Meet the groundbreaking Nextffen material boasting 80% renewable carbon, superior performance and a reduced environmental footprint
Bio-design pioneer Modern Meadow unveils INNOVERA™, formerly BIO-VERA®, a revolutionary transformative material powered by a technology platform that merges biology and material science. This NextGen material not only delivers exceptional strength and light weight but also sets new benchmarks for sustainability within the industry.
INNOVERA™ stands out for its composition, featuring over 80% renewable carbon and by a production process designed to minimize environmental impact. “Sustainability is at the very core of what we do,” states Pierluigi Berardi, VP, Sales & Marketing at Modern Meadow. “INNOVERA™ is engineered by assembling diverse components into a true NextGen material that marries high performance with environmental responsibility.”
The structure of INNOVERA™ comprises three key elements: a framework of recycled Nylon 6 derived from recycled post-consumer car tires, a soy protein-based polymer and a bio-based polyurethane binder. “We meticulously analyzed leather on an industrial scale to replicate its key attributes, ultimately creating a material that surpasses current industry standards,” explains Berardi. The outcome is a product compatible with traditional tanning technologies yet offering significant advantages through reduced water, salt and raw material consumption.
INNOVERA™’s performance is remarkable: the material offers twice the strength and is 25% lighter than natural leather, while slashing chromium tanning effluents by 95%. “Market reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” confirms Berardi. “INNOVERA™ provides a unique hand feel and appearance, broadening tanneries’ offerings with its superior mechanical and technological properties.”
Another innovation lies in INNOVERA™’s scent, reminiscent of natural leather, achieved through the reaction of soy proteins during the tanning process. “The soy proteins mimic collagen’s effect, imparting the material’s characteristic scent,” Berardi explains. Moreover, INNOVERA™ is supplied as a “dry white”, a semi-finished material that eliminates the initial tanning stages, further lessening its environmental footprint.
Modern Meadow is actively pursuing ISCC and Cradle to Cradle certifications and is conducting a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the product’s entire life cycle impact. “Transparency is key; we aim to provide our clients with a truly sustainable, high-quality product,” says Berardi.
“While positioned in the mid-to-high price range, INNOVERA™ yields significant economic and sustainability benefits,” Berardi explains. “In demanding sectors like automotive, material yield can reach 85%, compared to just 50% for traditional leather, translating into substantial savings.”
Unlike natural leather, INNOVERA™ requires no special storage conditions. Furthermore, Modern Meadow and BASF are co-developing a circular process to recover the Nylon 6 and reintegrate it into the production loop. “Circularity is a cornerstone of our approach,” states Berardi. “Our goal is to minimize environmental impact while offering customers a versatile, high- performance material that delivers tangible economic advantages.”
www.modernmeadow.com – MODERN MEADOW
Pierluigi Berardi, VP,Sales & Marketing at Modern Meadow