Arda Biomaterials is having a landmark year as it moves New Grain™ from pilot stages towards commercial launch in early 2027.
The company has deepened its ties with the world's two largest drinks producers. Through the 100+ Accelerator (the corporate sustainability programme backed by AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone and Colgate-Palmolive), Arda has completed a pilot with AB InBev, the world's largest brewer, developing New Grain™ from the spent grain of its global breweries. The collaboration has already produced a run of custom pieces, including Budweiser cardholders and a Stella Artois tennis racket sleeve, each giving new life to grain from iconic beer brands.
In parallel, Arda won its pitch at Diageo's Fusion Allterra open-innovation programme, securing a pilot with the world leader in Scotch whisky. Together they are crafting luxury pieces from whisky distillery spent grain, reimagining the ritual of premium gifting and proving that luxury and circularity needn't be a trade-off.
On the design side, Arda's ongoing partnership with London studio BEEN London continues to push New Grain™ toward market readiness. Following the snakeskin-effect Millais bag in 2024, the pair unveiled the Calvert XL tote in 2025 (made using spent barley from neighbouring craft brewery The Kernel) and colourful custom bucket bags in 2026 at the Future Fabrics Expo, Biofabricate and other key industry events.
To support this growth, Arda has opened a new 5,000 sq ft production facility on London's famous 'Bermondsey Beer Mile' – five times the size of its previous site – as it develops a roll-to-roll process to make New Grain™ available at volume and competitive prices.
The momentum has drawn wide attention: Arda was recently profiled by design authority Dezeen, named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list, and closed an oversubscribed $5.25M seed round led by Oyster Bay Venture Capital to accelerate its scale-up.
Arda is always keen to hear from brands, brewers, distillers and manufacturers interested in circular, plastic-free materials.
Stats and interesting facts about New Grain™:
- 96% less CO₂e per m² than cow leather and 72% less than polyurethane leather (third-party LCA, 2025). Please note we are pursuing an updated, third party verified LCA in late 2026 and can update these figures.
- 100% plastic-, rubber- and animal-free – no petrochemical or bio-derived top coats, binders or coatings.
- 100% waste-derived, biobased feedstock with full traceability from grain to finished material.
- Key performance metrics (tensile strength, abrasion and tear resistance, elongation and colourfastness) are on par with animal and synthetic leathers – achieved without any synthetic additives.
- Naturally black with no added dyes due to the tannins and lignins present in spent grain, and tunable into a palette of rich yellows, blues, browns, reds and greens using all plant- and mineral-based pigments.
- Partnerships with the world's largest brewer (AB InBev) and the world's largest Scotch whisky maker (Diageo).
- A single AB InBev-scale brewery could yield up to 4 million metres of material from one site, the equivalent of 8 million pairs of shoes.
- Resilient, localised supply chains at scale – with 10,000+ breweries in Europe alone, Arda can source spent grain locally and onshore production close to customers as it scales.
- 4 patents (and counting) underpinning the technology.
- Raised roughly $6M in venture funding plus ~$1M in grants, including an oversubscribed $5.25M seed round.
- 5,000 sq ft facility on London's Bermondsey Beer Mile – five times the previous footprint.
- Founded in 2022 out of Entrepreneurs First; the first samples were made using a saucepan, sock and borrowed lab kit in the co-founder's kitchen.
- Recognition includes Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, an H&M Foundation Global Change Award finalist spot, and features by the BBC, Fast Company, Dezeen and Sifted.
Here is what Arda Biomaterials said about joining UKFT membership:
"We joined UKFT to help build a more circular UK textile industry, and to meet the brands, makers and fellow innovators making it happen. It's a brilliant community to be part of as we bring New Grain™ to market."
