• Compostable adhesives
• Sustainable fashion materials

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Material Sales (Treekind®): Direct sales of Treekind® material rolls to fashion, footwear, packaging, furniture, homeware, and automotive brands for use in their products.
2. Adhesive Sales (Brightbond®): Sales of Brightbond® biobased adhesive for industrial and craft applications.
3. Custom R&D Services: Bespoke research and development projects for brands seeking customized plastic-free material solutions. Projects range from £900 (one-day assessments) to £50,000+ (complex multi-phase developments).
4. Sample and Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of material swatches (A5 and A4) and limited edition products like bangles featuring Treekind®.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Biophilica develops and sells Treekind®, a patented plant-based leather alternative made from lignocellulose (from fallen tree leaves) combined with an algae-based natural binder. The company also sells Brightbond®, a 100% biobased adhesive, and offers custom R&D services to fashion, footwear, packaging, furniture, homeware, and automotive brands seeking plastic-free, home-compostable material solutions.

Product overview

Biophilica is a London-based biotechnology company offering a portfolio of 100% biobased material solutions. The core products are Treekind® (a plastic-free leather alternative made from tree leaf lignocellulose and algae binder) and Brightbond® (a 100% biobased adhesive). These products serve the fashion, footwear, packaging, furniture, homeware, and automotive industries. The portfolio also includes Limited Edition Bangles featuring Treekind® material and custom R&D services for developing tailored plastic-free solutions. All products are compostable, recyclable, and free of plastic, PU, phthalates, PFAs, and toxic chemicals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Treekind®: A patented plant-based alternative to leather that is completely free of plastic. Made from a formulation of lignocellulose from fallen tree leaves and an algae binder, it is ultra-low resource, recyclable, and home-compostable.
• Brightbond®

Products and services

• Treekind® A patented plant-based leather alternative made from lignocellulose (fallen tree leaves) and an algae binder. Completely plastic-free, ultra-low resource, recyclable, and home-compostable. Sold to fashion, footwear, packaging, furniture, homeware, and automotive brands for use in their products.
• Brightbond® A 100% biobased adhesive with excellent bonding results, suitable for gluing Treekind®, paper, cardboard, textiles, wood, and conventional leather. Currently finalizing pre-commercial trials.
• Limited Edition Bangles Hand-made stainless steel bangles featuring Treekind® material, available in clasp, wide, and thin styles, sold direct-to-consumer through the company's e-commerce storefront.
• Custom Development Services Bespoke research and development projects for brands seeking customized plastic-free material solutions. Projects range from £900 for one-day assessments to £50,000+ for complex multi-phase developments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 0.1% of water used in equivalent leather processing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• ID GenèveflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss luxury watch brand partnered to develop world's first plastic-free, compostable watch strap using Treekind® material. Collaboration featured as part of ID Genève's new generation circular watch collection.
• BESTSELLER (JACK & JONES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational fashion group piloting Treekind® with Fashion for Good to test and validate material as replacement for conventional footwear materials for JACK & JONES brand.
• BEEN LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership began summer 2021 with ReLondon grant funding. BEEN London created fully home compostable collection from Treekind® consisting of tote bag and small leather goods (keyring, coin purse).
• Fashion for GoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable fashion accelerator that facilitates pilot programs connecting Biophilica with major fashion brands to test and validate Treekind® as material alternative.
• Central Research LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccelerator program supporting hardware and deep tech ventures through mentorship and resources.
• Sustainable AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccelerator program supporting sustainable business ventures.
• LVMH's La Maison de StartupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLVMH accelerator program supporting startups in luxury innovation, providing access to luxury goods industry expertise and potential partnerships.
• Yahoo FinanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor financial news outlet that covered Treekind® USDA certification announcement, providing media visibility.
• Just StyleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApparel industry trade publication that covered Treekind® USDA certification, reaching industry professionals.
• Innovation in TextilesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade publication covering textile industry innovation that reported on Treekind® certification.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Vegea:

Direct peers

• MycoWorks: US-based biotechnology company producing Reishi™, a mycelium-based leather alternative. Direct competitor in the next-gen biobased leather space targeting luxury and fashion brands (e.g., Hermès, Ligne Roset); comparable in technology approach and end-market focus but significantly better-capitalised.
• Bolt Threads: US-based biotech producing Mylo™, a mycelium-based leather alternative, and b-silk™ protein-based materials. Direct peer with similar biobased material technology serving fashion and footwear brands (Stella McCartney, Adidas, Lululemon).
• Natural Fiber Welding: US-based company producing Mirum™, a plant-based, plastic-free leather alternative. Closely comparable technology profile to Treekind® — natural fibres, no PU backing, fully biobased — and a direct competitor for plastic-free leather brand partnerships.
• Ananas Anam: UK-based producer of Piñatex®, a leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibre. Direct competitor in the plant-based leather space, especially relevant given both companies' UK base and similar fashion/accessories customer base.
• Desserto: Mexico-based producer of cactus-based vegan leather. Direct competitor in the plant-based leather alternative category serving fashion, footwear, and automotive upholstery brands with similar biobased positioning.
• Modern Meadow: US-based biotech using bioengineered proteins and Bio-Alloy™ technology to produce sustainable leather alternatives. Direct peer in next-gen biobased materials targeting fashion, footwear, and automotive applications.

Emerging players

• Beyond Leather Materials: Denmark-based startup producing apple-leather (apple skin waste) leather alternatives. Emerging peer with a comparable biobased, waste-stream feedstock approach and similar brand-partnership go-to-market in European fashion.
• Notpla: UK-based startup producing seaweed-based packaging and materials. Not a direct leather competitor, but a closely comparable UK biobased-materials startup using natural feedstocks, with overlapping sustainability positioning and potential partnership or competitive overlap in packaging applications of Treekind®.
• Ecovative Design: US-based mycelium technology company producing Forager™ materials for fashion and packaging. Emerging peer in the bio-fabricated materials space with comparable sustainability positioning and shared fashion brand customers in next-gen materials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/treekindmaterials
• Instagraminstagram.com/treekindmaterials

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biophilica